RCMakes

What RCMakes does

RCMakes is a student-operated 501(c)(3) non-profit business located within Rancho Campana High School in Camarillo, California, operating under the parent NewCo Foundation. Founded in 2017 by engineer-entrepreneur Dave Gross and his wife Dawn Gross, the organization runs a 1,800-square-foot Community Makerspace equipped with woodworking, metalworking, welding, 3D printing, CNC routing, laser cutting/engraving, sublimation, embroidery, vinyl cutting, and electronics prototyping equipment. It functions simultaneously as an educational program (providing thousands of internship hours annually to high school and college students), a custom manufacturing job shop serving both business and individual customers, and a retail operation selling student-made products such as 3D-printed dragons and keychains, custom cornhole sets, engraved home goods, and apparel via a Shopify storefront (pickup only at the school site). Beyond physical fabrication, the company offers professional services including video production, graphic design, and AWS-based software development, and operates specialty programs such as the RCTech theater production service for the on-campus Performing Arts Center and a Design Lab partnership with the Boys and Girls Club.

The revenue model is a multi-stream blend: unit-priced e-commerce product sales on Shopify, quote-based build-to-spec job shop services for businesses and individuals, subscription/historical membership fees for makerspace access (now free subject to capacity), and one-time educational program fees such as the $225 Academy Bridge Program for incoming freshmen. Pricing is uniformly small-ticket (single items from $5 to roughly $250 for premium cornhole sets), there is no shipping, and the customer base spans ~15+ named organizations (schools, libraries, a startup incubator, parks and recreation, engineering firms) plus a long tail of local individual buyers. Funding is entirely philanthropic to date: $250,000 in 2017 startup capital and a $5 million endowment to the parent NewCo Foundation in February 2018, both from founders Dave and Dawn Gross, with the endowment earmarked partly for program-related investments in startups.

The go-to-market is hybrid direct-to-consumer and local B2B/B2G, relying on community events (monthly Camarillo Farmers Market, TEDx, Monarch Market), social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube), email newsletters, SEO-optimized web presence, and educational-partnership referrals. Marketing and customer acquisition are concentrated within Ventura County with no evidence of geographic expansion beyond the single Camarillo campus. Leadership transitioned from founder Dave Gross to Dr. Katie Barry as General Manager in 2019; current operational staffing is overwhelmingly student-led across job shop, events, RCTech, and the Boys and Girls Club Design Lab.

Name

RCMakes

Legal name

RCMakes

Website

https://rcmakes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RCMakes is a student-operated 501(c)(3) non-profit business at Rancho Campana High School in Camarillo, California, running a community makerspace, a build-to-spec job shop for businesses and individuals, and educational programs that provide hands-on engineering and entrepreneurship experience to high school and college interns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Fabrication Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (54143)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

IoT, Sensors & Embedded Systems (Arduino/Raspberry Pi) Programs (EDAMADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

3D Printing, CAD & Digital Fabrication Programs (EDAMADAH), Kids Crafts & Educational Craft Kits Retail (CRALACAG), Crafting Machines & Accessories Retail (Die-Cut, Cricut/Silhouette, 3D Pens) (CRALACAK)

Keywords

• Custom fabrication services
• Community makerspace access
• Student vocational training
• Digital manufacturing services
• Nonprofit education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Camarillo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Online store selling student-made products including custom cornhole sets, 3D prints, keychains, ornaments, house decor, kitchenware, accessories, and custom items. E-commerce sales through Shopify platform.
2. Job Shop Services - Business: Build-to-spec manufacturing and prototyping for business customers including custom signage, laser cutting/engraving, 3D printing, CAD modeling, video production, software development, and graphic design services.
3. Job Shop Services - Individual: Custom fabrication and prototyping services for individual customers including laser cutting, woodworking, 3D printing, custom cornhole, dog tags, doormats, water bottles, and product development.
4. Educational Programs: Summer programs including Academy Bridge Program for incoming freshmen ($225), workshops in graphic design, web development, Arduino, photography, public speaking.
5. Makerspace Reservations: Community makerspace reservations with fees as donations to RCMakes, equipment access for general shop, laser engraving, 3D printing, sublimation, and product prototyping.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

RCMakes operates a student-run non-profit custom fabrication business housed in an approximately 1,800-square-foot Community Makerspace containing around 50 tools. It sells custom-made physical products such as cornhole sets, 3D prints, sublimated merchandise, embroidered items, banners, decals, and laser-engraved goods through an online Shopify store and at the Camarillo Farmers Market (pickup only, no shipping). It also provides Job Shop services for both businesses and individuals, RCTech theater technical support, software development, graphic design, video production, and educational programs including the Academy Bridge Program, Workshops, and the Boys and Girls Club Design Lab.

