Making It in
Massachusetts
And what does that have to do with
South Florida?
Who is Matt Trask? And why
is he telling me about this?
Who is Matt Trask? And why
is he telling me about this?
What is a Makerspace?

Workshop–centered coworking

Focus on hardware side of hackerspaces

Design-Oriented Innovation: at the nexus of
engineering, technology and art

Primarily structured as a master lessee, with
user members

Most are not-for-profit collectives, a few are
for-profit or public/private partnerships
What is a Makerspace?

Enabled by: programmable prototyping tools
(e.g. Arduino), 3-D printers (e.g. Makerbot),
laser cutters, crowdfunding (e.g. Kickstarter),
the internet, DIY, Lego’s modularity, open
source software solutions

Influenced by: robotics, hackers, artists, set
designers, innovation competitions,
electronic component salvage, welding, lock
picking, sewing, Burning Man devotees,
craftsmen, custom bicycles, TED talks,
Singularity
What is the Purpose of a
Makerspace?

Creative stimulation

Collaboration

Encouragement

Friendly competition
Driven by Open-Sourced information from the
Internet, interdisciplinary collaboration
“A new level of organization and facilities”
Where do Makerspaces
Form?

Depends on the location of individual
Founders

Where there is a potential pool of members
What Makes a Makerspace?

Shared facilities and services such as
whiteboards, couches, coffee bars

But the Defining Component is the
Workshop!

CNC Machines, Laser Cutters, 3D Printers,
Welding Equipment, Mechanical and
Electronic Tools
How do Makerspaces form?

A small diverse group of founders meeting
informally

Meetup.org
1.
Landlord-funded makerspaces
2.
Corporate model, like a healthclub, such as
Tech Shop
3.
Community/corporate sponsorship
Stages of Makerspace
Development
Early Stage
Growth Stage
Mature Stage
Stages of Makerspace
Development
Early Stage: Founders draw in
their friends, meetings are held to
plan a facility, operating model is
devised
What type of Making?
Membership model?
Onsite classes?
Individual vs. shared workspace?
Stages of Makerspace
Development
Early Stage:

Where to locate?

How to equip?

How to prioritize and make decisions?

What legal structure?

Budgeting?

Membership fee structure?

Insurance?

Membership requirements?
Stages of Makerspace
Development
Early Stage:
South Coast Innovator Labs (SCIL)
The Collaborative/Gateway Consulting
BOLT, Boston
The Geek Group of Western MA
Xylem, Somerville
T.E.S.L.A./WAG, Worcester
Haverhill Hardware Horizons Competition (H3C)
Stages of Makerspace
Development
Growth Stage:
Grows roots
Stabilizes identity,
location, and member
base
Establish facilities
Establish educational and
social events
Stages of Makerspace
Development
Growth Stage:
“Makerspaces serve as
workplace, clubhouse, social
hub, and training center. The
more functions the space
serves, the more attractive it
is to the community, and the
more the community bonds to
it. In some cases, members
actually move nearer to these
locations.”
Stages of Makerspace
Development
Growth Stage:
Necessary systems such
as billing, accounting,
website development,
member database
management, payroll for
staff and instructors
Stages of Makerspace
Development
Growth Stage:
Educational components
(sample from Artisan’s Asylum)
Saturday, September 29
9:00am Crash Course: Programming-CEMI Electronic
Media Institute
12:00pm Basic Machine Tools Training
12:00pm Metal Lathe Testing
2:00pm Manual Milling Machine Testing
3:00pm What the Fluff? Festival!
3:00pm Basic Metalworking Machine Tools
4:00pm CNC Mill Testing
7:00pm CEMI Weekly Jam
Sunday, September 30
12:00pm Public Robotics Lab Office Hours
1:00pm Organic Modeling in Blender
2:00pm Oxy-Acetylene Tool Training
2:30pm CNC Mill Tool Training
4:00pm 3D Printer Tool Training
Monday, October 1
7:00pm Bicycle Maintenance II
7:00pm Lathe: Intro to Woodturning
Stages of Makerspace
Development
Growth Stage:
Industry Lab, Cambridge
Artisan’s Asylum,
Somerville
Stages of Makerspace
Development
Growth Stage:
 Landlord-initiated offers of
space to lease
 Incubator Area
 Accelerator programs
 Begun generating profitable
businesses
Stages of Makerspace
Development
Mature Stage:
When and how to grow
Spin-off companies
Leadership succession
Replicate in new
locations
Stages of Makerspace
Development
Mature Stage:
Fab Lab
South End Technology
Center (SETC)
Mobile Lab, Roxbury
Economic Development
Potential

Job Creation
 Facility Staff
 Startups/Tenant companies

Capital Attraction
 Venture Funding
 Kickstarter. IndieGogo, etc.

Grant Potential
 DARPA
 National Science Foundation
 Foundations
 Workforce Development Funding
 SBIR Grants
Conclusions/Recommendatio
ns
Tying all this to South Florida
“a Makerspace about every twenty miles”
Palm Beach L.E.D., Jupiter
NoBo, Boynton Beach
Hack Delray/Startup Delray, Delray Beach
Caffeine Spaces, Boca Raton
The Learned Nerd, Deerfield Beach
Maker Square, Ft, Lauderdale
The Lab, Miami
Reference

This White Paper:
http://ampitupma.com/pdf/makerspacesr
eport_april2013.pdf

Make Magazine – www.makezine.com

Makers: The New Industrial Revolution, by
Chris Anderson – www.amazon.com
Thank you!
www.MattTrask.Com
www.NeedFirmware.Com
www.TechFoundery.Com