Brown and White Design

Hugh Bawtree, originally from Kamloops, studied Computer Sciences completing his undergrad at the University of Victoria and his Masters at Simon Fraser University. 

He returned to work in the interior, here in Salmon Arm, and after being caught in a round of layoffs at a local company, wanted to stay in the area to raise his young children, establishing Bawtree Software, a pioneer firm in the development of apps. 

About a year ago, he met Krishna Rajanala, originally from India, in the Makerspace in the basement of the Innovation Centre and the two started working together. Rajanala is a mechanical engineer who relocated here with his family under the BC Provincial Nominee Program Immigration Entrepreneur Regional Pilot. The City of Salmon Arm is a participant in the pilot program that offers a pathway to permanent residence for foreign entrepreneurs who create and manage new businesses in rural BC communities by making investments and creating jobs for Canadians.

With Rajanala’s engineering experience in the mechanical production in 3D printing of metals and plastics, and Bawtree’s experience in apps development, an idea was born. Since 2023, the pair have been developing a product called Dreamwheels Display, 3D printed interlocking display boxes for miniature collector cars with programmable lights. 

Dreamwheels Display is an innovation in the massive collectibles and memorabilia market in that the customer will purchase not the product per se but the 3D models and the accompanying app. The resulting partnership, known as Brown and White Design, is now in the product launch phase working with Kickstarter, an online crowdfunding investment platform for creative and innovative products around the world. 

Long a fan of model railways, when asked about the attraction to collectibles, Bawtree reflects. “It’s the idea of curating your own experience and building a world of your own making, the way you would like it to be.” He adds, “because no physical product is shipped, there’s a sustainability to the product that counters the prevailing trend of planned obsolescence. The advances in 3D printing technology, especially in biodegradable plastics, can significantly reduce GHG emissions.”

Bawtree has lived here for over 30 years and Rajanala has only lived here for one but they share a commitment to playing a small innovative role in a large market, rather than seeking the largest role in a smaller one. It’s a niche approach to entrepreneurship that values innovation, continuous improvement and a healthy work life balance. The Innovation Centre, the Shuswap Makerspace, the turnkey approach, the reasonable pricing, and the collection of like-minded businesses and entrepreneurs has been instrumental in the project. 

See the innovative product for yourself and start imagining at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/367053427/dreamwheels-display.