What MakeICT does

MakeICT Institute is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit operating Wichita, Kansas's first and largest makerspace, founded in 2012. The organization runs a 22,000 square foot facility at 5920 East Mount Vernon Street housing 12+ specialized workshop areas including a FabLab (digital fabrication with 3D printing, CO2 laser cutting, and CNC routing), Wood Shop, Metal Shop, Electronics and Rapid Prototyping Lab, Ceramics Studio, Jewelry Lab, Stained Glass Studio, Screen Printing Studio, Textiles Studio, Visual Arts Studio, PrintMaking, and a community Garden. The technology backbone includes a proprietary RFID/NFC Electronic Door Entry System built on RaspberryPi with MySQL/PHP backend and Python latch API, an Octoprint-managed fleet of 3D printers accessible via custom local domains, LightBurn for laser cutter control, and a PrusaSlicer profile library. Membership management runs on WildApricot, payments on PayPal, and analytics on Google Analytics.

The business model is membership-based access: members pay monthly/annual dues for 24/7 RFID-card-enabled facility access, with auxiliary revenue from class/workshop fees, donations (currently running a 2x match campaign), and material charges such as $0.04 per gram for 3D printer filament. Membership pricing is not publicly disclosed. The organization is entirely volunteer-operated by its members, governed by a board of directors and area leads for each workshop section, with Christian Kindel serving as Makerspace Program Director and Fab Lab Lead. Its target segment is individual makers and hobbyists in the Midwest US seeking access to professional-grade fabrication equipment without capital ownership costs, supplemented by education and outreach programs connecting learners with experienced instructors.

Name

MakeICT

Legal name

MakeICT Institute

Website

https://makeict.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MakeICT Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit makerspace in Wichita, Kansas, operating a 22,000 sq. ft. facility with 12+ workshop areas where members access professional-grade tools and training in digital fabrication, woodworking, metalworking, ceramics, electronics, textiles, jewelry, and visual arts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Makerspace Services

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Crafts & DIY (Paper, Fiber, Wood, Resin, DIY Projects) (EDAAAGAB), Crafts & Maker Arts (Ceramics, Textiles, Jewelry, Mixed Media) (EDAMAAAD), Design & Maker Skills (Graphic Design, Calligraphy, Lettering) (EDAAAGAJ)

Keywords

• Community makerspace access
• Digital fabrication lab
• Workshop and tool rental
• Makerspace membership programs
• Craft and DIY education

Headquarters

HQ city

Wichita

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MakeICT operates a 22,000 sq. ft. nonprofit makerspace facility in Wichita, Kansas, providing members with badge-based 24/7 access to 12+ specialized workshop areas covering woodworking, metalworking, electronics, ceramics, digital fabrication (3D printing, laser cutting, CNC), jewelry, stained glass, screen printing, textiles, visual arts, and community gardening. The offering is delivered through a membership-based model supplemented by fee-based workshops, classes, and training sessions taught by member-volunteers. Members also participate in a peer authorization program that grants them access to professional-grade equipment after completing safety and skills training.

Product overview

MakeICT is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) makerspace offering a membership-based physical facility access model. The core product is the MakeICT Makerspace Membership providing 24/7 access to a 22,000 sq. ft. facility in Wichita, Kansas. The offering includes the FabLab (digital fabrication hub with 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC, and prototyping), along with 12 specialized workshop areas covering woodworking, metalworking, electronics, ceramics, jewelry, stained glass, screen printing, textiles, visual arts, and community gardening. Members also access educational workshops, training classes, and peer authorization programs. The FabLab serves as the primary technology-focused area, while other areas support traditional crafts and fabrication skills.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MakeICT Makerspace Membership A membership-based access program to a 22,000 sq. ft. nonprofit makerspace facility offering 12+ workshop areas (FabLab, Wood Shop, Metal Shop, Electronics, Ceramics, Jewelry, Stained Glass, Screen Printing, Textiles, Visual Arts, Garden, Printmaking). Members pay monthly/annual dues and receive 24/7 badge-enabled facility access, equipment use, peer authorization, and participation in community events; offered to individual makers and hobbyists in the Wichita, Kansas area.
• Education and Outreach Programs Structured workshops, classes, and training sessions connecting learners with experienced member-instructors to teach new making skills and certify members on specialized equipment; offered to members and prospective members with separate class fees and public registration via the WildApricot event system.
• Gift Membership A purchasable gift membership that grants the recipient makerspace access and membership privileges, allowing non-members to give the membership experience as a gift.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Others

• Inventables: Supplier of digital fabrication equipment (Carvey CNC, Easel software) to makers, hobbyists, and small businesses. Adjacent ecosystem participant that supplies tools commonly found in makerspaces including MakeICT's FabLab.
• FabFoundation: Nonprofit organization that supports the global Fab Lab network including facility setup, training, and standards. Thematically related as an ecosystem enabler for digital fabrication makerspaces similar to MakeICT's FabLab.

Direct peers

• Ace Monster Toys: 501(c)(3) nonprofit makerspace in Oakland, CA offering shared workspace across electronics, woodworking, metalworking, textiles, and crafts. Comparable as a community-focused volunteer-run makerspace with similar multi-discipline coverage.
• HeatSync Labs: Nonprofit community hackerspace/makerspace in Mesa, AZ providing shared workshop access for electronics, fabrication, and craft. Directly comparable as a smaller-scale volunteer-operated member-funded makerspace with multi-discipline offerings.
• Artisan's Asylum: Large nonprofit community makerspace in Somerville, MA offering shared workspace across multiple disciplines including electronics, woodworking, metalworking, and digital fabrication. Directly comparable as a membership-based multi-discipline makerspace with community-driven programming.
• Dallas Makerspace: 501(c)(3) nonprofit makerspace in Dallas, TX with a large multi-discipline facility including wood shop, metal shop, electronics, textiles, and 3D printing. Closely comparable as a member-funded, volunteer-run community makerspace in the U.S. Midwest/South.
• NYC Resistor: Member-run hackerspace/makerspace in Brooklyn, NY focused on electronics, 3D printing, laser cutting, and craft. Comparable as a community-driven membership makerspace with shared equipment and peer instruction, though smaller in footprint than MakeICT.
• Fab Lab Tulsa: Community Fab Lab in Tulsa, OK focused on digital fabrication (3D printing, laser cutting, CNC) and STEM education. Comparable as a Midwest-region makerspace emphasizing digital fabrication and education, though smaller in multi-discipline breadth.

Regional players

• MakerSpace Gwinnett: Nonprofit community makerspace in Georgia offering shared workshop access with multiple disciplines. Regionally comparable as a U.S. nonprofit makerspace but operates in a different geography than MakeICT.

Broad incumbents

• TechShop (historical): Former for-profit chain of membership makerspaces that operated multiple U.S. locations with professional-grade equipment access. Relevant as a historical scaled-up commercial analog whose closure highlights scaling risks for membership makerspaces.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Make_ICT
• Facebookfacebook.com/MakeIcT
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/makeict
• Instagraminstagram.com/makeict

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 MakeICT