1st Maker Space

What 1st Maker Space does

1st Maker Space is a privately held, founder-led education services and equipment company founded in 2016 by Kim Brand and headquartered at the Indiana IoT Lab in Fishers, Indiana. The company designs, builds, and sustains custom K-12 makerspaces through a four-phase methodology (Discovery & Consult, Design & Planning, Build & Install, Support & Training), with tiered installation pricing ($60,000 Starter, $100,000 Expanded, custom Comprehensive) covering equipment procurement, custom furniture, professional development, and curriculum integration. Its core differentiator is that the team is staffed by licensed educators who deliver standards-aligned content (NGSS, CSTA, ISTE) and certify teacher capacity via the Maker Manager Program and STEM PD packages.

The business model blends project-based services with recurring and digital revenue streams. Beyond installation projects, 1st Maker Space sells proprietary furniture and equipment through its e-commerce storefront (shop.1stmakerspace.com), offers tiered professional development packages ($3,999 STEM 101; $6,999 Blue; $10,599 Silver), runs self-paced courses on Talent LMS (free Intro to Maker Education, $299 Online Maker Manager, $299 AI course), and operates a $9/month Classroom Maker Membership. Distribution combines direct consultative sales to K-12 administrators, grant funding assistance, and an in-development franchise channel, supported by partnerships with Toyota (Driving Possibilities Grant), MagicSchool AI, School Maker Faire, Glowforge, VEX Robotics, PrintLab, and others.

The customer base is anchored in K-12 public, private, and charter schools across the Midwest (Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Nebraska), with adjacent segments including after-school programs, Scouts, and disability-serving nonprofits such as Easterseals. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; no funding rounds have been reported, and the company operates with a small team of 11-50 employees under the leadership of founders Kim Brand (President) and Adam Brand (COO), alongside Chairman Gary Roberson and EVP of Educational Services Amber Hudson.

Name

1st Maker Space

Legal name

1st Maker Space

Website

https://1stmakerspace.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

1st Maker Space is a privately held K-12 education company that designs, builds, and sustains custom makerspaces for schools, offering installation, professional development, standards-aligned curriculum, and proprietary furniture and equipment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Makerspace Design and STEM Education Services

NAICS

Household and Institutional Furniture and Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturing (3371)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Teacher Training & Curriculum Providers (Robotics/Maker Education) (EDAMADAM), 3D Printing, CAD & Digital Fabrication Programs (EDAMADAH), Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI), Instructional Equipment & Classroom Tools (Whiteboards, Lab Kits, Manipulatives) (EDAEAIAB)

Keywords

• K-12 makerspace design
• STEM professional development
• School makerspace equipment
• Educator training certification
• Hands-on learning curriculum

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Makerspace Design & Build Services: Custom makerspace design, build, and installation services for schools. Pricing tiers include Starter ($60,000), Expanded ($100,000), and Comprehensive (custom quote). Includes equipment procurement, furniture, professional development, and curriculum.
2. Professional Development Training: educator training programs including Maker Manager Program ($2,999 per person), Online Maker Manager ($299/person), STEM 101 Package ($3,999+), Blue Package ($6,999+), and Silver Package ($10,599+). Includes certification, professional growth points, and ongoing support.
3. Makerspace Equipment & Supplies: E-commerce sales of makerspace equipment including 3D printers, laser cutters, STEM kits, furniture, storage solutions, and tools through the online storefront.
4. Classroom Maker Membership: $9/month subscription for educators providing access to ready-to-use lesson plans, project guides, and classroom resources with new content added regularly.
5. Free Lesson Plans & Resources: Free lesson plans to drive engagement and lead generation. Upsells include paid resources on Teachers Pay Teachers store and premium membership access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

1st Maker Space designs, builds, and sustains custom K-12 school makerspaces through a four-phase process (Discovery, Design, Build, Support). The company bundles physical space planning, equipment procurement, standards-aligned curriculum, and educator training into turnkey projects ranging from $60,000 to custom multi-year district contracts. Supplementary offerings include professional development packages, an online certification program, and an e-commerce storefront for makerspace furniture, tools, and STEM kits.

