What Happylab does

Happylab GmbH is an Austrian privately-held makerspace operator founded in 2006 and headquartered at Schönngasse 15-17 in Vienna's 2nd district, with a second site in Berlin. The company operates a 900m² facility equipped with industrial-grade digital fabrication tooling, including FDM and SLA 3D printers (Prusa i3 MK3S, Prusa XL Multihead, Formlabs Form 3), CO2 and fiber laser cutters (Trotec Speedy 400, Trotec Q500, Thunderlaser Nova63, GWEIKE LF1390), four CNC mills (BZT PFK, ACCTEK AKM1325C, Makera Carvera, Syil X7), full metal and wood workshops with MIG/TIG/plasma welding, an electronics workstation, textile lab, plastics lab, finishing area, and hobby workshop. Members access machines via a Fabman.io-managed coin system under a three-tier subscription (Basic €34.90/month, Maker €59.90/month, Pro €199.90/month) with 24/7 MemberCard entry; the company claims 2,000+ members across both cities, positioning it as Europe's largest maker community.

The business model combines recurring subscription revenue with usage-based overage (€0.10/coin beyond included quotas), workshops and machine training (Einschulungen), kids' birthday parties, summer camps, Young Makers Academy, Repair Café events, corporate teambuilding packages (€990–€2,990), consulting (€96/hour), 24/7 material shop sales, room rental (€30–€60/hour), storage lockers (€19–€29/month), and a business address service (€99/month). Go-to-market is community-led, driven by word-of-mouth, weekly Wednesday Open Lab tours, Maker Faire Vienna participation, the Fab Contest competition, member testimonials, social media, and a network of roughly 20 cluster partners including BAUHAUS, AWS, Austrian Standards, the Austrian Patent Office, and the WU Entrepreneurship Center. Customers are fragmented across hobbyist makers, solo entrepreneurs, SMBs, and hardware startups using the space for prototyping; named use cases span jewelry, water monitoring devices, medical devices, aerospace test stands, gaming hardware, e-bike accessories, and wearable technology. The company is led by CEO and co-founder Karim Jafarmadar alongside Roland Stelzer, with a core team of 8–10, and is marking its 20th anniversary with jubilee programming beginning October 8, 2026.

Name

Happylab

Legal name

Happylab GmbH

Website

https://happylab.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Happylab operates a 900m² makerspace in Vienna plus a Berlin site, serving 2,000+ members with 24/7 access to industrial-grade 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC mills, and metal/wood/electronics workshops under a three-tier subscription model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Shared Makerspace Services

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Shared makerspace access
• Digital fabrication services
• 3D printing services
• Laser cutting services
• Prototype development

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Monthly or annual subscription fees for tiered membership access (Basic €34.90, Maker €59.90, Pro €199.90 per month). Revenue is recurring and forms the primary income stream. Members receive coin allocations for machine usage.
2. Machine Usage Fees (Coins): After exhausting monthly coin allocations, additional machine usage is charged at 0.10€ per coin. Different machines have different coin rates per minute or per hour. This creates a usage-based revenue component on top of fixed membership fees.
3. Workshops and Training: Fee-based training sessions for machine usage, consulting sessions (€96/hour), birthday parties, summer camps, school visits, and corporate teambuilding events.
4. Material Shop Sales: 24/7 material shop selling consumables including acrylic glass, sandpaper, paints, milling bits, adhesives, plywood, cardboard, flex foil, adhesive foil, screws, and other workshop materials to members.
5. Room Rental: Event space rental including small meeting room (up to 12 people, €30/hour or €200/day) and large event room (up to 40 people, €60/hour or €400/day). Includes access to equipment, projector, flipchart, and audio/video equipment.
6. Add-on Packages: Additional coin packages (1,000 coins for €89), storage units (€19-29/month), project storage (€9/day or €59/month), and business address registration (€99/month).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Happylab operates a 900m² shared makerspace in Vienna (with a second location in Berlin) providing 24/7 member access to professional-grade digital fabrication equipment including FDM and SLA 3D printers, CO2 and fiber laser cutters, CNC mills, wood and metal workshops, electronics, textile, and finishing tools. Revenue is generated primarily through tiered monthly memberships (Basic €34.90, Maker €59.90, Pro €199.90) that include monthly coin allocations for machine usage, with overages, training, consulting, material sales, and room rental as supplementary streams.

