May 2020

Eight friends collaborated to conceive the initial idea for Phase Maze

Due to the pandemic, we were unable to move forward with the Phase Maze
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Resumed progress on Phase Maze

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November 2021

December 2021

Prototyped the first Phase Maze
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Approved by WPI to file for a provisional patent application for the Phase Maze
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January 2022

February 2022

Began to commercialize the Phase Maze

Started setting up manufacturing, packaging, and distribution

Officially filed for a provisional patent application for the Phase Maze

Playtested the Phase Maze with children at the Discovery Museum to overwhelmingly positive results

Met with the Discovery Museum to discuss building the Phase Maze museum exhibit
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Finished setting up manufacturing, packaging, and distribution

Began networking with industry contacts

Worked with WPI to file for trademarks on “Phase Maze” and our upcoming “Monster Maze”
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March & April 2022

May 2022

Formed the Phase Maze LLC

Finalized our logo and branding

Designed our final packaging

Set up our 3D printing farm for manufacturing
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Printed and cut our own packages

Revised the final product
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Sold our first batch of Phase Mazes to Treasures of Naperville

Began manufacturing our next batch
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June 2022

July 2022

Created our promotional marketing video

Sold our second batch of Phase Mazes to Treasures of Naperville

Hosted our first pop-up shop

Met with the DuPage Children’s Museum to discuss building a Phase Maze museum exhibit
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Hosted our second pop-up shop

Hosted our third pop-up shop

Hosted our fourth pop-up shop

Sold our third batch of Phase Mazes to Treasures of Naperville

Sold a batch of Phase Mazes to Anderson’s Toyshop

Sold over 200 units of Phase Mazes

Celebrated our success with a Phase Cake
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August 2022

October 2022

Maanav Iyengar and Tommy Stanula, two of Phase Maze’s co-founders, were featured on a podcast episode for Queen’s University to discuss our journey

Phase Maze was used as a case study for WPI’s graduate entrepreneurship course

Maanav Iyengar spoke at WPI’s Startup Summit to WPI’s President, Board of Directors, Investment Committee, and the Worcester Chamber of Commerce to make a case for more investing in WPI-affiliated startups

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Filed for a utility patent for the Phase Maze
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December 2022

January 2023

Presented our Phase Maze museum exhibit prototype to the DuPage Children’s Museum

WPI published an article about Maanav Iyengar and the success of Phase Maze 
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Maanav Iyengar was interviewed and featured on the Tech Transfer Newsletter by Tech Transfer Central regarding the development of the Phase Maze intellectual property

Maanav Iyengar and Phase Maze were honored during a celebratory dinner by the Business School at WPI
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March 2023

May 2023

Maanav Iyengar spoke about Phase Maze at the Research, Discovery, and Innovation (ReDi) Annual Symposium 
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