What FabLab München e.V. does

FabLab München e.V. is a nonprofit community makerspace and education organization founded in 2010 in Munich, Germany, and registered as an eingetragener Verein (e.V.) at Amtsgericht München under VR 203345. It operates a 500 m² facility in the Westend district (Gollierstraße 70), comprising a 300 m² workshop and a 200 m² dedicated education space, staffed by 7 employees and serving a community of approximately 400 members — makers, hobbyists, educators, students, and creatives aged 5 to 99+. The organization's core offering is 24/7 member access to industrial-grade digital fabrication equipment (laser cutters, 3D printers, CNC mills, electronics benches, textile stations, woodworking and metalworking tools), supplemented by an Open Hardware Lab for open-source hardware development and an extensive public wiki documenting machine tutorials and projects.

FabLab München generates revenue through a diversified, primarily community-based model. Membership subscriptions are the primary recurring revenue stream, complemented by fee-based educational services: adult courses, FabLab Kids weekend/holiday programs and birthday parties, school class visits (€500 per class including materials), corporate team-building events (€800–€2,100 per event depending on format and group size), and facility rentals (€500–€900 per day for the 200 m² education rooms). As a registered nonprofit, the organization also relies on donations and grant funding from a broad base of supporters including the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF), the City of Munich, the SWM Bildungsstiftung, Bürgerstiftung München, Deutsche Postcode Lotterie, and multiple private foundations (Wilhelm Stemmer, Edith-Haberland-Wagner, Alexander Tutsek, Hans Sauer, TÜV SÜD, Anstiftung).

The organization pursues a community-led go-to-market strategy, with acquisition driven by word-of-mouth within the Munich maker community, school partnerships, and an active presence across Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, GitHub, LinkedIn, Mastodon, and Bluesky. Strategic programmatic partnerships include Erasmus+ international projects (Make U In, MakeMyFuture, STEAM-H) and the BMBF-funded MINTI consortium (2024–2029) with LMU München, UnternehmerTUM, and bbw.e.V. to integrate maker-based MINT education into primary school curricula. FabLab Kids operates as a distinct sub-brand for children's and youth programming. Revenue figures, membership pricing, and financial statements are not publicly disclosed.

Name

FabLab München e.V.

Legal name

FabLab München e.V.

Website

https://fablab-muenchen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

FabLab München e.V. is a nonprofit community makerspace in Munich, Germany, providing ~400 members with 24/7 access to digital fabrication equipment and offering educational programs, corporate events, and school partnerships for ages 5 to 99+.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Maker Space & STEM Education Services

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI), Science & STEM Lab Equipment & Supplies (Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Makerspaces) (EDAEAIAC)

Keywords

• Digital fabrication workshop
• Maker space membership
• STEM education programs
• Community workshop access
• Open hardware lab

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Members pay a monthly subscription fee to access workshop tools and machines 24/7. Membership dues finance the ongoing operation of the workshop including rent, equipment, and staff. This is the primary revenue stream.
2. Education Courses and Workshops: Revenue from fee-based educational programs including courses for adults, corporate events, team-building workshops, and children's/youth programs. School classes can book sessions (e.g., 500 EUR per class including materials).
3. Corporate Events and Facility Rentals: The education rooms (200 m²) are available for corporate bookings, seminars, lectures, and team-building events. Half-day room rental starts at 500 EUR, full-day at 900 EUR. Corporate team-building events with instructors start at 800 EUR (half-day) to 2,100 EUR (full-day).
4. Donations and Grant Funding: The organization is a non-profit association (gemeinnütziger Verein) and relies on donations and grant funding from foundations and public institutions to subsidize the FabLab Kids education program and keep courses affordable.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

FabLab München e.V. operates a 500 m² community makerspace in Munich providing 24/7 member access to digital fabrication equipment (laser cutters, 3D printers, CNC mills, electronics lab, textile stations) along with a 200 m² education area hosting fee-based courses, school programs, children's workshops (FabLab Kids), and corporate team-building events. Revenue comes primarily from monthly membership fees, course fees, corporate event bookings, donations, and grants from foundations and public institutions.

Product overview

FabLab München e.V. operates as a non-profit community makerspace and educational organization, not a traditional technology product company. The organization offers a unified physical makerspace with three main service areas: (1) The FabLab München Werkstatt - a 300 m² workshop providing members 24/7 access to digital fabrication equipment including 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC mills, electronics benches, and textile stations; (2) The Bildungsräume (Educational Spaces) - a 200 m² area hosting structured courses for children, adults, and corporate groups; and (3) The FabLab Kids sub-brand offering youth-focused educational programmes. The organization functions as a membership-based community workshop (around 400 members) with a primary focus on education and knowledge sharing rather than commercial product sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FabLab Kids: Children and youth education program offering workshops, courses, birthday parties, and school programs for kids aged 5 and up.

