VistaTek continues to bridge the gap between real world manufacturing and the academia world. Students at the University of Minnesota had created a new product that was part of the fidget phenomenon. They had a great concept with perfect timing. They just needed a little love regarding the manufacturing and the design to make it manufacturable at a competitive price.
“I cannot believe how incredibly smart, impassioned and well-connected these students are”, stated Danny Mishek (Co-owner and President of VistaTek). “Their network on and off campus is unbelievable. Their professors are putting them into situations to win.”
Inventor Anna Wetmore holds up a finished product hot off the press!
To help save some upfront costing, the inventors/students came into VistaTek to help in running their product on the equipment. This is always a good experience for the inventors to see how it is made. It creates an opportunity to highlight the importance of manufacturing and the design element. Sometimes the next generation of design will change the product once efficiencies or inefficiencies are noticed.
From the Inventor – Anna Wetmore
“VistaTek provided us the expertise we needed in the design stages to ensure our product would be functional, and invited us in to tour the facilities and to work the press during our manufacturing. Working with VistaTek gave my team the opportunity to see our product all the way through from an idea to a finished product.”
“It is tremendously helpful for companies like VistaTek to support these student entrepreneurs,” noted John Stavig (instructor and director of the Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship). “Helping the students to work through complex challenges and designs gives them a real taste of both the product design and startup processes.”
Mishek has worked with the University of Minnesota for over 10 years in a variety of ways and with a variety of departments. From the Medical Device Lab, the Fellows, MN Cup, the Entrepreneurial Club, etc. It shows the importance for education & manufacturing, and combining these worlds.
Original Kare11 Article:
http://www.kare11.com/news/no-matter-how-you-top-it-fidget-spinners-are-big-business/446642229