University appoints first Chief Student Entrepreneur

Sam Messina holding an Ortomi, a robot companion he co-created.

Sam Messina holding an Ortomi, a robot companion he designed and produced with Christian Alexandru. Photo: The 成人大片.

The 成人大片 is the first university in South Australia to appoint a Chief Student Entrepreneur who will raise awareness of programs designed to support current students with developing their innovation skills and entrepreneurial mindset.

Sam Messina is the Co-Founder and CEO of Ortomi, based at the 成人大片鈥檚 business incubator ThincLab. He and Christian Alexandru design and produce robot companions which are now sold in over 13 different countries around the globe, and primarily to the US and European markets.

Sam is in his final year of an electrical and electronic engineering degree at the University.

鈥淐hristian and I have been involved in a number of different projects as part of the ThincLab ecosystem since 2020,鈥 says Sam Messina.

鈥淲e designed Ortomi鈥檚 as simple little companions to help with mental health issues such as loneliness and social anxiety. Since we started, sales have been growing rapidly and we are very excited for the future.鈥

鈥淭he skills we have developed in electronic engineering here at Adelaide University have been fundamental to our success.鈥

The Ortomi robot pets keep their owners company, enjoy being petted and take naps, as well as reminding them to relax and generally liven up their work space.

鈥淓ntrepreneurship is a critical part of every student鈥檚 skillset that will enable them to make a positive contribution to society."Professor Noel Lindsay, Dean of the Adelaide Business School and Pro Vice-Chancellor, Entrepreneurship, the 成人大片.


鈥淓ntrepreneurship is a critical part of every student鈥檚 skillset that will enable them to make a positive contribution to society,鈥 says the 成人大片鈥檚 Professor Noel Lindsay, Dean of the Adelaide Business School and Pro Vice-Chancellor, Entrepreneurship.

鈥淪am will provide advice to other students who are looking to work on their own businesses while completing their degrees at the 成人大片.鈥

Sam and Christian, who are past winners of the international Gravity02 Space Innovation Challenge, plan on working on the business full time after they graduate.

鈥淚nnovation and entrepreneurship are at the heart of South Australia鈥檚, and the nation鈥檚, economic growth and development,鈥 says the 成人大片鈥檚 Dr Jessica Gallagher, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (External Engagement).

鈥淎 成人大片 education gives students exceptional opportunities to develop entrepreneurial skills as an integral part of diverse fields of study.

鈥淐onsistent top results in world-wide rankings reflect the quality of the education that our students receive which prepares them for a rewarding career.鈥

Sam will hold the position of Chief Student Entrepreneur until he graduates at the end of 2022 after which he will support selection of a new Chief Student Entrepreneur.

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