Space Tank Studio

What Space Tank Studio does

Space Tank Studio is a Melbourne-based for-profit social enterprise founded in 2013 by Holger Dielenberg, operating a 1,500-square-metre business makerspace and incubator at 9 Warner Street, Coburg North, with a planned expansion to the Fishermans Bend Innovation Precinct. The company provides hardware startups, niche manufacturers, product designers and corporate teams with affordable access to advanced prototyping and manufacturing equipment, including Markforged composite 3D printers, large-format laser cutters, multi-axis milling machines, CNC, welding bays and full woodworking facilities, alongside private studios (18–35 sqm), co-working fabrication space, and storage. Its product surface spans four membership tiers (Business Tenant fulltime studio lease, Flexi Pass daily access, Tech Pass per-minute technology access, and Corporate Plans for up to 60-employee rosters), plus skills training at AUD 170/hour, business mentoring, event facilities, a service bureau for design fabrication, and the Startup Factory venture-studio programme at Fishermans Bend.

Revenue is generated through subscription-based studio and workshop rentals, usage-based passes and training, corporate innovation packages, and episodic service-bureau and government contracts (including a 2020 Federal Government order for five million Rapid Shield face shields). The customer base of over 1,000 businesses supported since inception spans medical devices (FREO2, Health Forge), electric vehicles (Revival EV, Jaunt), agritech (Farmwall), bicycles (Bastion Cycles), furniture and lighting (Sabu Studio, Design By Storm) and product design consultancies (Hone PD), with a broader network of 6,000+ manufacturers, designers, entrepreneurs and investors cultivated through community-led and event-driven go-to-market motions. Notable partners include LaunchVic, the Victorian Government, AMGC, CSIRO, Deakin's Manufutures, Bosch Australia Manufacturing Solutions, Breakthrough Victoria, Swinburne University, Autodesk and Markforged, providing policy, capital and equipment leverage that supports the company's positioning as a bridge across Australia's hardware-startup commercialisation gap.

Name

Space Tank Studio

Legal name

Space Tank Studio Pty Ltd

Website

https://spacetank.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Space Tank Studio is a Melbourne-based for-profit social enterprise operating a 1,500 sqm business makerspace and incubator that provides hardware startups, makers and corporate teams with affordable access to advanced manufacturing equipment, private studios, skills training and business mentoring, supporting over 1,000 businesses since 2013.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Makerspace and Hardware Startup Incubator

akta.pro primary industry

Makerspaces & Fab Labs (Open Build Studios) (EDAMADAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

3D Printing, CAD & Digital Fabrication Programs (EDAMADAH)

Keywords

• Business makerspace
• Prototyping equipment
• Hardware startup incubation
• Skills training
• Advanced manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Studio Rental: Monthly studio rental for fulltime business tenants with private lockable spaces ranging from 18 sqm to 35 sqm, and open plan areas from 15 sqm to 30 sqm
2. Workshop Pass Memberships: Flexible access memberships including Flexi Pass for daily access and Tech Pass for prototyping technology access on a per-minute usage basis
3. Corporate Plans: Team access packages for corporate entities with rostered access for up to 60 employees, 1-2 days per month each
4. Business Incubator/Accelerator Programs: Programs including Bench to Business training and Startup Factory venture studio model programs
5. Service Bureau: Design fabrication and consultation services for external clients needing prototyping or manufacturing assistance
6. Skills Training: Training courses on all in-house machinery and technology, including Fusion360 3D modelling software, 2D design software, user centred design coaching, mentoring and commercial business training

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Space Tank Studio operates a 1,500 sqm business makerspace in Coburg North, Melbourne, providing affordable access to advanced prototyping equipment (3D printing, laser cutting, CNC milling, vacuum forming, welding, woodworking) along with private studio rentals, skills training, and business mentoring for hardware startups and emerging manufacturers. It sells tiered memberships (Business Tenant, Flexi Pass, Tech Pass, Corporate Plans), run equipment training courses, and operates the Startup Factory venture-studio program at Fishermans Bend in partnership with the Victorian Government.

