School of Machines

What School of Machines does

School of Machines, Making & Make-Believe is a Berlin-based non-profit educational organization founded in 2014 by artist Rachel Uwa. It operates at the intersection of art, technology, design, political inquiry, and human connection, delivering intensive four-week in-person programs in Berlin, five-week online classes, and an annual multi-track summer school. Programs are structured as workshops covering generative AI tools (ComfyUI, ControlNet, LoRA, AnimateDiff), machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing, game design, data visualization, performance art, and digital fabrication, taught by a rotating roster of guest instructors drawn from founder Rachel Uwa's professional network.

The organization runs physical operations out of the Make-Believe Studio on the 5th floor of ACUD KUNST HAUS in Berlin Mitte (Veteranenstraße 21), and maintains a sister organization called School of Humans. Participants come from 52+ countries with over 60% women, and the school explicitly prioritizes women, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ artists through reduced-cost solidarity tickets ($100), artist-residency scholarships, and a work-exchange program.

The business model is tuition-funded: students pay per course for online classes (via a self-serve website shop with no admissions process) or per intensive for in-person programs (which require application, interview, and 30% deposit). Official non-profit status was obtained from the German Finanzamt in February 2023, enabling tax-deductible donations and eliminating the prior 19% taxation on tuition revenue. The team has remained small (1–10 employees) by design, as the school is funded entirely through attendance fees with all proceeds reinvested into space, instructors, administration, tools, and materials. Marketing is community-led, relying on Instagram, an email newsletter, word-of-mouth, and collaborative events with partner organizations.

Name

School of Machines

Legal name

School of Machines, Making & Make-Believe

Website

https://schoolofma.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

School of Machines is a Berlin-based non-profit founded in 2014 that runs four-week in-person and five-week online programs teaching artists and creative technologists to apply generative AI, machine learning, and emerging tools for artistic, activist, and human-centered work.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Technology Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Maker / DIY Electronics & Physical Computing Platforms (EDAFANAC), Crafts & Maker Arts (Ceramics, Textiles, Jewelry, Mixed Media) (EDAMAAAD), STEM & Maker Education (Makerspaces, Coding Clubs, Robotics) (EDAAAFAL)

Keywords

• Creative technology education
• Art tech workshops
• Online learning programs
• Summer art programs
• Community art education

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Student Tuition Fees: Primary funding source. All fees go back into the organization to pay for space, instructors, admin, tools and materials. Operates as a non-profit with official status received in 2023.
2. Donations: Accepts tax-deductible donations following official non-profit status in 2023. Donation page available at bit.ly/schoolofmaDonate.
3. Solidarity Tickets: Offers solidarity tickets for online classes at $100 for underrepresented artists, providing accessible pricing for diverse participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

School of Machines, Making & Make-Believe is a non-profit educational organization offering intensive in-person and online programs at the intersection of art, technology, design, political inquiry, and human connection. Its core offerings include four-week full-time in-person programs in Berlin, five-week online workshops, and annual summer schools covering topics such as generative AI, machine learning, game design, data visualization, and performance art. All revenue is reinvested into the organization to cover instructors, studio space, tools, and materials.

Product overview

School of Machines, Making & Make-Believe is a non-profit educational organization offering a portfolio of in-person and online programs at the intersection of art, technology, design, political inquiry, and human connection. The core offerings include four-week intensive in-person programs in Berlin, five-week online classes, and annual summer schools. Programs are structured as workshops and courses covering creative technology topics including generative AI, machine learning, data visualization, game design, and performance art. The organization operates Make-Believe Studio as its physical space and provides solidarity tickets for underrepresented artists. Programs serve participants from 52+ countries with over 60% women and strong representation from BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-Person Four-Week Full-Time Programs Intensive four-week in-person programs running approximately 10am-4pm Monday through Friday in Berlin. Programs include lectures, labs, artist talks, field trips, and open lab time, covering topics at intersection of art, technology, design, political inquiry, and human connection. Open to individual artists, designers, and creative technologists worldwide.
• Online Classes Five-week online workshops conducted via video conference, designed to replicate the offline experience with discussion, connection, and hands-on learning. Classes run 2 hours per session and are open to individual learners globally via the website online shop.
• Summer School Programs Annual intensive summer programs in Berlin featuring multiple concurrent tracks covering creative technology topics. The 2026 edition includes Data Cyborg Stories (investigative storytelling with data and AI), Creating Alt-Ctrl Games as Feminist Practice, and Performative Media as Artistic Practice.
• Latent Bodies Online Course Five-week online course exploring how bodies are performed, broken apart, analyzed, and reconstructed within generative AI systems, using tools such as ComfyUI, ControlNet, AnimateDiff, and LoRA. Targeted at individual artists and creative technologists working at the intersection of generative AI and embodiment.
• Membership Program Membership offering providing ongoing access to Make-Believe Studio space and community events for program alumni and other creatives in Berlin following completion of a School of Machines program.
• Random Access Memory Collaborative art-tech event and gathering featuring workshops, exhibitions, performances, and discussions, run potluck-style with optional €5-€25 donations to charity. Co-organized with partner organizations such as Wonderung and School of Humans.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60%+ women participation and 52+ countries represented across programs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability11 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• WonderungminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 February 2026Co-organizer of Random Access Memory collaborative art tech event and gathering in February 2026.
• School of HumansminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 February 2026Sister organization, co-organizer of Random Access Memory event and Cake and Vorspiel transmediale event. Dedicated to imaginative exploration of humans and human experiences separate from technology.
• ACUD KUNST HAUScoreOthersHost venue for Make-Believe Studio and School of Machines programs. Located at Veteranenstr. 21, 10119 Berlin. School's home-base for in-person events and programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Eyebeam: NYC nonprofit supporting artists engaged with technology through residencies and public programming. Comparable as a mission-driven art-tech education and community organization.
• NEW INC (New Museum Cultural Incubator): Museum-led incubator supporting creative practitioners working at the intersection of art, design, and technology. Comparable as an arts+tech education and development hub with community programming.
• Pioneer Works: Brooklyn-based nonprofit artist and scientist residency with public educational programming. Comparable as a nonprofit creative learning hub, though broader in scope beyond technology.

Direct peers

• School for Poetic Computation: NYC-based independent school teaching code, art, and creative technology through short intensive programs. Closely mirrors School of Machines' small-team, tuition-funded, community-driven creative-tech education model.
• Gray Area: San Francisco-based nonprofit running cultural programs, festivals, and education at the intersection of art and technology. Comparable as a nonprofit art-tech educator with workshops and community programs.
• Fab Foundation / Fab Lab Network: Global network of digital fabrication labs offering hands-on maker education and tools access. Comparable through shared maker-education philosophy and community workshop model.
• ITP (NYU Tisch Interactive Telecommunications Program): NYU graduate program at the intersection of art, technology, and design with hands-on studio learning. Comparable as a creative technology learning community, though operating at much larger scale within a university.

Regional players

• Residency Unlimited: NYC and international artist residency and education platform. Comparable through artist-residency and continuing-education programming, though primarily US-anchored.

Others

• Mozilla Foundation (Mozilla Hubs / responsible AI education): Larger nonprofit running internet literacy, responsible AI, and creative technology education programs. Comparable as a nonprofit using education to advance critical and creative engagement with technology.

Emerging players

• Rhizome (New Museum affiliate): Nonprofit supporting born-digital art and computational creativity through commissions, preservation, and education. Comparable focus on emerging creative-tech practice, though more curatorial than educational.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/schoolofma
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schoolofmachines

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 School of Machines