Ben is a talented young designer with a passion for engineering, digital design and 3D printing. When he connected with the Sanjay Mortimer Foundation, he was receiving limited educational support. He struggled to find educators that could match his technical interests and learning needs. Despite teaching himself how to use tools like Blender and CAD, he had little opportunity to turn his ideas into physical projects.

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Ben first encountered SMF at SMRRF 2026. For his family, simply attending was significant. It was the first time Ben had been out of the house in a long time. Surrounded by people who shared his passions, Ben engaged with experts and the maker community. He was finally inspired to chase his dreams. 

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Since joining SMF, Ben has been matched with his mentor, Andrew Allshorn, of 3D-Squared and provided with his own Prusa printer. Together, Ben, his family and Andrew built and configured the printer, giving Ben the practical tools and specialist guidance to begin bringing his designs to life.

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Support provided:

• Specialist 1:1 mentoring with Andrew Allshorn

• Prusa 3D printer and hands-on setup support

• Ongoing support developing CAD and 3D-printing skills​

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Ben is now moving from learning digital design to developing and printing his own ideas. He is exploring a project to create 3D-printed visual aids for schools and therapists, with the ambition of developing his ideas into a small company. 

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As Ben shares:

“SMF have given me the opportunity to work with a great mentor who is helping me bring my ideas to real life, and hopefully make them into a business opportunity."

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For Ben’s mother, Isabel, the relationship with his mentor has been particularly important:

“Andrew is fantastic, he doesn't just understand Ben, he totally gets him.”​

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From attending SMRRF after months of isolation to building his own printer and exploring his first business idea, Ben’s journey shows what can happen when a young person’s interests are met with the right support.