10 years of MakerSpace Munich

The MakerSpace, UnternehmerTUM's publicly accessible high-tech prototype workshop, is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Since its opening in 2015, more than 33,500 users from start-ups, companies and the creative scene have built their ideas and realized prototypes in the workshop.

Central innovation infrastructure for Munich

Prof. Dr. Helmut Schönenberger, founder and CEO of UnternehmerTUM, says:"Today, the MakerSpace serves as the central infrastructure for the entire UnternehmerTUM ecosystem and is the breeding ground for success stories such as Isar Aerospace, allunderground and Hyperloop, which once created their first innovations here as student teams."

Prototypes can be realized quickly and cost-effectively in the workshop

Prof. Dr. Helmut Schönenberger, founder and CEO of UnternehmerTUM

The MakerSpace was opened in 2015 on the research campus of the Technical University of Munich (TUM). Right from the start, the focus was on low-threshold access to professional machines, qualified support and a community of makers and tech talents.

Two locations, one mission

With the addition of a second location in Munich Urban Colab in 2021, a total area of 2,700 m² is now available for creatives, start-ups and companies. While the MakerSpace in Garching (1,500 m²) offers classic work areas such as metal, wood and textile processing as well as 3D printing, the location in the creative quarter (1,200 m²) focuses on future topics such as sensor technology and urban technologies.

A paradise for inventors and creatives

The MakerSpace is a high-tech workshop that is open to the public and offers ambitious start-ups, DIY enthusiasts and creative minds access to machines, tools and software. From laser cutters and water jet cutting machines to electronics workstations: Prototypes and small series are created here in various work areas, including metal, wood, textiles, mechanical engineering and electronics.

As a subsidiary of UnternehmerTUM, Europe's largest center for start-ups and innovation, the MakerSpace also offers training, advice and community events. In short, an environment in which ideas become real products.

Successful projects from the workshop

Numerous well-known companies and start-ups have used the workshop infrastructure for early product developments over the past ten years. These include the following:

• Angsa Robotics (cleaning robots for public areas)
• Kewazo (automated construction processes)
• Olive Robotics (sensor technology for robotics applications)
• AirUp (first bottle prototypes)

BMW also developed the conversion of 20 BMW i3 Urban Suite concept cars for the CES 2020 in Las Vegas in the MakerSpace.

The workshop is not only open to start-ups: Medium-sized companies, master craftsmen and technology enthusiasts from the region are also part of the steadily growing community.

Strong partners from industry and technology

The success is also due to the support of well-known partner companies. MakerSpace partners include Airbus, BMW, E.ON, Festool, Fuchs, Henkel, Sick, Siemens, Traco Power, Würth and Würth Elektronik.

Innovation remains manual work

With the increasing demand for product development, rapid prototyping and interdisciplinary collaboration, the MakerSpace remains an important building block for Munich's innovation landscape in its tenth year.

"The vision remains: To give as many people as possible access to modern technology and an inspiring environment - so that ideas can become reality," said the MakerSpace team on its anniversary.