Mekanika
Mekanika designs and sells open-source CNC milling machines (Evo, Pro, Fab) and a screen-printing press, serving makers, small workshops, and educational institutions across Europe via a community-led, direct-to-consumer model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersBrussels, Belgium
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Mekanika does
Mekanika is a Liège, Belgium-based open-source hardware company that designs, sells, and supports CNC milling machines (Evo, Pro, Fab) and a manual screen-printing press for makers, small workshops, and educational/research institutions. The machines share a modular architecture — POM-wheel/belt drive on Evo, ball-screw steel structure on Pro, and large-format ball-screw/rack-and-pinion with Raspberry Pi 4 and PlanetCNC TNGv2 control on Fab — and are delivered as self-assembly kits with openly published schematics. A proprietary Evo-to-Pro Upgrade Kit with a parts-return program reinforces a circular-economy positioning that won the German Design Award 2025.
The product ecosystem extends beyond the machines themselves to a stack of accessories and software: AMB 1400W and VFD 2.2kW spindles, an OptLasers PLH3D-XT-50 6W laser head with magnetic docking, vacuum tables, dust collection and safety enclosures, plus resale of VCarve Pro (€660 lifetime) and LightBurn Core (€89 lifetime) and custom training delivered by a Fab Academy graduate. Pricing spans €2,239 ex VAT for an entry-level Evo to €11,193 ex VAT for a Fab, with Education Packs at €5,431–€8,558 ex VAT and financing available.
Go-to-market is community-led and product-led: a Discord community, a 1.4M-view YouTube channel, an Academy email course, user-story showcases, and a five-language storefront (EN/FR/DE/NL/ES) drive organic acquisition, while an inside-sales team (Julien, Simone, Louise) and a reseller program handle higher-touch B2B and education deals. The company is privately held, has raised approximately $1.66M across three disclosed early-stage rounds in 2020–2022, and operates with a founder-led team including co-founder and CEO Roldan Descamps and co-founder/R&D engineer Maxime Gravet.
Mekanika firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mekanika
- Legal name
- Mekanika
- Website
- https://mekanika.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Mekanika designs and sells open-source CNC milling machines (Evo, Pro, Fab) and a screen-printing press, serving makers, small workshops, and educational institutions across Europe via a community-led, direct-to-consumer model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mekanika industry classification
Industry- Product category
- CNC Milling Machines
- NAICS
- Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (3333)
- SIC
- Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559), Printing Trades Machinery & Equipment (3555)
- akta.pro primary industry
- CNC Machine Tools (Turning, Milling, Machining Centers) (IMAHADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- CNC Machining & Programming (EDAOAGAA), CNC Plasma/Laser Cutting & Automated Fabrication Training (EDAOADAH)
Keywords
Where Mekanika is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brussels
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Mekanika business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- CNC Machine Hardware Sales: Sale of open-source CNC milling machines (Evo, Pro, Fab) and accessories. Machines sold as kits for self-assembly with comprehensive documentation. Revenue generated from initial machine purchase with optional accessories and add-ons.
- Spindles and Power Tools: Sale of compatible spindles (AMB 1400W for Evo, VFD 2.2kW for Pro/Fab) and laser head kits. High-margin accessory sales complement machine purchases.
- Software Licenses: Resale of VCarve Pro (660 EUR lifetime license) and LightBurn Core (89 EUR lifetime license). Software bundled with machines or sold separately.
- Professional Training Services: Custom CNC training delivered online, on-site, or at Mekanika workshop. Training tailored to customer needs covering drawing, machining operations, and machine operation. Provided by certified trainer Xavier Klein.
- Bundled Education Packs: Pre-configured education packs combining machines with safety enclosures, worktables, dust collection, and accessories for public and educational institutions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Evo - Entry-level CNC milling machine |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Pro - Professional-grade CNC milling machine |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Fab - Large-format CNC milling machine |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Spindle for Evo - AMB 1400W DI |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Spindle for Pro - VFD 2.2kW |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Laser Head Kit 6W |
| One time/ perpetual license | One time/ perpetual license | VCarve Pro Software |
| One time/ perpetual license | One time/ perpetual license | LightBurn Core Software |
| Hybrid | Pay-as-you-go | Evo Education Pack |
| Hybrid | Pay-as-you-go | Pro Education Pack |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom CNC Training |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Mekanika product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mekanika designs, manufactures, and sells open-source CNC milling machines (Evo, Pro, and Fab tiers) and a manual screen printing press, complemented by a modular ecosystem of accessories (spindles, laser heads, vacuum tables, dust collection, touch interfaces) and companion CAD/CAM and laser software. The machines are sold as kits with full open documentation, supported by an active community and custom training services targeting makers, small workshops, and educational institutions.
