Being an entrepreneur offers a whole new level of ownership — quite literally — in a project. For the CN-Seamless team, this is what drove them to try their hand at operating a business.

Dario Muller (B.S. Mechanical Engineering ‘22, M.S. Electrical Engineering ‘23), Josh Cooper (B.S. Mechanical Engineering ‘22, M.S. Mechanical Engineering ‘22) and Sam Marcom (B.S. Mechanical Engineering ‘22) were friends who knew they wanted control over what they built.

The start of an idea

In the summer of 2021, Marcom worked at a steel mill and observed the maintenance team’s time-consuming, imprecise process of making parts the traditional way. Every measurement was taken with a tape measure or eyeballed. Cuts were made with a hand torch. If the part needed to be remade in six months, there was no record of what to do. 

The original CN-Seamless idea is similar to their current-day product: a machine that traces the old piece and repeatedly cuts a new one without requiring an expert fabricator. However, this now-groundbreaking idea almost never happened due to concerns about creating a working prototype within the constraints of the Engineering Entrepreneurs Program (EEP) class.

Despite all odds, they felt this idea was strongest and committed to it for their class project. Each team member’s expertise helped drive the project forward: Muller’s motor control, Cooper’s CAD experience and Marcom’s fabrication experience.

Looking back at their time in EEP, the team noted CN-Seamless would not have existed without the course. It brought the team together and gave them a sense of community as they navigated a year’s worth of prototyping. Marshall Brain was instrumental in laying the groundwork for building out their idea; he made them believe it was possible.

Today, CN-Seamless brings automation from inside the factory to fabricators in the field. The machines allow even beginner fabricators to make precise cuts in steel plates.

Competing for the top prize

While working on their master’s degrees, the team competed in the 2023 eGames (now the VenturePack Challenge). The competition provided them a place to practice pitching and get instantaneous feedback. “For almost every entrepreneur, early capital is a requirement, and learning in a low-stakes environment how to present your business plan in a matter of minutes is a necessity,” said Cooper.

Accelerating to the next step

In 2024, the team joined the Andrews Launch Accelerator to take their business to the next level. As engineers by trade, they lacked experience running a business. The accelerator gave them a 12-week crash course in what a strong business looks like.

The accelerator provided a platform for the CN-Seamless team to build discipline and make business decisions. The structured approach to weekly topics throughout the summer was a great way for them to learn and address key business needs before they became urgent.

One great connection for the team was to Scot Wingo, who invested in their idea through the Triangle Tweener fund. Since then, he has been helpful with connections and general advice.

Moving forward

With an overall philosophy of making innovations in automation and robotics less overwhelming for the user, CN-Seamless is not slowing down anytime soon.

They recently expanded their office space to support the increase in orders. The team is continuing to expand its core products globally while also developing new products to address more industrial processes that can be automated for tradesmen.