Fab Lab El Paso

What Fab Lab El Paso does

Fab Lab El Paso is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2013 and headquartered in El Paso, Texas, operating under its parent entity Tech Frontier. The organization runs a community makerspace providing public access to digital fabrication equipment including FDM and SLA 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines, and VR/AR tools. Its stated mission is to democratize access to innovation tools and digital skills, with K-12 students, teachers, and El Paso-area community members as the primary beneficiaries across at least five regional Independent School Districts (El Paso ISD, Socorro ISD, Ysleta ISD, San Elizario ISD, and Canutillo ISD).

The organization operates a portfolio of fee-based programs alongside grant-funded activity. Revenue-generating offerings include FabTech Apprenticeships (an 8-week workforce program), paid Makerspace Field Trips at $30 per student, a Monthly Maker Series at $20 per student, teacher Professional Development at $150 per teacher, and Makerspace Consultation Services. Signature events include the Autodesk Accessibility Make-a-Thon and STEAM-oriented community programming. Funding flows have been disclosed across six rounds from 2018 through 2022 totaling approximately $1.17 million, with anchor funders including NASA, Microsoft, and Autodesk.

Fab Lab El Paso has built physical and institutional reach through the 2017-2018 installation of makerspaces in ten EPISD high schools, the 2019 launch of a Mobile Makerspace, an ongoing partnership with the La Nube STEAM Discovery Center, and a cross-border relationship with Fab Lab Juarez. The organization sits within the broader global Fab Lab network, employs 11-50 staff, and is positioned as a regional hub for STEAM education and workforce-adjacent digital fabrication training.

Name

Fab Lab El Paso

Legal name

Fab Lab El Paso

Website

https://fablabelpaso.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fab Lab El Paso is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a community makerspace in El Paso, Texas, providing STEAM education, digital fabrication access, and workforce training programs to K-12 students, educators, and community members across multiple regional school districts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

STEAM Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Makerspaces & Fab Labs (Open Build Studios) (EDAMADAC), Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA)

Keywords

• Digital fabrication tools
• STEAM education programs
• Maker education services
• K-12 STEM programs
• Makerspace consultation

Headquarters

HQ city

El Paso

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Educational Programs and Field Trips: Fee-for-service educational field trips for K-12 schools, priced at $30 per student for 2.5-hour workshops and $20 per student for 1-hour monthly maker series. Museum admission included.
2. Professional Development Services: Educator training programs including 3D Printing 101 and Maker EDU 101 courses, priced at $150 per teacher for 4-hour training sessions.
3. Fabrication Services: Custom fabrication and prototyping services for community members and businesses. Pricing competitive with industry standards.
4. Makerspace Consultation Services: Consultation for planning and implementing makerspaces at educational institutions and business incubators, including preliminary consultations, proposals, equipment recommendations, and implementation support.
5. Grant and Sponsorship Funding: Programs funded through grants and sponsorships are provided free to the community. Funders include NASA, Microsoft, El Paso Electric, Hunt Family Foundation, United Way, El Paso Community Foundation, and City of El Paso.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fab Lab El Paso is the K-12 education program of Tech Frontier, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 in El Paso, Texas. It delivers digital fabrication and maker education programming to schools and the surrounding community through apprenticeships, school field trips, educator professional development, community maker events, and consultation services for organizations building their own makerspaces.

Product overview

Fab Lab El Paso is an award-winning 501(c)3 nonprofit education organization and K-12 program of Tech Frontier that provides community access to digital fabrication tools, STEAM education programs, and maker education services. The organization operates as a multi-product educational hub consisting of FabTech Apprenticeships (an 8-week additive manufacturing training program for high school students), Makerspace Field Trips (hands-on workshops at La Nube including Architecture and Robotics topics), Monthly Maker Series (seasonal 1-hour maker workshops), Professional Development Programs (educator training in 3D printing and maker education), the Autodesk Accessibility Make-a-Thon (annual accessibility-focused hackathon), Makerspace Consultation Services (for institutions planning fabrication labs), and STEAM Education Programs (including 3D printing, robotics, coding, and animation). The organization also provides community access to advanced manufacturing equipment and organizes community events. Fab Lab El Paso serves the El Paso region from multiple locations including Artspace Makerspace, Museum Makerspace at La Nube, and the Microsoft El Paso Innovation Hub.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• La Nube STEAM Discovery Center: The new home for Fab Lab El Paso's K-12 programming, featuring a hands-on makerspace and interactive museum exhibits.

Products and services

• FabTech Apprenticeships Apprenticeship program offering K-12 students structured, hands-on training in digital fabrication and maker skills at the Fab Lab El Paso facility.
• Makerspace Field Trips Guided school field trips to the Fab Lab El Paso makerspace, giving K-12 students hands-on exposure to digital fabrication tools and STEAM learning experiences.
• Monthly Maker Series Recurring monthly community programming for families, hobbyists, and aspiring makers featuring projects, demonstrations, and maker-culture activities at the Fab Lab.
• Professional Development for Educators Training programs for K-12 teachers and educators on integrating digital fabrication, maker education, and STEAM curriculum into their classrooms.
• Makerspace Consultation Services Consulting services for schools, libraries, and other organizations on planning, building, and operating their own makerspaces and digital fabrication facilities.
• STEAM Education Programs Ongoing STEAM-focused educational programming for K-12 students covering science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics through hands-on maker experiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10 makerspaces installed in 10 EPISD high schools (2017-2018)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• NASAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASA partnership supporting community technology programs and initiatives in the El Paso region.
• AutodeskmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutodesk partnership for the Autodesk Accessibility Make-a-Thon, providing Tinkercad and Fusion workshops led by Autodesk's Director of Product Management for Fusion and Tinkercad.
• MicrosoftmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMicrosoft partnership including housing at Microsoft El Paso Innovation Hub, first certified coding short course launch (2019), and Techspark community engagement through Jonathan Childress.
• City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs DepartmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner supporting Fab Lab operations and housed at La Nube STEAM Discovery Center. Recognized as a leader in youth education.
• El Paso Council of the BlindcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Autodesk Accessibility Make-a-Thon, ensuring empathy-driven design for visually impaired visitors to La Nube museum.
• GSM Design TechnologiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrize sponsor providing 3D Scanning and Reverse Engineering Masterclass training for 10 exceptional students. Industry partner in manufacturing and engineering.
• Pioneers 21minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness incubator partner providing Program Director Marisol Chavez for project documentation and pitch workshop at Make-a-Thon.
• Mountain Lakes Public Library MakerspaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing Lead Accessible Resource Designer Richard He for makerspace accessible design workshop.
• MIT Fab FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization affiliation through Fab Foundation (MIT Center for Bits and Atoms), providing Fab Lab network and standards.
• Make: Magazine/Maker MediaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Maker Camp 2018 along with Marathon Oil and Google.
• El Paso Independent School DistrictmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerContracted installation of 10 makerspaces in 10 EPISD high schools (2017-2018). Current vendor relationship for field trips and programs.
• Harmony SchoolsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExperience working with Harmony Schools on makerspace consultation.
• Fab Lab JuarezminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-border Fab Lab partnership in the Paso del Norte region.
• Fab Lab StoughtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFab Lab network partner with shared experience in makerspace implementation.
• El Paso Children's Museum and Science CenterminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExperience providing consultation services for El Paso Children's Museum and Science Center.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fablabep
• Facebookfacebook.com/fablabep

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fab Lab El Paso