Maker City Project

What Maker City Project does

Maker City Project, Inc. is a private civic innovation and economic development consulting firm founded in 2014 in San Francisco, operating under fiscal sponsorship from Gray Area Foundation for the Arts. The firm advises U.S. cities, towns, and select private-sector clients on public-private partnerships, advanced manufacturing and maker-economy strategies, localism initiatives, and Opportunity Zone investment readiness. Its most visible product is the 2018 book 'Maker City: A Practical Guide to Reinventing American Cities,' written in conjunction with the Obama White House and its Office of Science and Technology Policy, which became an Amazon bestseller in entrepreneurship and urban & regional planning categories and now functions as a codified methodology with 96+ recommendations.

The firm is led by cofounders Peter Hirshberg (Chairman, also Chairman of City Innovate Foundation) and Marcia Kadanoff (CEO, formerly CSO at City Innovate Foundation), with a stated team size of 2–5 people. It has engaged with over 100 U.S. cities, advised named clients including McClatchy Company, Swytch.io, Transloc (sold to Ford), the Kansas City Star, and a stealth Opportunity Zone fund raising $250M, and maintains strategic partnerships with Brookings Institution, Kauffman Foundation, Gray Area Foundation, Maker Media, US News & World Report, Accelerator for America, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and MIT Media Lab.

The revenue model is professional services: project-based and multi-year advisory contracts with municipal and enterprise clients, supplemented by book sales (paperback and Kindle on Amazon, plus free full-text on Medium) and convening/think-leadership activities. The firm does not offer software, SaaS, or AI products, and has no disclosed revenue, no external funding rounds, and no institutional investors. There is no parent company other than its nonprofit fiscal sponsor; all IP is consolidated under the Maker City registered trademark held by Maker City Project, Inc.

Name

Maker City Project

Legal name

Maker City Project, Inc.

Website

https://makercity.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Maker City Project is a small San Francisco civic innovation consultancy advising U.S. cities and select private-sector clients on maker-economy strategy, public-private partnerships, and Opportunity Zone investment, anchored by cofounders Peter Hirshberg and Marcia Kadanoff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civic Innovation Consulting

akta.pro primary industry

Smart Cities & Urban Innovation Programs (Digital Planning, Civic Tech for Cities) (BPAIANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Arts, Culture & Creative Placemaking Enterprises (BPAGALAO), Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

Keywords

• Civic innovation consulting
• Economic development advisory
• Public-private partnerships
• Urban transformation strategy
• Opportunity zone advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Advisory Services: The firm provides consulting services to cities, towns, and private sector companies seeking to develop public-private partnerships, civic innovation initiatives, and economic development strategies. They engage on project-based and ongoing advisory engagements.
2. Book Sales: Revenue from sales of 'Maker City: A Practical Guide to Reinventing American Cities' published in 2018, available in paperback and Kindle formats on Amazon.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Maker City Project is a civic innovation and economic development consulting firm that works with cities, towns, and private sector clients to develop new forms of civic engagement, public-private partnerships, and urban transformation strategies. The firm convenes city leaders, thought leaders, and national experts; helps connect municipalities with innovative companies and nonprofits; and codifies best practices, including through its book 'Maker City: A Practical Guide to Reinventing American Cities' published in 2018.

