Engineering Holiday Gift Guide 2021
Ten gift ideas designed by U of T Engineering alumni and students
An annual U of T Engineering tradition, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite items with ties to Skule™ alumni and students for your list this holiday season.
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Reeddi
A finalist in the £1-million Earthshot Prize, Reeddi is a clean-tech startup founded by U of T Engineering alumnus Olugbenga Olubanjo (CivE MASc 1T9). The company provides clean energy to more than 600 homes and businesses in Nigeria with its network of Reeddi power capsules. The Reeddi capsule is a 200W rechargeable energy device that provides portable electricity to power multiple devices, including smartphones, display monitors, LED studio lights, tablets, and laptops. and more.
Nanoleaf Lines
A mainstay of the U of T Engineering Holiday Gift Guide in years past, Nanoleaf, the LED lighting company founded by U of T Engineering alumni Gimmy Chu (ElecE 0T6), Tom Rodinger (IBBME PhD 0T7) and Christian Yan (ElecE 0T6), is back with an innovative twist on their iconic light panels. With a sleek linear design and modular backlit illumination, Nanoleaf Lines are customizable to display up to 16 million colours and dynamic lighting effects, enough to turn even the frostiest of holiday spaces into an illuminating light show.
Muse S Gen 2
The award-winning meditation and sleep headband, co-created by U of T Engineering alumna Amanda Fleury (BME, PhD 1T8), is back on our list with their catalogue of brain-sensing headbands. Find focus during the day with the Muse S (Gen 2), an EEG-powered wearable device — with real-time biofeedback on brain activity, heart rate, and sleep tracking — that provides meditation and sleep support. The Muse S (Gen 2) can be bundled with an annual subscription for over 500 in-app meditations from renowned instructors.
BlackFly
Opener, the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aeronautics manufacturer is in the business of flight. Their latest innovation, BlackFly, is a Jetsons-style personal aircraft designed with the help of U of T Engineering alumna Kristina Menton (MechE 1T4 +PEY). BlackFly aims to sell 25 units this fall. In the meantime, fans, aeronautics enthusiasts and aspiring future engineers can download a 3D-printable model of the BlackFly for free and build one at home this holiday season.
THEMIS
Co-founded by U of T Engineering students Amardeep Singh (ChemE MEng candidate) and Cindy Chen (Year 4 EngSci), alongside lawyers Rishi Dhir and Key Jumarasamy, Themis allows users to manage data from multiple digital products, including SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, Dynamics, Outlook, and Office 365, in a single, intuitive platform. Winners of a $20,000 prize at The Hatchery’s Demo Day 2020, Themis is a Microsoft Office add-on that uses AI to simplify and optimize the file-sharing process, making complicated tasks, such as signing legal contracts, a breeze.
U of T Sports and Rec
U of T Sports & Rec offers a range of online and in-person activities to keep the fitness fanatic in your life on track this holiday season. With access to several of U of T’s renowned fitness facilities, including the state-of-the-art Goldring Centre, the U of T Athletic Centre, and the Varsity Centre, a Sports & Rec Membership will let you train like the pros. Just ask some of the athletes who call the Varsity Centre home, including U of T Engineering student and recent Olympic athlete Lucia Stafford (CivMin 2T1).
Pheedloop
Co-founded by U of T Engineering students Rahul Goel (EngSci 1T6) and Phil Isaac (EngSci 1T6), Pheedloop supports conferences, meetings, and trade shows with specialized event management software, offering solutions that include in-event mobile apps, ticketing and registration, and touch-free check-in. The company’s event/participant feedback loop (see what they did there?) allows presenters to get real-time, anonymous feedback from audience members via their smartphones.
Three Ships Beauty
Three Ships Beauty is a line of all-natural skincare products co-founded by U of T Engineering alumna Laura Burget (ChemE 1T6). Focused on plant-based ingredients, Three Ships provides a range of products that aim to simplify the skincare process. From their Detox Green Tea Antioxidant Clay Mask to their award-winning Mushroom Serum, Three Ships strives for transparency and a purpose-driven approach in the skincare industry.
Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer
Co-created by U of T Engineering alumnus Dongjun Wang (ElecE 9T5), the Instant Pot has remained a staple of kitchens — and our Holiday Gift Guide — for years. Instant Pot is back this holiday season with a new addition to its line of hit kitchen products: The Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer. An 11-in-1 appliance, the Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer combines all the features of the Instant Pot with two removable lids that help you simultaneously cook and crisp all your favourite meals in one pot — a handy tool for multi-course holiday meals.