What Splat Space does

Splat Space is a 501c3 non-profit community makerspace operating from a single physical location in Durham, North Carolina. It provides paying members with shared access to a broad inventory of fabrication equipment organized into a woodshop, metal shop, digital fabrication area (laser cutters, 3D printers, CNC routers, vinyl cutters, large-format printer), electronics and soldering station, fiber arts studio, and a BSL1-compliant community biology lab equipped with PCR, NanoDrop, centrifuges, incubators, and a biosafety cabinet. Members include hobbyists, freelancers, engineers, artists, retirees, and students who use the space for personal projects, freelance work, prototyping, and skills development.

The business model is subscription-based membership revenue with three tiers — Full ($60/month) with 24/7 key-fob access, Student ($35/month) at a discounted rate, and Associate ($25/month) with restricted access — supported by quarterly and annual billing options and a refundable $15 key-fob deposit. Ancillary revenue comes from monetary, equipment, and volunteer-time donations processed via Stripe, plus small local business sponsorships. The organization explicitly declines large corporate sponsorships to preserve member autonomy. Go-to-market is community-led: new members must attend at least two public events (Tuesday open nights are the primary touchpoint) and obtain sponsorship from two existing members, with events promoted through Meetup.com and a dedicated Google Group.

Operationally, Splat Space is member-funded and member-driven, with voting rights on organizational decisions. The 501c3 structure, refusal of corporate capital, and the embedded community biology lab (including an open-ended Valonia ventricosa research project exploring bubble algae as a living bioreactor with genomic sequencing and heterologous gene expression aims) distinguish the organization from a typical hobbyist hackerspace, positioning it closer to a community-science facility. No external investors, parent company, or funding rounds are disclosed.

Name

Splat Space

Legal name

Splat Space

Website

https://splatspace.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Splat Space is a 501c3 non-profit community makerspace in Durham, North Carolina, providing paying members shared access to woodworking, metalworking, digital fabrication, electronics, fiber arts, and a BSL1 community biology lab through tiered monthly memberships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Makerspace

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Community makerspace
• Shared workshop access
• Maker tool library
• Hobby fabrication space
• Community biology lab

Headquarters

HQ city

Durham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Monthly recurring membership fees provide primary funding for the organization. Three tiers available: Full ($60/month), Associate ($25/month), and Student ($35/month). Membership fees fund operations, equipment maintenance, and space upkeep. Key fob deposits are one-time fees returned upon cancellation.
2. Donations: Accepts monetary donations, equipment donations, and volunteer time. Donations processed through Stripe. Equipment donations and volunteer time are coordinated via email contact.
3. Business Sponsorships: Local business sponsorships from organizations passionate about the makerspace cause. Sponsorships support projects, events, and general community sustainability without corporate control over operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Splat Space is a 501c3 non-profit community makerspace in Durham, NC that provides members with access to a shared physical workspace and a wide range of professional-grade tools spanning woodworking, metalworking, digital fabrication, electronics, fiber arts, and a BSL1 biology lab. Access is sold through tiered monthly subscriptions (Full, Associate, Student), with full members receiving 24/7 key-fob entry to the facility.

Product overview

Splat Space is a 501c3 non-profit Durham-based makerspace offering a single unified membership that grants access to a shared physical space and its integrated tool areas. The membership portfolio includes Full, Associate, and Student tiers (ranging $25–60/month), all providing access to the space and tools, with Full members receiving 24×7 key fob access. The facility is organized into distinct sub-product areas — a Woodworking Shop, Metal Shop, Digital Fabrication area (laser cutters, 3D printers, CNC routers, vinyl cutters, large format printer), Electronics & Soldering Station, Fiber Arts Studio, and a Community Biology Lab (BSL1). A Key Fob Access add-on ($15 deposit) enables 24/7 access for Full members. All of these are covered under a single membership and are not sold as separate products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full Membership
• Associate Membership
• Student Membership
• Donations

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Local Business SponsorsminorOthersBusiness sponsorships from local organizations passionate about the makerspace cause. These sponsorships support specific projects, events, and general community sustainability. The organization does not accept large corporate sponsorships to maintain member autonomy.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Artisan's Asylum: Large Somerville, MA makerspace providing multi-discipline member access including woodworking, metalworking, electronics, digital fabrication, and biotech. Highly comparable to Splat Space's diversified equipment library and membership model.
• NYC Resistor: Brooklyn-based community hackerspace/makerspace offering member access to shared tools, electronics, and fabrication equipment. Directly comparable to Splat Space as a member-funded, community-driven workshop serving hobbyists, engineers, and artists.
• Dallas Makerspace: Large Texas community makerspace offering multi-discipline equipment access to a member-funded community. Directly comparable to Splat Space in offering wood, metal, electronics, and digital fabrication tools under a shared membership model.
• Maker Works: Ann Arbor, MI community makerspace providing member access to woodworking, metalworking, electronics, textiles, and digital fabrication tools. Comparable to Splat Space's diversified equipment offering and community workshop structure.
• Noisebridge: San Francisco community hackerspace run as a member-funded, volunteer-operated nonprofit. Comparable to Splat Space's community-led governance, donation-supported funding, and open-access workshop philosophy.
• HacDC: Washington DC community hackerspace providing shared space, tools, and classes for members. Comparable to Splat Space as a member-driven, donation- and dues-funded nonprofit workshop serving hackers, engineers, and hobbyists.
• Chain Reaction: Largo, FL community makerspace offering member access to shared tools and workspace across multiple disciplines. Comparable to Splat Space as a member-supported nonprofit workshop serving hobbyists and entrepreneurs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/splat_space
• Facebookfacebook.com/135976309785775
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/splat-space

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 Splat Space