Lokesh, Fracture give back to Warrington
Abhi Lokesh learned about the importance of giving back from his time at the University of Florida. Today, it drives his decision making as the co-founder of Fracture, which specializes in printing photos on glass.
Fracture continued its reputation for giving back by donating $50,000 to support UF Warrington’s Social Impact & Sustainability Initiative.
“Fracture wouldn’t be here today without Warrington’s focus on social entrepreneurship and the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center,” Lokesh said. “Those were the things that started this all for us. The sustainable mindset being instilled in students within the sustainability initiative was critical for us.”
Fracture started out as a side project to fund a non-profit Lokesh and co-founder Alex Theodore were running. It began as a small art gallery where they sold prints of licensed work. Through this, they noticed the expensive and time-consuming process of photo printing. They also saw the oncoming explosion of smart phones, giving everyone their own camera to take quality photos.
“We saw an opportunity and wanted to take advantage of it,” Lokesh said.
In his second semester at UF, Lokesh took Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship, taught by Dr. Kristin Joys. It was an elective class, but social entrepreneurship became a passion. He was struck by Dr. Joys’ teaching style of applying real world concepts to learning. The two quickly built a bond and remain close to this day.
“Kristin tries to convey to students that they’re not just students,” Lokesh said. “They may be young, but if they’re passionate and gritty, they can make an impact on society and the world. She always translated what she taught to how it could impact the real world. We gained courage that we could make a difference now and not have to wait.”
Fracture’s focus on sustainability and giving back remains a top priority. The company continues to invest in sustainable materials for products, minimize packaging and recycle all leftover glass. In fact, Lokesh was recently featured in a Forbes interview that focused on his company’s commitment to carbon-neutrality. They’re also active in the Gainesville community, contributing a percentage of their profits to charities during the holiday season.
And their recent gift to UF Warrington’s Social Impact & Sustainability Initiative is only the latest example. After finding a passion as part of the initiative as a student, Lokesh thought it was only right to support future entrepreneurs who will do the same.
“It’s a very self-fulfilling cycle we want to propagate,” Lokesh said. “If we can invest in the program that in turn develops and inspires the next generation of social entrepreneurs, that’s a big reason why we started this. We are doing our part and participating in our circle of life. It’s the foundation of the next generation.”