Product overview

Happylab is a 900 m² makerspace and Austria's first Fab Lab, operating at Schönngasse 15-17, 1020 Vienna, with over 2,000 members across Vienna and Berlin locations. The company offers a tiered membership model (Basic at €34.90/month, Maker at €59.90/month, and Pro at €199.90/month) providing 24/7 access to digital fabrication equipment and physical workshops. The core product is the makerspace itself, with three membership tiers gating access to progressively more advanced machinery — Basic covers entry-level FDM/SLA 3D printing, laser cutting (Trotec Speedy 400, Q500, Thunderlaser Nova63), and hobby tools; Maker adds professional CNC milling (BZT PFK 1607 PX, ACCTEK AKM1325C, Makera Carvera, Syil X7), wood and metal workshops, electronics, and finishing; Pro includes all equipment plus co-working space, meeting rooms, business address service, and highest coin quotas. A coin-based usage system (1,000 coins = €100, included in membership) meters machine time. Add-on packages include storage (€19–€29/month), project storage (€9/day or €59/month), and coin top-ups (€89 for 1,000 coins, valid 1 year). The workshop and training program covers machine training (Einschulungen), individual training, consulting, kids birthday parties, summer camps, Young Makers Academy, Repair Café, Female Makers, School of Makers, and teambuilding events. A member portal (members.happylab.at) handles reservations and shop access. A 24/7 material shop stocks consumables including acrylic, plywood, fasteners, and tools. Gift vouchers and room rental (€30–60/hour) are also offered. Happylab celebrates its 20th anniversary with programming launching 8 October 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Basic Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,000+ members served across Vienna and Berlin
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AdlerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTraditional Tyrolean family company and competence leader in wood protection and lacquers. Supplies Happylab with water-based lacquers for finishing projects. Available for member consultations on special coating applications.
• Alphacam AustriaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOperates 'Teilefabrik' and 'fabberhouse' manufacturing services including PolyJet, SAF, P3, Metal 3D printing, FDM up to 914 x 610 x 914 mm. Happylab members receive 10% discount on Teilefabrik services.
• Austrian StandardsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAustria's standardization and innovation organization. Provides Happylab members exclusive access to standards via online 'Lesesaal' tool at facility computers, plus consultation hours.
• AustrianStartupsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNon-profit organization fostering entrepreneurship in Austria. Happylab members access information about entrepreneurship and the Austrian startup ecosystem.
• AWS (Austria Wirtschaftsservice)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAustria's promotional bank supporting innovative projects. Provides Happylab members advice on AWS funding programs including aws First Incubator.
• BAUHAUSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecialist for workshop, house and garden products. Happylab members receive 7% discount on purchases of €70 or more at BAUHAUS Wien Brigittenau.
• EncumaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSells materials ideal for laser cutter engraving and cutting. Happylab members receive 10% discount on entire online shop range.
• Fix MetallminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFull service for small batches of steel and metal with no minimum value, custom cuts, and prompt delivery. 15% discount on material purchases with delivery to Happylab Wien available.
• LOCTITEminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorld-leading brand for adhesives, sealants, and surface treatments. Selected LOCTITE products available 24/7 at Happylab. Members receive bundled knowledge through workshops.
• Make MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTechnology project magazine. Happylab members receive two free issues of the magazine.
• MesserminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorld's largest family-run industrial gas specialist. Supplies Happylab with gases for welding and cutting. Members receive special discounts and application advice on welding.
• PräglerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecializes in precision parts refinement, mainly aluminum. Provides personal project advice and 10% discount on orders for Happylab members.
• PULSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLeader in critical power supplies. Sponsors makers and startups with free power supplies available for member projects at Happylab.
• RC-CarbonstoreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvider of carbon and aluminum products for model making. 10% discount on entire online shop range for Happylab members.
• TheCoolToolminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpecializes in innovative machines for model building, design, prototyping, and education. 10% discount on all orders for Happylab members.
• VHS KunstHandWerkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducational focus on handicraft, design, DIY, crafting and digital production (3D printing). 15% discount on selected courses for Happylab members.
• Wood4prosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSells real wood products of sustainable origin, produced fairly and transparently in Austria. 15% discount for Happylab members on online shop.
• ZINKPOWERminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorld-leading hot-dip galvanizing group. Offers heavily discounted prices on hot-dip galvanizing and powder coating, plus free transport to/from Happylab for members.
• WU Entrepreneurship CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVienna University of Economics business development center. Members access formats like Founders Advice, Joint Forces, Startup League, and other workshop and event formats.
• Austrian Patent OfficeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFirst port of call for inventors, startups, and companies with questions about trademarks, patents and designs. Free consultations, courses, and webinars available.
• Fabman.iocoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party membership management and machine access control system. Handles reservations, coin tracking, and billing. Essential operational infrastructure.
• Repair-Network ViennaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal repair network where Happylab is DIY partner, hosting regular repair cafés on last Monday of each month.
• International Repair Café NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal repair café movement connecting local initiatives. Happylab participates with regular repair events.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mindspace: Premium co-working operator with multiple European locations, including Berlin and other DACH cities. Comparable on membership-tier co-working offering and community programming, but lacks industrial fabrication equipment.
• WeWork: Global co-working incumbent operating flexible workspaces with meeting rooms, event spaces, and member programming. Overlaps with Happylab's Co-Working Space and Pro-tier amenities but does not provide industrial fabrication equipment.