Product overview
Mekanika offers an open-source hardware portfolio of three CNC milling machine tiers: Evo (entry-level for hobbyists and occasional professionals), Pro (compact professional-grade), and Fab (large-format production machine). The machines share a modular ecosystem of compatible spindles (AMB 1400W DI for Evo, VFD 2.2kW for Pro/Fab), add-on accessories (laser head kits, vacuum tables, dust collection systems, touch interfaces, security enclosures), bundled packs (Discovery, Education, Upgrade), and companion software (VCarve Pro CAM, LightBurn laser software, CNC Custom Training). Mekanika also offers a Screen Printing Press as a complementary creative production tool. All products emphasize repairability, upgradability, and open-source design principles, with the German Design Award 2025 recognizing this approach.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Evo CNC Milling Machine Entry-level open-source CNC milling machine for hobbyists and occasional professionals, available in three working area sizes (S 630x630mm, M 630x1030mm, L 1030x1030mm), featuring POM wheel guidance, belt-driven mechanics, and 20,000 mm/min maximum traverse speed.
- Pro CNC Milling Machine Professional-grade open-source CNC milling machine for daily production use, featuring a steel structure with prism rails, ball screw drive system, 10,000 mm/min maximum traverse speed, and compatibility with the VFD 2.2kW spindle.
- Fab CNC Milling Machine Large-format open-source CNC milling machine for high-volume production environments, featuring a 1330x2700mm working surface, Nema34 motors, ball screw and rack-and-pinion drive, integrated 13.3-inch touchscreen interface, and Raspberry Pi 4-based control system running PlanetCNC TNGv2.
- Screen Printing Press Manual open-source screen printing press designed for creative production on t-shirts, products, and posters, part of Mekanika's portfolio for local manufacturing and small-batch production.
- Spindle for Evo (AMB 1400W DI) Software-controlled AMB 1400W spindle for Evo CNC machines with ER16 collet, 3500-25000 RPM speed range, soft start, motor winding protection, and included precision collet and 4-meter power cable.
- Spindle for Pro (VFD 2.2kW) VFD 2.2kW ER20 software-controlled spindle for Pro and Fab CNC machines with 5000-24000 RPM range, 12 included precision ER20 collets, single-phase 50Hz inverter, and quick-lock power cable system.
- Laser Head Kit 6W Opt Lasers PLH3D-XT-50 6W (450nm) laser head kit that adds laser cutting and engraving capability to Mekanika CNC machines via a magnetic docking station, with <50μm engraving precision, 500 DPI resolution, and LightBurn software compatibility.
- Touch Interface Capacitive touchscreen interface for Mekanika CNC machines, available in Standard 7-inch and Articulated 13-inch variants with wireless Bluetooth keyboard, providing G-Code monitoring and machine control.
- Vacuum Table Proprietary vacuum clamping system for rapidly securing workpieces on Mekanika CNC machines, available in sizes compatible with Evo/Pro and Fab models, reducing setup time and improving workpiece quality.
- Upgrade Kit Evo/Pro + Spindle VFD Modular upgrade kit that transforms Evo machines into Pro specifications by replacing mechanical components with Pro-grade parts and adding a 2.2kW VFD spindle, with prepaid return shipping for reusable parts as part of a circular-economy program.
- VCarve Pro Software Vectric VCarve Pro CAD/CAM software sold via Mekanika's store as a lifetime license (€660 ex VAT) for creating 2D, 2.5D, and 3D toolpaths on CNC machines.
- LightBurn Core Software LightBurn laser cutter/engraver control software sold via Mekanika as a lifetime license (€89 ex VAT) for Windows and Mac OS, available only when purchased with a Mekanika laser kit.
- CNC Custom Training Custom CNC training delivered by certified trainer Xavier Klein, available online, on-site at customer locations, or at Mekanika's workshop, in French or English, covering Autodesk Fusion, VCarve, machine operation, and maintenance.
- Evo Education Pack Pre-configured education bundle combining the Evo CNC machine with a security enclosure, workbench, software-controlled spindle, dust collection system, and safety features for public and educational institutions.
