The Rapid Foundation aims to empower people around the world by supplying education, training, support and access to disruptive technologies – particularly 3D printing systems – supporting them to innovate, design and create solutions to solve their problems and improve their quality of life.
The Rapid Foundation is a charitable project led by Dr Shane Keaveney and Colin Keogh. Founded in 2014, they utilise recent developments in engineering technologies such as low-cost electronics and 3D printing (which allows people to print out or build 3-dimensional objects) to bring about new opportunities for people to innovate cheaply and locally.
In their opinion, real impact is giving those in need the informal education and tools to continuously grow and fix their problems, rather than trying to create solutions for them from afar. Their goal is to shift the status quo in global aid. The Rapid Foundation supplies technology and training directly to local people, facilitated by a volunteer, the projects are then led by local people, encouraging them to spread their knowledge, train other locals and use technologies to create, innovate and develop solutions to their own problems. They also help produce low cost 3d printed prosthetics, and other assistive devices, for people who need them.
To date, the Rapid Foundation has run number of successful trials around the world, including India, Rwanda, Uganda, as well as in Ireland to demonstrate the power and cost-effectiveness of their approach. The overall goal is to empower people to improve their educational and training levels, to engage in a global world and hopefully to create employment for themselves and others in developing regions.
The work of the Rapid Foundation has had significant impact, which has been widely recognised. They won the IMechE Fritz Schumacher Award for 2016. Then in 2017, cofounder Colin Keogh was named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Europe, both co-founders were listed as Junior Chamber International (JCI) Dublin Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) 2017 and both were award as national winners for JCI TOYP Ireland 2017. Shane Keaveney was nominated for the global JCI TOYP award and reached the final 20.
At this years Dublin Maker, come meet some of their team, volunteers and supporters of this work, chat about 3d printing & innovation, see some 3d printed prosthetics, parts and educational tools, and see how big of an impact you can have with a 3D Printer.
They are always looking for new location, challenges, funders and collaborators. If you know of a location that could work with them, someone who needs a 3d printed prosthetic or if you think you can help, please get in touch at rapidfoundation@gmail.com.
Check them out at www.TheRapidFoundation.com
And follow their work on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & LinkedIn at @TheRapidFoundation.
