I'm 3D Printing Chocolate

In this episode of Make:Cast, Dale Dougherty interviews Ellie Weinstein, the founder and CEO of Cocoa Press, a company that developed a 3D printer capable of creating custom chocolates. Ellie, with a background in mechanical engineering, initiated the idea as a high school project in 2014, which evolved into a full-fledged business. They discuss the technical aspects of Cocoa Press, such as its precision chocolate printing, and the journey of challenges and successes that Ellie faced, including setbacks with prototypes, manufacturing hurdles, COVID-19 impacts, and near closures. Despite initial failures, persistence paid off, culminating in successful pre-orders and leading to the launch of Cocoa Press 2. Ellie highlights the importance of innovation not just in product development but also in business processes and team culture. Cocoa Press's future goals include international expansion, possible cost reductions, and the launch of new 3D printing kits following the acquisition of Alien 3D. (some photos credited to Penn Engineering)