The journey started when I was awarded an exchange semester scholarship to University of Alabama, Huntsville, USA during my bachelors of engineering in Pakistan. It was Spring Semester of the year 2012. As part of scholarship we were asked to take courses and engage our selves in the university events and activities. Being a tech enthusiast, I registered myself in Mechatronics clubs. I was invited in some of the meetings with the club members and wanted to join any projects in order to learn and develop my skills. There was a team who spoke about “3D Printing”, at first I though it must be about those 3D effect photos which would show you 2-3 scenes if you tilt them back and forth – they call it lenticular printing. So, uninterested I joined a robotics project instead and enjoyed my semester very well.
By the end of semester there our club was asked to showcase all of the projects in the student convention center at our University. So all of us exhibited so did the “3D Printing” guys. I walked to their table and saw small miniature models made out of plastic, and could not really understand the purpose. There was also one machine there with the smell of plastic which caught my attention. Thats when I fell in Love at first sight and regretted of not choosing this project instead. I had just 3 weeks left and now my aim was to learn as much as possible about this technology. The guys were very helpful and gave me all of their time and explained me all the concepts and in detail information of the RepRap 3D Printed.
On my return back to Pakistan, I decided to choose 3D Printing as my final year project. At first professors and my class fellows didnt take me seriously. I was infact not given permission to take a Mechatronics Project as my final year project of Telecommunication Engineering Degree. But then I went around the university management to get an approval and I met Dr. Bhawani Shankar, the Dean of our faculty. He is one of a Gem in Mehran University of Engineering and Technology. He supported me fully and approved my project.
In the beginning none of my class fellows believed in me or wanted to be a part of this project, they thought I will fail and they will get into trouble. But after presentations and winning funds of 800 USD by ICT R&D funds, I got 7 members in my team. It took me more than 4 months to source the electronics, CNC manufactured parts and we finally made the first 3D Printer in Pakistan. I still remember sleepless nights and the difficulties raised in making this happen. We printed our first model which was a Whistle and it did not blow! It was Summer of 2013. Later we rectified all isues and printed several models. We got 99/100 in our Final year project – according to administration it was highest grade ever given to any final year project course.
During my final year exams, before even graduating, I was offered a job in Robotics Labs pvt Ltd in Karachi where I worked on 3D Printing and gave 3D Printing Courses. I also gave plenty of talks and workshops in many different universities of Karachi Pakistan. I also mentored some students of Szabist, Karachi who took 3D printer as their final year project. I was just in love with this technology and took this as my full time career. Then I wanted to start my own company of 3D Printing and introduce this technology to all over the country by providing training courses and selling 3D printing machines, but starting a company was not easy. I was a true passionate technologist but I didnt had any business skills such as accounts, sales and marketing which were mandatory for any business startup. Therefore, I decided to move abroad and go for Masters in Mechatronics Engineering.
I was awarded 11 scholarships in different universities of England, USA, Denmark, Italy, China & Turkey. My interest was Germany, but they rejected all my application saying that my bachelors was telecommunication engineering and I needed some pre requisite courses in order to be allowed for a M.Sc Mechatronics. I then decided Istanbul Turkey in Bahcesehir University. The main reason was that the professor there promised me a job alongside my studies in one of the 3D printing startup companies by the alumni of the university. So I worked there part-time.
I moved to Istanbul started my Msc & job, where I were assisting them in the technology, “again” so i didnt feel complete. I also worked part time in one more 3D printing company where I developed their marketing, instagram, website and branding. My aim was to learn the professional business skill set – I was inspired of movies like wolf of wall street and wanted to learn how to Sell? I literally searched for jobs of tele-sales and got into a company called BRU London where I worked for doing cold calls, running mail chimp campaigns and learn accounts. I learned alot here! I was closing deals on phone calls and I was doing very well at job and studies. Then there was an opportunity for a scholarship in Germany and one of the professors called me and told me about it – I always wanted to go Germany, so I applied and got the scholarship for a exchange semester.
