荔枝视频

Despite how much Cameron Curilla might joke, late nights in the 荔枝视频鈥檚 Schulich Makerspace, surrounded by the whirring of 3D printers, was more than just an arts and crafts exercise for himself and William Thomlinson; it ignited a vision. 

Curilla, BSc鈥�24, BComm鈥�24, a recent graduate of U荔枝视频鈥檚 dual degree program in mechanical engineering and business, and Thomlinson, BComm鈥�24, a  alum, co-founded CarbonStone Designs, a startup that pushes the boundaries of 3D printing by crafting custom moulds and using sustainable concrete to create models, trophies and other objects.

Their journey began in 2024 with a trophy they designed for the : a topographical map of Alberta that was made using a type of low-carbon cement additive supplied by a sponsor for the event. 

鈥�We presented it to all the winners and judges at the competition and, from there, we got a lot of interest from our stakeholders to take things to the next level,鈥� says Curilla. 

From competition to startup idea

That initial spark 鈥� fuelled by their involvement as co-presidents of Fuse Collective, the energy and environment club hosting the competition 鈥� quickly transformed into a promising business after Cameron got his first 3D printer and they created a personal workshop.

With the duo鈥檚 knack for combining creativity and engineering, Curilla says CarbonStone Designs distinguishes itself through its dedication to customization and quality. 

鈥淣o task or idea is too daunting,鈥� he says. 鈥�The opportunities are endless. Almost anything that I can model in 3D software, I can then print and then make a concrete mould of.鈥�

Each piece is hand-poured and hand-sanded, ensuring a level of craftsmanship that sets them apart from competitors. The company integrates fly ash, a coal industry byproduct, into their concrete mix, reducing carbon emissions and water usage while enhancing the material鈥檚 strength.

Curilla says their innovations have been resonating with corporate clients. The company designed a model of downtown 荔枝视频 for 荔枝视频 Economic Development, and award trophies for their TalentED 2025 ConnectED Expo project. CarbonStone has even created concrete curling stones for some City of 荔枝视频 outdoor rinks. 

CarbonStone embodies start something spirit 

One of Curilla鈥檚 favourite projects, a detailed model of the U荔枝视频 campus he made to showcase on UToday, embodies the company鈥檚 ability to capture meaningful locations. 鈥淚t鈥檚 neat to visualize the place that I spent the past five and a half years studying at,鈥� he says.

Curilla credits his U荔枝视频 education for many of his achievements. 

鈥淢y dual degree studies have been extremely valuable,鈥� he says, grateful for the computer-aided design modelling knowledge he got from the , and the entrepreneurial knowledge he gained from Haskayne. 鈥淭here鈥檚 been multiple points now where I鈥檓 like, 鈥榃ow, I鈥檓 so glad I learned that in class!鈥欌��  

U荔枝视频鈥檚 start something spirit, a hallmark of Canada鈥檚 entrepreneurial university, is evident in the success of CarbonStone Designs. 

From 3D topography to medical tools and drones

Looking ahead, Curilla hopes to keep expanding their portfolio through two service lines.

鈥淥ne is the aesthetic design where we come up with the cement bases and different 3D models. The other is utilizing those 3D printers with a variety of different filaments for strength and structure to create technical parts,鈥� he says. 

For example, CarbonStone Designs was commissioned to create a gasket in a medical tool for a dermatology clinic earlier this year and is exploring the potential to create custom airframes for drones. 

While navigating the challenges of starting a small business, including legal and accounting complexities and actively seeking investors to support their growth, Curilla remains passionate. 鈥淭his has been one of the most rewarding pursuits I鈥檝e had,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he effort and energy put into this comes right back.鈥�

You can learn more about CarbonStone Designs on their .