Product overview

Space Tank Studio operates as a business makerspace providing a unified platform of physical manufacturing facilities, business support services, and community programs. The core offering combines studio rental (18-35 sqm private spaces) with workshop/fabrication access through membership tiers (Business Tenant, Flexi Pass, Tech Pass, Corporate Plans). Supporting services include Skills Training on machinery, Business Mentoring, and Event Facilities. The Startup Factory program extends the offering with a venture studio model for advanced manufacturing startups. All services are accessed through their 1,500 sqm Coburg North facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Tenant Studio Rental Fulltime private studio leases ranging from 18 sqm to 35 sqm with natural skylights, compressed air outlets, air conditioning, 24/7 access, security swipe card, OH&S induction, fulltime workshop pass, and discounts on courses and events. Designed for businesses and entrepreneurs developing physical products.
• Flexi Pass Casual daily access membership ($165/day) to the makerspace for one-off jobs, small projects, product development, and prototyping. Includes daily access to facilities, manufacturing machinery, short-term racking and storage, co-working fabrication space, fabrication tables, welding bay, and wood workshop.
• Tech Pass Per-minute usage access to prototyping technology including laser cutter, vacuum former, multi-axis milling machine, and 3D printers. Mandatory training is required before receiving DIY access.
• Corporate Plans Team access packages allowing organizations to roster up to 60 employees with 1-2 days access per month each. Includes design thinking workshops, innovation boot camps, and entrepreneurship programs for groups of up to 50 people.
• Skills Training Short courses ($170/hour per person) on all in-house machinery and technology including laser cutting, multi-axis milling, CNC flatbed milling, 3D printing, vacuum forming, welding, metalwork, bronze casting, woodworking, and Fusion360 3D modelling software. Most training takes 1-2 hours.
• Business Mentoring Expert business advice focused on Market Relevance, User Centred Design, and Design for Manufacturing, addressing aspirations, challenges, strengths, and weaknesses of founders and lead teams.
• Startup Factory Venture studio model program co-creating businesses from the ground up by coordinating curated teams of design and technology experts, business professionals, and investors. Located at the Fishermans Bend innovation precinct, it provides facilities, expertise, programs, and community for advanced manufacturing startups.
• Service Bureau (Design Fabrication) Fee-for-service design fabrication and consultation for external clients needing prototyping or manufacturing assistance beyond DIY member access.

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• MarkforgedcoreTechnology or Integration · 2 September 2022Markforged supports Space Tank with a new high-end composite material 3D printer capable of producing end-use parts. Equipment partnership for advanced manufacturing capabilities.
• AutodeskmajorTechnology or Integration · 29 March 2016Autodesk partners with Space Tank to deliver FUSION 360 training sessions for makers and offers members free software licences. Strategic partnership for design software education.
• AlfexCNCcoreTechnology or Integration · 14 April 2014First industry equipment supplier to support Space Tank Studio, providing CNC equipment for the makerspace.
• Victorian GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with Victorian State Government for the Startup Factory program at Fishermans Bend. Government recognition of Space Tank's role in advanced manufacturing innovation ecosystem.
• Fishermans Bend Innovation PrecinctcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpace Tank's Startup Factory aligns with the Victorian Government's vision for Fishermans Bend as an internationally renowned centre of innovation in advanced manufacturing, engineering and design.
• AMGC (Australian Manufacturing Growth Centre)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic alignment with AMGC's goals for advanced manufacturing growth in Australia.
• CSIROmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Australia's national science organisation for innovation and research collaboration.
• Manufutures (Deakin University)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with Deakin University's Manufutures initiative focused on advanced manufacturing research.
• Bosch Australia Manufacturing Solutions (BAMS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Bosch's manufacturing solutions division for industry best practices and expertise sharing.
• Brunswick Design DistrictmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlignment with Brunswick Design District's values and goals for design and manufacturing innovation.
• FB IDEAsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA not-for-profit organisation that works with Fishermans Bend stakeholders and partners to create and support innovative and iterative activity within the precinct.
• Swinburne University of TechnologymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpace Tank offers Swinburne design graduates awards recognising outstanding achievements in design. Ongoing collaboration with university for student development.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Artisan's Asylum: Large US community makerspace offering memberships, studio rentals, equipment access (wood/metal/3D printing) and skills training to hardware startups and makers — the closest direct comparable to Space Tank's hybrid incubator + makerspace model.
• NYC Resistor: Volunteer-run community makerspace in Brooklyn providing classes and equipment access (laser cutters, 3D printers, CNC, electronics) for members — directly comparable in membership, training and shared-fab offerings.
• Fab Foundation (Fab Lab Network): Global network of digital fabrication labs (Fab Labs) originating from MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms, providing community access to 3D printers, laser cutters and CNC — the archetypal model for a makerspace offering prototyping technology access on a usage basis.
• Noisebridge: San Francisco community makerspace offering free/open access to a broad suite of fabrication and prototyping equipment plus classes — directly comparable in member-driven, community-led operating model.
• HAX: Shenzhen/San Francisco hardware accelerator and venture studio focused on physical-product startups, providing prototyping resources, mentorship and seed capital — directly comparable on the incubator/accelerator dimension of Space Tank's Startup Factory.
• Bolt: Hardware-focused venture capital firm operating a 'thematic venture studio' that invests in and builds hardware startups from inception — directly comparable to Space Tank's Startup Factory venture-studio model.

Regional players

• Makespace (UK): UK community makerspace and innovation hub in Cambridge offering prototyping equipment and startup support on a membership basis — comparable offering and audience but operating in a different geography.

Emerging players

• Impact Hub: Global network of impact-focused co-working and incubator spaces aligned with social enterprise values; Space Tank's Social Traders-certified For-Profit Social Enterprise model and stakeholder positioning make this a thematically adjacent peer for the incubator/community dimension.

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Large global accelerator network with dedicated hardware and industrial programs; serves the same 'startup commercialization' need but across multiple verticals and without the physical-makespace component that differentiates Space Tank.
• WeWork: Global co-working incumbent providing office and studio rentals to entrepreneurs and corporates; broadly comparable on the tenancy-revenue dimension but without the prototyping equipment or hardware-startup specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/spacetankstudio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/holgerdielenberg
• Instagraminstagram.com/spacetankstudio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Space Tank Studio