Honestly, I took this opportunity to study, work and travel! I applied in couple of 3D printing companies Germany, but no one would want to hire me because I was there for 6 months only. I got a job in Abercrombie and Fitch as associate(part-time), it was just to earn some extra money to travel (checkout my travels here). I was infact offered full time job at Abercrombie and Fitch and the staff and management got surprised to know that I was studying M.Sc mechatronics engineering. During my time in Germany for 6 months I traveled 36 European cities(15 countries) and I got 4/4 CGPA in that semester in Germany – I worked at Abercrombie and Fitch and continued working for BRU London at the same time. Even when I think of all of this, it sounds unbelievable.
I returned back Pakistan and now I was ready to start my own 3D Printing company. But! 3D Printing was banned in Pakistan… Yes, government of Pakistan had banned this technology out of dangers of getting this technology in hands of terrorist and they would take disadvantage by making guns and arms. Such a lame and inconsiderate piece of thought. Check these articles:
https://mudzify.wordpress.com/2017/03/28/stop-banning-3d-printers-in-pakistan/ && https://www.dawn.com/news/1224443
At that point of time, I was lost and not sure what I want to do next. I was offered a job in karachi in one digital agency, during my jobs of BRU London, OOKUMA Filaments & Abercrombie – Sales and Marketing had made me much interested, and I took the offer. I learnt alot there on how to produce leads, what is SEO, how to design website and make call to action buttons to convert leads, how explanatory videos help your brand awareness, what is company profile, how cna a flyer help you promote your campaign. How email campaigns are made? And alot more. I worked there for 1 year – and then again was not satisfied with it and my passion inside me regarding 3D printing just kept growing… Just during this time, someone shared an article of “Dubai 3D Printing Strategy” I thought to go Dubai and start my own company – but wait, this city was crazy expensive and I had no idea of the market there. I resigned my job and I got a visit visa, and I wokeup in Dubai… April 2015
I started applying in and I got a very positive response from all 3D printing companies in Dubai. I was more interested in 3D Printing services rather than selling 3D machines. So I took the most popular 3D printing service company’s offer. I worked there as technical sales and application engineer. I was given training first two weeks about the market and applications of 3d printing in the UAE region. I worked really hard at it and I achieved my sales target the first month! and then the next… i kept killing it. I worked there 10 months, and then I was ready to start my own 3D printing Company, finally!
Initially I was supported by Mr. Salman Ghaznavi, who believed in me and invested in my idea. I am extremely thankful for all his support! He helped me bring my concept idea of the logo and developing the website with his digital marketing companies. I founder the company Proto21 and launched the website on 21st May 2018. But wait… starting a 3D printing company… remember how expensive Dubai is? and how much investment is required to buy the machines… yeah yeah I know you know accounts, and best sales man and you know the technology – but thats not enough! So what to do? I started giving training courses, to bring in some cashflow in order to buy machines, But i though it wouldn’t be enough. During this time, I had some serious financial crisis and family problems due to which I moved back to my home country. But I returned back to Dubai and this time came back with a mission and goals!
My aim was to become the largest and most successful 3D Printing service provider in the GCC region! I want to be the I-materialise of East! to get there you need serious investment… But then life changed, when Joseph Group reached me out for asking for training course – I met them and offered my courses. Later on, they offered me a merger!
Today Proto21 3D Printing LLC is a successful startup. A rising 3D printing company in Dubai UAE, competing the market and providing 3D Printing services to many different industries. Check out our projects www.proto21.ae/projects.
On 21st May 2019 – the company will be 1 year old. Within this short span of time Proto21 has acquired more than 20 3D Printers which includes majorly FDM, SLA & Binder Jetting technologies. Built a passionate team of 5 employees. We have done more than 132 projects for renowned companies like Emirates, Schlumberger, Nissan, Rolls Royce, Al Abbar Group, Expo2020 and many more.
