Unlike many web startups,
Shape Collage was profitable from its launch in 2009. Founded by University of Toronto PhD student Vincent Cheung to, as he says, "solve my own problem of what to do with the hundreds and thousands of digital photos that I was taking with my camera. because he realized other collage-making programs. I didn't like what the existing collage makers did, so I made my own." The company has since racked up six figure revenue (and 25% month-over-month revenue growth),
1.5 million downloads and multiple awards
.
Cheung designed the program for his own use and then offered it for free online. He racked up 90,000 downloads in one month. As he continued to work on his graduate studies in computer and electrical engineering, he launched Shape Collage as a business with help from the school's Innovation and Partnerships program, to great accolades. Most recently, he won the Ontario division of the
Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship award. His business model involves giving away his product free but offering an enhanced professional version for sale.
Cheung says he expects the size of the business to double over the next year. As for staff, until now it's just been him, "Founder, CEO, and Janitor" as his web profile says. But Cheung reports he's looking into hiring four support staff soon -- a student intern developer, a sales rep, a marketing person and a graphic designer.
Writer: Edward Keenan
Sources: Vincent Cheung, President, Shape Collage;
Charles Lim on the MaRS blog;
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