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Will Danielle Applestone be the next Steve Jobs?

26 Jun 2015 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Since the passing away of Jobs, not many have stepped into fill his shoes – pretty big by any estimate – yet. When you are hailed as the next possible Steve Jobs and when you happen to be a woman, naturally it would a good point to note that there must be something the earth moving about what you are doing.

Danielle Applestone spent her postgraduate career aiming for a career with Tesla but turned its offer down when she took a job to work for her mentor Saul Griffith; the two shared a common past at MIT. Instead of going along the expected path to Tesla, Applestone wanted a different route – making a greater impact developing tools that would make it possible for millions of engineers to solve many problems – than working as one engineer to solve one problem.
With a three-year grant from the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Defence, responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military, Griffith’s company was where Applestone headed a team developing technology that taught children to build things they want to make, while also teaching them to use machine technology.

From there, Applestone never looked back.

Her vision for her company, Other Machine Co (OMC), which she crowd-funded on Kickstarter to manufacture her prototype 3D printer, was unique. Her light bulb moment could easily change the course of manufacturing history. Going well past its US $ 50,000 goal, OMC succeeded in raising US $ 311,000 although Applestone needed an additional US $ 3 million to keep the company going until a regular revenue stream was sourced.

Given the longer period of time taken, she was able to divide the money into two tranches, giving OMC the much-needed influx of capital. Applestone’s vision captured the imagination and wallets of Broadway Angels, a group of world-class angel investors who had no hesitation in backing OMC.

So what was so special about her company that has put her in the same pedestal as Jobs? OMC plans to revolutionize the way everyday things are made – pretty much like how Apple revolutionized the PC world. OMC will ensure that products are manufactured closer to the point of sale, which, in certain instances, may even be in your home. All you need is the raw material and a downloadable design. Products could be customized to suit your specific needs, which means, companies would become more profitable. There would be no need to manufacture mass quantities in China towards obtaining cost efficiency.
Applestone’s vision goes beyond cost efficiency; her grand plan includes ensuring that everyone has access to manufacturing technologies, from artisans and small-time entrepreneurs to low-skilled people who want to acquire higher-paying skills. OMC is committed to making technology that is affordable, accessible and easy to use.

Applestone remains untouched by her comparison to Steve Jobs. She is not affected by the failures that have been thrown in her way, either, yet another trait she shares with the Apple founder. Start small, she says and prove it to yourself that you can do it.

She likes to zero in on setting small and manageable goals before going for big things. Achieving such goals proves that you can be responsible and dependable. With small steps, come the big ones, she believes. Failure is a part of the deal and usually comes with a lesson.

Applestone’s visionary process of manufacturing may change the industrial landscape as we know it and make it more individual – she could very well be doing what Steve Jobs to change the world of computing as we know it.

(Nayomini Weerasooriya, a senior journalist, writer and a PR professional, can be contacted at nayominiweerasooriya @gmail.com)

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Will Danielle Applestone be the next Steve Jobs?

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