Product overview

1st Maker Space is an education-focused company founded in 2016 that provides comprehensive K-12 makerspace solutions. The company operates as a single integrated platform with multiple service lines: Custom Makerspace Design, Build & Installation (with Starter at $60,000, Expanded at $100,000, and Comprehensive tiers) as the core product, supported by Professional Development Programs including the Maker Manager Program (in-person and online), Online Courses delivered via Talent LMS (Intro to Maker Education free, Online Maker Manager $299, Online Maker Manager 2.0, and 1st Maker Space AI course $299), and Professional Development Packages (STEM 101 from $3,999, Blue from $6,999, Silver from $10,599). The company also offers Equipment & Furniture including Magnetic Project Table Bundle, Magnetic Maker Table Bundle, Traveling Tool Cart, Mobile 3D Printing Cart, Glowforge Laser Cart, Robotics Storage Cart, Mobile Maker Storage Tower, and various Jonti-Craft storage solutions. Supporting services include Free STEM Lesson Plans (aligned with NGSS, CSTA, ISTE), Magic School AI partnership for lesson content, Equipment Service & Repair with 12-month service agreements, Makerspace IT Environment Integration, Grant Funding Assistance, and School Maker Faire Hosting as an authorized partner.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Makerspace Design, Build & Installation Full-service custom makerspace solutions for K-12 schools including space design, equipment procurement, furniture, installation, educator training, and standards-aligned curriculum. Tiered packages include Starter ($60,000), Expanded ($100,000), and Comprehensive (custom pricing) for individual schools or district-wide rollouts.
• Professional Development Programs Training programs for educators to lead makerspaces, including the four-day Maker Manager certification, STEM Discovery 101, and virtual professional development sessions. Designed for K-12 teachers, STEM coordinators, and maker educators.
• Professional Development Packages Scalable training packages for schools and districts: STEM 101 (from $3,999) for 55-minute class periods, Blue Package (from $6,999) with immersive PD and virtual follow-up, and Silver Package (from $10,599) with two days of PD plus Maker Manager enrollment. Aligned with Indiana Academic Standards.
• Online Courses Self-paced online courses delivered through Talent LMS including Intro to Maker Education (free), Online Maker Manager ($299), Online Maker Manager 2.0, and the 1st Maker Space AI course ($299). Offer Maker Manager Certification and Professional Growth Points.
• Equipment Service & Repair Technical support, service agreements, and equipment training for makerspace tools including 3D printers, laser cutters, 3D scanners, CNC machines, and drones. 12-month service agreements include diagnostic and repair support.
• Makerspace IT Environment Integration IT integration services connecting makerspace technologies such as 3D printers and laser cutters into existing school networks, supported by a team with over 40 years of combined IT service experience.
• Grant Funding Assistance Grant research and application support helping schools identify and apply for federal, state, private, and crowdfunding funding sources for makerspace projects. Includes guidance on DOE, NSF, state-specific, and private grants.
• School Maker Faire Hosting Authorized School Maker Faire partnership program helping schools host maker events to showcase student work. Includes planning assistance, a digital toolkit, promotional materials, and sponsorship support.
• Magnetic Project Table Bundle Heavy-duty makerspace workstation with a 1.5-inch butcher block top, integrated 18-outlet power strip, adjustable height from 22 to 38 inches, heavy-duty casters, and undermounted magnet storage for stools. Sold through the 1st Maker Space storefront.
• Magnetic Maker Table Bundle Purpose-built makerspace table with butcher block surface and integrated power outlets designed for hands-on learning activities.
• 1st Maker Space Traveling Tool Cart Mobile workshop cart with premium birch plywood construction, six integrated toolboxes, built-in power stations, and heavy-duty locking casters for transporting tools between classrooms.
• Mobile 3D Printing Cart Equipment-specific cart accommodating two small 3D printers or one printer plus a desktop computer, with integrated power outlets and USB ports.
• Glowforge Laser Cart Laser cutter cart with dedicated material storage and ventilation access, holding laser cutters plus eight material shelves.
• Classroom Maker Membership $9/month subscription for educators providing access to ready-to-use lesson plans, project guides, and classroom resources, with new content added regularly.
• Free STEM Lesson Plans Free K-12 STEM lesson plans aligned with NGSS, CSTA, ISTE, and Indiana Academic Standards, organized by grade band (Early Childhood/Kindergarten through High School) in PBL and 5E formats with STEM career connections.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students build confidence, collaboration skills, and problem-solving abilities through hands-on maker experiences
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

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

• School Maker FairecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial School Maker Faire partner program. 1st Maker Space is an authorized partner helping schools bring School Maker Faire events to life, providing planning assistance, digital toolkits, promotional materials, and sponsorship support.
• Toyota (Driving Possibilities Grant)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerToyota Driving Possibilities Grant partnership with Lincoln Consolidated Schools in Ypsilanti, Michigan. 1st Maker Space designed and built makerspaces at three elementary schools and one middle school as part of this grant program.
• MagicSchool AIcoreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive makerspace-focused collection created within MagicSchool AI platform. Supports educators in planning, teaching, and elevating hands-on learning experiences through AI-powered tools.
• Indiana IoT LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeadquarters located at Indiana IoT Lab in Fishers, Indiana, indicating a strategic partnership with the IoT laboratory ecosystem for technology and innovation collaboration.
• Code.orgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree virtual professional development session covering Introduction to Hour of AI using Code.org resources, integrating AI education into makerspace curriculum.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• LEGO Education: LEGO Education sells hands-on STEM kits, curriculum, and PD to K-12 globally, overlapping with 1st Maker Space's kits, lesson plans, and professional development offerings at a much larger scale.
• MakerBot Education (Stratasys): MakerBot (owned by Stratasys) is the dominant 3D-printing brand in education — it powers much of the equipment inside 1st Maker Space installs and competes at the equipment-sourcing layer of the makerspace build.

Direct peers

• STEMfinity: STEMfinity is a STEM/maker equipment and curriculum distributor serving K-12; it overlaps with 1st Maker Space's e-commerce supply business and equipment procurement layer.
• PCS Edventures: PCS Edventures provides K-12 STEM labs and makerspaces combining equipment, curriculum, and professional development — the same integrated service-line model that 1st Maker Space sells to schools and districts.
• Geyer Instructional: Geyer Instructional delivers makerspace and STEM lab solutions to schools including furniture, equipment, and training — a comparable turnkey design-build-plus-PD go-to-market.
• Paxton/Patterson Learning Systems: Paxton/Patterson designs and equips STEM labs and makerspaces for K-12 schools with bundled curriculum and furniture, competing head-to-head with 1st Maker Space's Starter and Expanded tiers.

Others

• SparkFun Education: SparkFun supplies maker electronics, microcontrollers, and curriculum referenced in makerspace builds; it is an upstream supplier and ecosystem participant in the maker-education category 1st Maker Space serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/1stmakerspace
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCe1rzBqv1IBlRTSoZCL-G6w
• Facebookfacebook.com/1stMakerSpace
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1st-maker-space
• Instagraminstagram.com/1stMakerSpace

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 1st Maker Space