Direct peers

• Toolbox Berlin: Berlin makerspace offering membership-based access to digital manufacturing tools including 3D printers, laser cutters, and electronics. Closely comparable operating model and equipment mix to Happylab's Berlin site within the same city.
• c-base: Long-running Berlin hackerspace/maker community with shared equipment, training, and event programming. Comparable community-led GTM, though more software/hacker-oriented versus Happylab's broader hardware fabrication focus.
• MotionLab.berlin: Berlin-based makerspace and prototyping workshop providing shared access to digital fabrication equipment (3D printing, laser cutting, CNC, electronics) to startups, makers, and SMBs. Direct same-city competitor sharing the DACH makerspace model with overlapping equipment breadth and target segments.

Others

• Protolabs: Global digital manufacturing service provider offering on-demand CNC, injection molding, 3D printing, and sheet metal. Adjacent service to Happylab for SMBs needing prototype-to-production runs, though the business model is contract manufacturing rather than shared access.
• Hubs (formerly 3D Hubs): Global manufacturing platform (now part of Protolabs) connecting buyers with CNC, 3D printing, and fabrication service providers. An alternative path for SMBs that might otherwise buy a Happylab membership for prototyping — so it is an adjacent competitor for the same customer use case.
• MakerBot Industries: 3D printer manufacturer and digital fabrication ecosystem vendor. Not a direct competitor but a supplier/ecosystem peer whose products (FDM printers, software, materials) form a meaningful share of the equipment base that makerspaces like Happylab deploy.

Regional players

• FabLab Berlin: Berlin Fab Lab affiliated with the international FabLab network, providing community access to digital fabrication tools. Operates in Happylab's home market of Berlin with a similar makerspace model but is typically university-affiliated and lower-cost.
• FabLab Munich: Munich-based Fab Lab part of the global FabLab network offering similar digital fabrication access (3D printing, laser cutting, CNC) to the DACH market. Same business model in a different DACH city, with comparable equipment breadth and target user base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCeAom8nlz8hRBwJ9X4cPlUA
• Facebookfacebook.com/happylabat
• Instagraminstagram.com/happylab.wien
• Pinterestpinterest.at/happylab_maker
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/happylabmakerspace

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 Happylab