Ben Exton

Curiosity and hands‑on problem‑solving have driven Ben from his early days pulling things apart to co‑founding Seismic Shift, a start‑up developing affordable seismic dampers to reduce the impact of earthquakes across the Pacific Rim. A UC Engineering graduate, he credits UC’s community and broad skill base for shaping his path and inspiring his commitment to creating safer, more resilient buildings worldwide.

What interested you about studying engineering at UC?

I grew up loving hands-on projects, which often involved pulling things apart to fix them or see how they worked and (most of the time) putting them back together correctly. The engineering programme interested me because it had the same strong problem-solving aspects and covered such a wide variety of topics.

What triggered you and your co-founder to commit to starting a business? What is the solution that Seismic Shift is offering? 

My colleague Geoff and I started Seismic Shift to reduce the impact of natural disasters (primarily earthquakes) on communities around the Pacific Rim, where the majority of seismic events occur. By reducing damage from these events, we directly impact all three aspects of triple bottom line thinking (people, planet, and prosperity) - reduced stress on people, less debris to landfill, and lower repair costs. We have developed a suite of affordable dampers for buildings of all scales (from homes to large warehouses) that absorb shocks, much like the suspension in a car. Where most of our industry still operates in a bespoke manner, we are focused on product standardisation and the cost efficiencies that this offers customers.

Is there anything you wish you had known when you first started your entrepreneurial journey?

How long it would take, and how much it would cost! Research & development is filled with many twists and turns: ideas that don't work, discoveries you didn't expect, and hurdles that you didn't see coming. Ultimately, it is the twists and turns that makes it so rewarding though. A benefit of Christchurch is that there are many other companies being developed here, and a start-up ecosystem that is thriving - we have been fortunate to find others to seek advice from, and groups such as The Ministry of Awesome who have contributed invaluable help along the way. We have also started to pay that support forward, too.

Looking towards the next few years, what goals do you have for the business? 

In the short term, we are aiming to secure our first international installations (Japan & USA) and navigate the challenges of manufacturing in those countries. Looking further into the future, our aspiration is to see these products become standard practice in all building projects, ultimately creating a better outcome for the environment, people, and their back pocket too.

Are there any favourite memories or experiences that come to mind when reflecting on your time at UC? 

The people. My time at UC created lasting friendships and a network where we can all inspire each other to push for better. When considering that group of people, many are no longer working directly in the field of engineering that they studied (or in engineering at all), and this shows just how transferable the skills are.