Products and services

• FabLab München Werkstatt (Maker Space Membership) A 300 m² open high-tech workshop facility offering members access to digital fabrication equipment including 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC mills, electronics workbenches, and textile crafting stations, available 24/7 to members of the nonprofit association.
• FabLab München Bildungsräume (Educational Spaces) A 200 m² dedicated educational area hosting seminars, courses, workshops, and school cooperation programs for children, youth, and adults, available for corporate bookings and events.
• FabLab Kids Programme Educational programmes for children and teenagers including weekend courses, holiday programmes, school class visits, and birthday parties focused on hands-on technology learning (3D printing, laser cutting, electronics, robotics, soldering, stop-motion animation).
• Erwachsenenkurse (Adult Courses) Fee-based courses for adults covering 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC machining, electronics, Arduino programming, and other digital fabrication skills, delivered at the FabLab's 200 m² education area.
• Schulprogramm (School Programme) School cooperation programmes including introductory workshops, specialized courses, and full-day programme partnerships for primary and secondary schools, with pricing at €500 per class including materials.
• Firmenveranstaltungen (Corporate Events) Corporate team-building events, seminars, and presentations in the FabLab's creative environment with capacity for up to 30 persons; priced from €800 (half-day with 1 instructor) to €2,100 (full-day with 2 instructors for up to 24 participants).
• Open Hardware Lab An open hardware laboratory focused on developing and sharing open-source hardware projects and tools, including MakerTools, Laser4DIY, CitizenSensor, and CO2 sensors, documented in a public wiki.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Erasmus+coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFabLab München participates in multiple Erasmus+ projects: Make U In (KA210-SCH — inclusive maker education in primary schools), MakeMyFuture (KA220-VET — digital competences for VET), and STEAM-H (STEM learning in primary schools). FabLab contributes maker education expertise to these international partnerships.
• DigiKeyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigiKey, a major electronics component distributor, is listed as a supporter of FabLab München, likely providing components or sponsorship for maker projects and education.
• LMU München (Prof. Dr. Uta Hauck-Thum, Grundschuldidaktik)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership within the BMBF-funded MINTI project (Female Empowerment Grundschule, 2024–2029). Prof. Dr. Uta Hauck-Thum (LMU Primary School Didactics) leads the academic team; FabLab München contributes practical maker education expertise to integrate MINT into primary school curricula.
• UnternehmerTUM Makerspace GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership within the MINTI BMBF-funded project. UnternehmerTUM, Germany's largest center for business and innovation, collaborates with FabLab München to advance maker-based MINT education in primary schools.
• Bildungswerk der bayerischen Wirtschaft (bbw.e.V.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership within the MINTI project. The education arm of the Bavarian Employers' Association (bbw.e.V.) collaborates with FabLab München on the BMBF-funded Female Empowerment Grundschule initiative.
• Fraunhofer EMFTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the CitizenSensor project — a citizen science initiative involving FabLab München members in developing and deploying environmental sensors in collaboration with Fraunhofer researchers.
• Gymnasium NeubibergcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLong-standing cooperation with Gymnasium Neubiberg, including Erasmus+ project 'Make in Class' (2018–2020). The school has its own maker space and FabLab München contributes curriculum and instruction for maker-based learning.
• Grundschule an der Lehrer Wirth StraßecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerActive partnership since 2012 with dedicated FabLab maker space within the school. FabLab München conducts maker and MINT activities in the all-day program and during regular class hours. Also a partner in Erasmus+ STEAM-H project.
• Various Munich Schools (Grundschule Gänselieselstraße, Rupprecht Gymnasium, Truderinger Gymnasium, Wirtschaftsschule Begemann, Lehrer Wirth Mittelschule)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFabLab München maintains ongoing maker education partnerships with multiple Munich schools including Grundschule Gänselieselstraße (since 2015), Rupprecht Gymnasium, Truderinger Gymnasium, Wirtschaftsschule Begemann (with Open Space maker lab since 2015/16), and Lehrer Wirth Mittelschule, providing curriculum integration, instructor-led sessions, and maker space development support.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hacker-school München: Munich-affiliated coding and making nonprofit running youth workshops in coding, hardware, and digital fabrication. Closest peer for FabLab Kids programming, with similar age range and school-outreach channels.
• FabLab Berlin: Long-standing FabLab chapter providing community access to digital fabrication tools in Berlin. Closest direct peer — same FabLab network philosophy (DIWO/DIY), membership-driven model, and STEM education programming.
• FabLab Hamburg: Hamburg-based FabLab chapter offering community workshop access and maker education. Direct German FabLab peer with similar nonprofit structure, equipment mix, and education/school-cooperation focus.

Broad incumbents

• UnternehmerTUM Makerspace GmbH: Germany's largest center for business and innovation runs a Munich makerspace offering digital fabrication, training, and corporate programs. Comparable offering in the same city; also a strategic MINTI partner, making it both peer and collaborator.

Regional players

• Chaos Computer Club (CCC): Germany's largest hacker community, with regional chapters (e.g., Münchner CCC) hosting workshops, hardware labs, and education events. Overlaps FabLab München on the maker/hacker education axis for adults and is a reference point in the German community-makespace landscape.
• Technisches Museum Wien (FabLab): Vienna's technology museum hosts a FabLab within its education programming. Comparable as a publicly-supported FabLab integrated with education and cultural-heritage outreach, though in a different geography.

Others

• Fraunhofer EMFT: Munich-based Fraunhofer institute for modular solid-state technologies and citizen-science collaborator with FabLab München on the CitizenSensor project. Comparable as an applied-research maker-education partner rather than a direct competitor.

Emerging players

• Bits & Pretzels Makerspace: Munich-rooted startup community organization that incorporates maker/founder programming. Adjacent to FabLab München's audience of tech enthusiasts and overlaps in supporting Munich's maker/startup ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/fablab-muenchen
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdqWoPQPd9K1sEkjCrfbSyw
• Facebookfacebook.com/FabLabMuc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fablabmuc
• Instagraminstagram.com/fablabmuc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 FabLab München e.V.