Student Spotlight: Maggie Grout - Thinking Huts

Meet Maggie Grout, a Senior at CU Boulder studying Business Management and Entrepreneurship. Maggie is the founder of the nonprofit, Thinking Huts, which she started at age 15 after being fascinated with the idea of leveraging technology to create architectural solutions that increase educational opportunities around the world. Thinking Huts is currently planning to build the world's first 3D printed school in Madagascar next year. 

Thinking Huts

Maggie started her nonprofit while in high school because she wanted to find a solution to increase global access to education. She attributes the cultivation of her nonprofit idea to conversations with her dad, the cofounder of Mapquest. Maggie said that one day they were discussing the future of technology and she came up with the idea of 3D printing schools to use technology for good. 

As of 2020, Thinking Huts consists mainly of a Board of Directors and volunteers. Maggie is currently in the fundraising process and hopes to start building in July of 2021. She recently completed an accelerator program through Yale University with Miriam Huerta, a Junior at Yale studying Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. 

Women in Entrepreneurship

When asked about becoming an entrepreneur, Maggie says she always saw it in herself:

“I wanted to create something and the only way to bring about change is by doing something different. I’m inspired by women and I want to inspire younger girls, to show them that they can do the same thing. Only 5% of CEOs are female and I’m hoping to change the status quo.”

Thinking Huts is actively in their holiday fundraiser with hopes to raise $350k for their pilot project. Their holiday fundraiser ends on December 25th. For more information or to donate, please visit their website at https://www.thinkinghuts.org/.