- Pro Education Pack Pre-configured education bundle combining the Pro CNC machine with a 2.2kW spindle, security enclosure, workbench, and dust collection system for maximum-security educational and public-access environments.
- Pack Fab Bundle package that pairs the Fab CNC machine with a 2.2kW VFD spindle, High-Z upgrade, advanced spoilerboard kit, dust collection kit, dust shoe, upgraded 13.3-inch touch interface, and end mills pack.
Quantifiable outcome
- German Design Award 2025 for focus on repairability and upgradability
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Mekanika
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Mekanika technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature5 records
Mekanika partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin)coreLong-standing research and education partnership since 2019. TU Berlin uses Mekanika machines (Mk2 Pro S, Evo, screen printing press) for open source hardware development research and teaching. Partnership includes training offerings and ongoing collaboration on open source hardware documentation.
- Duplex StudiominorFeatured user story partner creating custom lighting products. Represents maker community partnership model.
- A4 TechnologieminorPartner supporting local manufacturing ecosystem and distribution network.
- Sauter ShopminorListed as supporting partner for local manufacturing ecosystem.
- KU LeuvenminorUniversity partner supporting research in sustainable and local manufacturing.
- Musée d'OrsayminorCultural institution partner using Mekanika equipment for making and restoration projects.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Mekanika competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- RatRig: European open-source CNC/motion-control manufacturer with V-Core and CNC kits; competes with Mekanika in the EU prosumer market with a similar community-first ethos.
- Tormach: US-based manufacturer of compact and desktop CNC machines aimed at small shops, educators and hobbyists; competes directly with Mekanika's Evo/Pro/Fab in the prosumer/SMB segment.
- Carbide 3D: Maker of Shapeoko CNC routers plus Carbide Create software; targets the same hobbyist, maker and small workshop segments as Mekanika with a tiered product line.
- Inventables (X-Carve / Easel): X-Carve CNC machines and Easel CAD/CAM software target makers and educators, directly overlapping Mekanika's Evo and Education Pack positioning.
- ShopBot Tools: Long-established US maker of small-format CNC routers for fablabs, schools, and small businesses; competes with Mekanika's Pro/Fab tier.
- Bantam Tools: Desktop CNC milling machines (Desktop CNC and Othermill) positioned for education and prototyping; directly comparable to Mekanika's Evo entry-level tier.
- OpenBuilds: Open-source CNC router and plasma cutting platform with a strong community forum; directly comparable to Mekanika on open hardware philosophy and DIY assembly model.
Others
- OptLasers: Supplier of PLH3D laser heads (the very module Mekanika resells in its Laser Head Kit 6W); adjacent ecosystem partner relevant to Mekanika's CNC+laser value proposition.
Emerging players
- Dremel Digilab: Dremel's Digilab desktop CNC/3D printing products target makers and educators with a brand-backed offering; partial overlap with Mekanika's lower-tier CNC machines.
Broad incumbents
- Roland DG: Large established manufacturer of CNC milling machines, engravers and screen-printing/digital printers with strong education channel; competes with Mekanika in education and small business segments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Mekanika social profiles
Digital presenceMekanika compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Mekanika financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mekanika leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Mekanika funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mekanika M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Mekanika
What does Mekanika do?
Mekanika designs, manufactures, and sells open-source CNC milling machines (Evo, Pro, and Fab tiers) and a manual screen printing press, complemented by a modular ecosystem of accessories (spindles, laser heads, vacuum tables, dust collection, touch interfaces) and companion CAD/CAM and laser software. The machines are sold as kits with full open documentation, supported by an active community and custom training services targeting makers, small workshops, and educational institutions.
Is Mekanika a public or private company?
Mekanika is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Mekanika founded?
Mekanika was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Mekanika based?
Mekanika is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Mekanika make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. CNC Machine Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are spindles and Power Tools, software Licenses, professional Training Services and bundled Education Packs.
Who are Mekanika's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are RatRig, Tormach, Carbide 3D, Inventables (X-Carve / Easel), ShopBot Tools, Bantam Tools and OpenBuilds. OptLasers is listed as an others. Dremel Digilab is listed as an emerging player. Roland DG is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Mekanika have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mekanika.
What industry is Mekanika in?
Mekanika's product category is CNC Milling Machines. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHADAA, CNC Machine Tools (Turning, Milling, Machining Centers), with a secondary code of EDAOAGAA, CNC Machining & Programming. Its NAICS code is 3333 and its SIC code is 3559.