3D Printing Its Way Into The Startup World Boosting 'Made in India' with 3D technology.

From a college room where friends gathered at 3 in the morning before an exam to standing before investors in a conference room, Sushil has a way of explaining things. It's not because he was the topper, but because he had the ability to learn as well as explain the same to others in a short time. This helped Sushil's friends clear the exams and with years of practice, Sushil talked his way into the startup world, with his co-founders Manya and Sanchet ,and started up "Morphedo'.

A startup based on 3D technology, Morphedo brings together Makers (3D Printer Owners), Product/3D Designers and Buyers on one platform thereby meeting the manufacturing demand and supply gap. Still in its nascent stage in India, 3D printing is the future of manufacturing by making it more accessible to common mass and highly personalized. Various advantages of 3D Printing technology, mainly negligible waste, lower manufacturing lead time, no finished good inventory and local manufacturing leads to convenient, environment friendly and economical solution for all manufacturing needs of an individual.

What fascinates me about 3D printing is that it's like building with legos in childhood, but it has gotten technologically advanced. It's creating what you exactly want without much efforts. Startups like Morphedo are highlighting this by giving every individual a chance to experience this technology. To accept it and embrace the future.

We had a word with the founder Sushil Baranwal about their startup and the technology behind and we must say, the future in terms of technology and entrepreneurs are both are very bright.

What got you started?

I wanted to become a CEO since my childhood days, even when I didn't know what the roles and responsibilities of the post were. May be the word sounded fancy to me then. Becoming an entrepreneur was the thing that I always wanted. During the first year of my engineering days I had decided a goal, of working for 2 years, then MBA and then a venture of my own. I did every possible thing to stick to my path and reach to the goal and now I am living the life of an entrepreneur.

Is college entrepreneurship as fun as it sounds?

All my student life I have been looked upon as a savoir by my classmates. During the first year of my MBA, friends requested to get appointments for helping them prepare for their exam. My room used to be cluttered at even 3:00 AM before the exam day. My college was located in Greater Noida, Knowledge Park 2 and my friends had named my room as Knowledge Park 5 (Till that time the location had Knowledge Park I – IV only).

I always wanted to start a venture of my own. During the first year of my MBA, I was evaluating various technologies of the future, when I came across the solutions that 3D Printing technology can offer to the mass. I wanted to start right away, and hence, approached my college to allow me to opt out of the mandatory Summer Internship Project. I wanted to work on the research part of my business idea during the two months. The college agreed to it and rolled out an Entrepreneurial Internship Program (EIP) for my team. This is how the three college friend started Morphedo. When the regular classes resumed, we started living the life of student entrepreneurs managing the classes as well as taking our business ahead.

I have been a consistent performer during my PGDM (Post Graduation). However, in the fifth trimester, I was not allowed to appear for one of the exams because of low attendance as I was involved in managing my startup. I still remember requesting faculties and staffs to consider my application to sit for the exam with no success. I had to write the subject in supplementary exam.

Despite of experiencing highs and lows in a day I keep hustling with the same energy and passion.

What's interesting about Morphedo?

Morphedo brings together Makers (3D Printer Owners), Product Designers and Buyers on one platform thereby meeting the demand and supply gap. Morphedo being a services marketplace it will charge 10% commission on every transaction performed on its platform.

Our focus segment is manufacturing Consumer Products such as gadgets, jewellery, home decor, and art in multiple material options, and in the range of INR 100 to INR 100K, where people themselves explore and create their own products instead of selecting from a shop.

Our 200K+ 3D Designers/Modelers will be able to showcase their product designs on Morphedo's marketplace for customers to explore, select and customize for bespoke manufacturing, helping them monetize on their designs which are now just lying with them.

Another interesting thing is that 3D Printer Owners can now list their 3D Printers on our marketplace and have a larger customer base to serve. Listing of different kind of 3D Printer will enable the platform to service orders in different raw materials including, metals, plastics, nylon and many more. This is making the platform one stop destination for personalized manufacturing requirements.

Technology behind Morphedo

It's time that we now talk about eManufacturing/digital manufacturing which will be smart and fashionable. It's time to talk about manufacturing with "Zero Defect Zero Effect". Manufacturing locally to produce "Made by you", "Made In India" product.

3D printing, aka, Additive Manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects of almost any shape from a digital file. The 3D printed objects are created using Additive processes. In this process the object is created by laying down successive layers of materials until the entire object is created. Futurologists believe that 3D printing is the beginning of 3^rd industrial revolution, succeeding the production line assembly that dominated manufacturing starting in the late 19th century. Using the power of the Internet, it is possible to send a digital design file of any product to any place in the world to be manufactured in the exact form and properties by a 3D Printer.

Morphedo's online marketplace brings together Makers (3D Printer Owners), Product Designers and Buyers on one platform thereby meeting the demand and supply gap.

Future of 3D Printing Technology in India

Though 3D Printing technology is observed in Indian market for quite some time, it has gained momentum in the year 2015. A few startups cropped up last year and a significant technology adoption has also been observed among consumers. The market for 3D Printing industry is still at its nascent stage. However, in the coming years the growth opportunities are limitless. The need for domestic production, demand for lean manufacturing and increasing adoption into various industries, coupled with Indian government's "Make In India" plan is driving this industry.

Is India ready for 3D printing?

The biggest challenge that we face is the lack of awareness of 3D Printing technology in India. The terms "Printer" and "Printing" has been so prominent in our daily lives that many people often tend to relate 3D Printing and 3D printers as an upgradation or new version of 2D printers. This makes it a little difficult when we are explaining the technology to any of our present or future stakeholders or even when we are hiring.

The already existing terms like "Printers" and "Printing" makes it confusing for people to imagine the benefit or potential of 3D Printers in the very first go. People who listen to the term "3D Printing" for the first time try to relate it to offset printing, many of them tend to imagine that the output would somewhat look like a holographic image.