Product overview

RCMakes is a student-operated non-profit business at Rancho Campana High School offering a diverse portfolio of products and services. The core offerings include a Community Makerspace for public use with woodworking, metalworking, 3D printing, and laser cutting equipment; custom manufacturing services through Job Shop for Business and Job Shop for Individuals; professional creative services including Video Production, Graphic Design, Software Development, and RCTech (lighting/sound for theater); educational programs like the Academy Bridge Program, RCMakes Workshops, and Boys and Girls Club Design Lab; and an online store selling 3D printed products (dragons, key chains), custom cornhole sets, and various laser-engraved customizable items. The ecosystem is tied together through Expanded Learning events and internships that provide hands-on experience to students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Cornhole Sets Hand-built custom cornhole sets sold to individuals and businesses through the Shopify storefront and at the Camarillo Farmers Market; pickup only, no shipping.
• 3D Printed Products Custom 3D printed items produced in-house using the makerspace's 3D printers and sold to consumers and businesses.
• Sublimation Products Custom sublimated merchandise such as mugs and plates produced using the makerspace's sublimation equipment.
• Embroidered Goods Custom embroidered goods produced using the makerspace's embroidery equipment, sold to consumers and local businesses.
• Banners, Signs, Posters and Decals Custom banners, signs, posters, and decals produced with vinyl cutting and related equipment for individuals and businesses.
• Laser-Engraved and Cut Items

Quantifiable outcome

• Sold over 2,500 fidget spinner units in three months, generating $8,000+ revenue and $3,750 gross profit
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NewCo FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017RCMakes is a program of NewCo Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. NewCo Foundation focuses on student career education and startup company activities. The foundation provides operational support and oversight for RCMakes.
• Oxnard Union High School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017RCMakes is operated in partnership with Oxnard Union High School District. The district provides campus access at Rancho Campana High School and supports work-based learning opportunities for students.
• Ventura County Office of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017RCMakes is operated in partnership with Ventura County Office of Education. Dave Gross teaches engineering and business classes through this partnership.
• Rancho Campana High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost school for RCMakes operations. Located at 4235 Mar Vista Drive, Camarillo, CA. RCMakes is integrated into the school with access to campus facilities including the Performing Arts Center.
• Boys and Girls ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRCMakes operates a Design Lab at the Boys and Girls Club providing STEM activities including lasers, 3D printers, and coding workshops. Interns design lessons and workshops for club members. NewCo Foundation designed the lab.
• Camarillo LibraryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor3D printing workshops hosted at Camarillo Library. Custom library signs created by RCMakes job shop.
• Hub 101minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStartup incubator client - cornhole sets created for Hub 101 events.
• Matter LabsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTechnology company client of RCMakes services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• MakerBot Industries: Established 3D printer manufacturer with an education division providing classroom 3D printing solutions, curriculum, and PD for schools. Comparable to RCMakes in supplying the 3D printing capability central to its makerspace and educational programs.

Direct peers

• Fab Foundation (Fab Lab Network): Operates the global Fab Lab network of community makerspaces providing public access to 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC, and digital fabrication tools. Directly comparable to RCMakes' community makerspace mission, equipment set, and educational orientation.
• Make Community (Make: Magazine): Long-standing maker movement organization producing Make: Magazine, Maker Faire, and educational maker content. Comparable to RCMakes in cultivating a maker/STEM community and producing educational programming around hands-on making.
• FIRST Robotics: Global STEM education nonprofit running robotics competitions and maker programs for K-12 students with strong school-district partnerships. Comparable to RCMakes in targeting high school students for hands-on engineering and entrepreneurship experiences.

Emerging players

• Adafruit Industries: Open-source hardware company manufacturing and selling electronics, 3D printing, and maker tools with a substantial learning/education platform. Comparable to RCMakes in empowering students and hobbyists with maker tools and learning content.
• SparkFun Electronics: Open-source hardware retailer and educator selling electronics kits, microcontrollers (Arduino-compatible), and maker tools with a strong education vertical. Comparable to RCMakes in supplying maker/STEM tools and curriculum to schools and hobbyists.

Others

• IDEXX STEMfocus / NAF (National Academy Foundation): National network creating career academies in high schools with work-based learning and internship pipelines, comparable to RCMakes' Academy Bridge Program and internship-hour delivery model inside a public high school.
• Boys & Girls Club of America: National youth-development nonprofit operating club facilities with STEM and education programming, including the Design Lab partnership RCMakes supports. Comparable as the institutional partner hosting RCMakes' youth STEM programming and as an adjacent model for youth education delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/rcmakes
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8FhniwG-OggTQB3WVC4j3Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/RCMakes805
• Instagraminstagram.com/rcmakes

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 RCMakes