Last month, sophomore Rishi Bhargava decided to turn an idea into a business when he launched Plant3d, a self-watering planter company.

Bhargava’s product is a 3D printed pot that creates a reservoir for water that plants can drink up as they need it. He hopes the product will make watering plants less of a chore, encourage others to adopt plants, and conserve water through its self-storage mechanism.

This is far from Bhargava’s first 3D-printing business endeavor. He originally started selling custom training gear to his club swim team.

“I had designed, 3D printed, and used some swim paddles that featured the team logo for a while, and some of my teammates told me they wanted to buy some. That’s when I realized I could make a business out of one of my hobbies: 3D design and 3D printing,” he said. “I created a website, RB3D, and added more products to it, including my self-watering planters. Over time, RB3D has evolved into Plant3d, with a focus on self-watering planters.”

Bhargava also went into more detail about what exactly self-watering technology implies.

“Each planter holds a water reservoir. Water from the reservoir is transported (through capillary action) to the soil. To make sure that a plant stays healthy, all the user needs to do is make sure there is water is in the reservoir. The name ‘self-watering’ refers to how the planter ensures that the soil is always moist; water is delivered to the plant at the same rate the plant is using it,” he said.

Sophomore Ford Reedy got involved in the project and has helped Bhargava develop a website and online commerce platform to sell his products. Reedy noted his role in the company mostly revolved around finding a way to market the product to individuals. Reedy added that the whole project has a charity focus, and currently, 5 dollars go to Team trees and 3 dollars go to help Ukraine in every order.

As production starts to scale up, the Plant3d team hopes to move away from creating in Bhargava’s own home and potentially start producing in the design lab, where more 3D printers and other resources are available.

For a young, entirely student-run company, Plant3d has had considerable success. Reedy disclosed some of their recent sales figures. “We’ve actually sold quite a few, given the scope of our business and advertising. We’ve done about 25 in total, but we’ve constantly had new orders coming in over the past week or so.” Reedy went on to say that he and Bhargava actually hope the number of orders won’t increase too quickly, so they do not become overwhelmed with orders.

Those interested in joining Plant3d movement can place an order through their website. The planters (available in 3 different styles) are currently priced at fifteen dollars. Reedy also mentioned several planters can be found around the Upper School, so keep an eye open on campus – Plant3d has already reached the SPA community.