Danielle Applestone turned down a job at Tesla to revolutionize the manufacturing industry.
Applestone, now a single mother debuted the Othermill in 2013.
She graduated from MIT, earned a PH.D. in material science, turned down a job offer from Tesla in favor of her dreams to build a computer-controlled milling machine to employing American manufacturers.
The Othermill is capable of cutting into aluminum, brass, wood, and plastic with microscopic precision and costs considerably less than an industrial mill on the market.
Priced at $2,199 only. The Othermill does everything a 3D printer does and more.
Running out of funds to keep the project going, Applestone and her team were only able to keep the project going by taking consulting jobs while mounting a Kickstarter campaign.
After crowdfunding success, angel investors and venture capitalists took notice of the project. And she eventually raised $6.5 million. In 2017, the company had reached breakeven after shipping products for over three years.
Today, Applestone has partnered with Bre Pettis and both are committed to running a sustainable small business, one that can have an impact on the world and satisfy their customers.
The Othermill began as a Darpa grant researched at Otherlab. They wanted a long-lasting, cheap and easy to understand CNC for everyone. Something with the same capabilities as a laser cutter but with none of the toxic gasses and fire hazards. It actually ended up as an odd making machine.
The machine worked perfectly as a vinyl cutter with a spindle instead of a blade. Sheet stock was inserted into the rollers and it moved the material back and forth until it was finished.
