Little You is a user-friendly design platform that lets children create real-life anime figures through 3D printing. By allowing children to design and customize 3D characters, children are able to create a 3D character and customize every aspect of their appearance and identity. Users can select and add different costumes to design their 3D figure, and they also have the freedom to change colour, size and position for different add-on accessories. Little You will then bring the 3D model to life with 3D printing, which can be delivered anywhere in the world, and allow children to see the fruits of their artistic efforts in a new way.
little you
Richard: Can you tell us about your journey to becoming a leader in play?
Christina: I graduated from OCAD University in 2015 with a Bachelor’s in Material Design and a minor in Communication Design. I started the “Little You” project during my undergrad thesis year, it was initially about 3D printed avatars and this idea got me into the OCAD incubator. While researching customizable characters, I saw a big gap in the market for 3D-printed game merchandise, and from there U-Dimensions Inc. was born. U-Dimensions is a free marketplace that helps game companies produce and sell 3D-printed toys. Fast forward to 2020 and with four years of experience in the play domain, I was ready to reinvent and breathe life into my initial idea, Little You. In the same 2020 year, I earned a Master’s in Business, Entrepreneurship, and Technology from the University of Waterloo where my goal remains to create a social venture that entertain children while cultivating their creativity.
Richard: How did you get the idea for Little You?
Christina: Little You at its core encourages young and upcoming entrepreneurs to explore their ideas without inhibition and seek career opportunities where least expected. Little You represents the concept that one should be fearless when paving their own way towards their life work and vocation. The idea of Little You is to provide a digital sandbox for future entrepreneurs to unleash their hidden talents. It is an unfettered 3D character design experience allowing anyone to reach new heights with near limitless permutations for creative possibilities without setbacks.
Richard: Little You allows children to design and build their own toys. How does that work?
Christina: Little You is a digital platform that gives children from 6 to 18 years of age the chance to design, personalize, and create custom characters using the latest web and 3D printing technology. By allowing children to design and customize 3D characters, children can create a 3D character and customize every aspect of their appearance and identity. Users can select and add different costumes to design their 3D figures, and they also have the freedom to change color, size, and position for various add-on accessories. Little You then brings the 3D model to life with 3D printing.
Richard: I noted that 3D Printing is part of the process. What happens if you don’t own your own 3D printer?
Christina: Little You will fulfill all 3D printing orders that the company receives within 5 business days. These will be printed on demand and delivered to customers.
The live 3D anime characters are made using the most advanced full-color 3D printing technologies. Little You offers toys made of different durable materials like glass fiber composite from Palitra, acrylic resin from Mimaiki, and full-color sandstone from 3D System. These materials are durable and safe for hands-on play for young kids.
We also provide customers the option on the website to download our 3D models, which allows anyone with a 3D printer to print at home.
Richard: What does it cost for a child or adult to use your services?
Christina: Our game is free to play, you can register for an account with your email or log in with Google, Clever, or Facebook. The price of a 3D-printed toy ranges from $15 to $60 depending on the complexity and size of the final product. For example, a 2cm Full-Color Acrylic Resin model will cost $15 where 5cm Full-Color Sandstone models will cost $60. To download the completed obj. file and print it at home, we charge $10 per model.
Richard: What do you see as the future of 3D Printing as a vehicle for self-creation?
Christina: With a rise in the accessibility of mobile devices amongst kids, there’s been a massive rise in creative-thinking applications aimed at keeping the kids distracted and busy but still fostering creativity.
According to data from Fortune’s business insights,the global 3D printing market is projected to grow from $15.26 billion in 2021 to $68.71 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 24.0%.The growth in the 3-D printing industry presents us with a unique opportunity to grow the Little You brand simultaneously with the upward trend of the industry. Having an already established precedence in the 3D printing space enables us to immediately and effectively capture the market during this developmental expansionary period.
