Page 16 - Luce 2013

A l umni News

In a sign of the times, JCH alumni are at the forefront of developing new While visiting Melbourne from
technologies which combine smart ideas with smart technology: his parish of the Church of the
Transfiguration in New York
City, former Council member
Putting colour in your life? Bishop Andrew St John
SwatchMate shows how new technologies dropped into the College in
2013 to catch up with his niece
can solve old problems Kathryn St John. Kathryn was
a valued member of our Senior
Anyone who has had a ‘good Common Room as a graduate
idea’ for a new business will student, completing her
know the perilous journey honours degree in Commerce
App.io’s Edward Dowling from concept to fruition – but and tutoring (student reviews
(centre) with business partners resident tutor in Commerce commended her teaching as
Chris Nolet and Diesel Laws. Paul Peng (2007) is well on ‘flawless’). In 2014 her younger
the way with his new company sister Amanda St John will build
App.io: Swatchmate. As featured in on the family connection as a
Try an app the 2013 Melbourne University non-resident student.
Magazine, JCH alumnus and
before you buy it entrepreneur Leni Mayo (1981) 2013 Melbourne and Sydney
is among those University Design Award Winner – The
App.io is a new Australian alumni nursing fledgling Cube
technology start-up company businesses, and Paul and Leni SwatchMate has a number of
that gives smartphone users met as Paul’s own idea was other products in the pipeline
the ability to try out an app taking shape. In 2012, Paul and will be raising further
before purchasing it. It is the was emboldened to co-found capital later this year to fund
brainchild of JCH alumnus a start-up company with two further growth.
Edward Dowling (2006), who University friends. Based
founded the company along on the results of a year-long Paul has always been a keen
with two friends in April 2012. academic paper, SwatchMate ‘DIYer’, and over the years at
focusses on developing colour JCH he has been frequently
Their project has gone through measurement solutions. asked by students and
a number of prestigious fellow tutors to lend the odd
kickstarter schemes. Their The company’s first product, screwdriver or drill. While
initial successful application The Cube, launched on a student, Paul built himself
at Melbourne accelerator Kickstarter in November 2013 a triangular coffee table in Andrew St John and
AngelCube earned the team and surpassed its funding goal the courtyard over the Easter Kathryn St John
$20,000. They were later in a matter of days. The Cube holidays which, he reflects, he
accepted into the powerful US is an innovative tool designed now finds difficult to integrate In April the Principal was
500 Startups incubator, which for designers and colour into his rectangular living delighted to welcome Catherine
provides up to $US250,000 enthusiasts, and uses Bluetooth room space. Building on Paul’s Smith and her friend Jane
in funding, a five-month communications to send real- love of design and the hard Luckman into the College.
accelerator program and access world colour directly to a lessons he has learnt about Catherine’s mother Mildred
to events, some of which allow smartphone or computer for simple practicality, SwatchMate Barnard (Prentice) was resident
founders to travel around the future reference. The invention appears to have found a place at JCH in the 1920s and again
world. By late 2013, the start- was awarded the 2013 in the market. as a tutor in the 1930s. Jane
up had raised $US1.2 million Melbourne and Sydney Design was at the Women’s (University)
from investors and more than Awards, and generated buzz For any SwatchMate queries, College, and over lunch the
8500 app developers have across various media outlets Paul can be contacted via three swapped stories on
signed up to use the service. including the Age, CNET, and paul@swatchmate.com the two colleges and their
The Verge. distinctive culture and traditions.
Edward, now chief executive,
spends about a third of his time
in San Francisco, and plans
to move there in early 2014
to further the interests of the
company.

He hopes that App.io will raise
several more million dollars in
the first half of 2014 as part of
a Series A round of funding.
At present, it only supports
iOS apps for iPhone but plans
to support Android ‘in the
very near future’. Follow the
company’s latest developments Paul Peng (left), Djordje Dikic and Rocky Liang Jane Luckman and Catherine Smith
at https://app.io
16 LUCE Number 12 2013