Product overview

Maker City Project is a civic innovation and economic development consulting firm that works with cities, towns, and the private sector to create new forms of civic innovation, economic development, and urban transformation. The firm acts as a catalyst for public-private partnerships, builds thought leadership for companies, and helps drive investment strategies. The primary offering is the book "Maker City: A Practical Guide to Reinventing American Cities" (2018), which serves as a practical guide for cities and towns. Services include convening city leaders, facilitating connections between cities and innovative companies, codifying best practices, and measuring results through data partnerships. The firm does not offer software products, platforms, or technology solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Consulting and Advisory Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Engaged over 100 U.S. cities in Maker City pledges through Obama White House collaboration
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Gray Area Foundation for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGray Area Foundation for the Arts serves as the fiscal sponsor of Maker City Project. Peter Hirshberg serves on the board of Gray Area Foundation. Deep collaboration on civic innovation and maker movement initiatives.
• Brookings InstitutionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner organization; collaborated on reports including 'Software eats manufacturing (and manufacturing gains)' and thought leadership on advanced manufacturing and urban innovation.
• Kauffman FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in Maker Cities Project; supported the White House engagement and conference with mayors that led to the Maker City book development.
• City Innovate FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeter Hirshberg is Chairman of City Innovate Foundation. City Innovate Summit brought together 600+ people on city innovation. Maker City Project emerged from this ecosystem.
• Institute for the Future (IFTF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner organization; collaboration on future of cities and civic innovation thought leadership.
• Maker MediamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Maker City book with Dale Dougherty of Maker Media. Maker Media produces Maker Faires and is central to the maker movement ecosystem.
• US News & World ReportmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnered to create the Maker City hub on US News platform (151 million uniques per month). Launched at breakfast roundtables in New York and San Francisco in 2017.
• Nation of MakersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner organization in the maker ecosystem.
• MedialinkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as partner organization for media and communications support.
• Accelerator for AmericamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Accelerator for America on Opportunity Zone work. Working with 40 cities to develop common investment prospectus. Led by L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti.
• Mastercard Center for Inclusive GrowthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsored the Stanford Opportunity Zone Investor Summit with Accelerator for America.
• Bin Rashid Initiative for Global ProsperityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner organization; UAE-based initiative for global prosperity.
• JICP (Johannesburg Institute of Clinical Pharmacy)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as partner organization; South Africa-based international partner.
• Kansas City StarmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerLaunched joint Maker City platform with Kansas City Star to highlight city's makers, entrepreneurs, and civic innovators. First step in nationwide engagement project. Partnership involves creating experiments that help citizens contribute to city transformation.
• MIT Media LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaker City has been working with MIT Media Lab to measure return on investment and model positive impact in communities. Developing data-driven collaborative planning systems.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Accelerator for America: Led by L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, Accelerator for America works with cities on Opportunity Zone investment and economic development. Maker City has partnered with them on OZ work with 40 cities, making them the closest direct peer in civic economic development.
• City Innovate Foundation: Founder Peter Hirshberg serves as Chairman of City Innovate Foundation, which convenes city leaders and produces the City Innovate Summit (600+ attendees). Operates in the same civic innovation space with strong overlap in city-government engagement.
• HR&A Advisors: Economic development and real estate advisory firm serving cities, public agencies, and private developers. Comparable consulting model focused on urban economic transformation, public-private partnerships, and opportunity-zone-style deployment.
• TIP Strategies: Economic development strategy consulting firm working with cities, regions, and states on workforce, industry cluster, and place-based growth strategies. Closely aligned with Maker City's economic development practice area.
• Camoin Associates: Economic development consulting firm serving municipalities, counties, and state agencies on strategic planning, real estate analysis, and economic impact studies. Comparable professional-services model for city and town clients.
• Living Cities: Philanthropic collaborative of foundations and financial institutions focused on equitable urban economic development. Overlaps with Maker City's mission of reinventing cities through inclusive economic opportunity.
• Fourth Economy: Economic and community development consulting firm serving regions, cities, and nonprofits on strategy, workforce, and inclusive growth. Closely comparable practice area and client base to Maker City Project.

Broad incumbents

• Brookings Institution: Major think tank producing influential urban policy reports and convening city leaders. Brookings is both a partner and a comparable thought leadership producer; its Metropolitan Policy Program directly competes for the same civic innovation narrative space.
• McKinsey & Company: Global management consultancy with a dedicated Public & Social Sector practice serving mayors and city governments on economic development, smart cities, and transformation. Represents the scale-incumbent threat Maker City competes against.
• Smart Cities Council: Industry coalition providing frameworks, advisory, and certification for smart city initiatives globally. Overlaps with Maker City's civic innovation positioning but at a broader, more vendor-driven scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/makercitybook
• Facebookfacebook.com/makercityplaybook
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/12961985

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Maker City Project