Institute of Making
The Institute of Making is a non-profit, multidisciplinary maker space and materials research facility within University College London's Faculty of Engineering, offering free membership, workshops, a Materials Library, and public events to UCL students, staff, and the wider public.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Institute of Making does
The Institute of Making is a multidisciplinary maker space and materials research facility operating within University College London's (UCL) Faculty of Engineering. Founded in 2013, it operates two physical workshop locations in London — Bloomsbury and Stratford — equipped with hand tools, power tools, 3D printers, laser cutters, and textile equipment, with tools categorized by skill level (Green, Yellow, Red). Its core offerings are a curated Materials Library (a physical collection of materials gathered globally, now accessible through an upgraded digital interface), hands-on workshops for inducted members, multidisciplinary research including citizen science projects such as LEGO2NANO/OpenAFM, and a free public events program that includes open days, masterclasses, and the annual Festival of Stuff.
The Institute serves two primary segments: UCL students and staff, who receive free membership with day-to-day workshop access, and the general public, who can attend free events and Materials Library discovery sessions. Membership is free rather than fee-based (freemium), and the only direct commercial revenue streams are minor consumables sales through the UCL Online Shop and modest usage fees for 3D prints exceeding 100g (54p per 10g). Its go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on social media, an email newsletter, public events, and the gravitational pull of the UCL community rather than paid acquisition. Funding, ownership, and governance sit entirely within UCL; no venture, private equity, or external ownership is indicated.
The organization functions as a university-embedded non-profit facility rather than a commercial technology venture. There are no patents, no API products, no standalone software revenue, no external funding rounds, and no disclosed partnerships beyond event collaborations. Customer concentration is institutionally total — UCL is both the parent organization and the primary funder of operations.
Institute of Making firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Institute of Making
- Legal name
- Institute of Making
- Website
- https://instituteofmaking.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Institute of Making is a non-profit, multidisciplinary maker space and materials research facility within University College London's Faculty of Engineering, offering free membership, workshops, a Materials Library, and public events to UCL students, staff, and the wider public.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Institute of Making industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Academic Maker Space and Materials Research Facility
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (61161), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Laboratory Apparatus & Furniture (3821)
- 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), Additive Manufacturing Research & Innovation Labs (IMAAAJAA)
Keywords
Where Institute of Making is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Institute of Making business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Membership Services: The Institute offers free membership to UCL staff and students, providing access to workshops, the Materials Library, and making facilities. No direct revenue is generated from membership fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free membership for UCL students and staff |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Institute of Making product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Institute of Making is a multidisciplinary home for exploring, investigating, and celebrating all aspects of materials and processes. It provides free membership access to equipped workshops (hand tools, power tools, 3D printers, laser cutters), a curated Materials Library, and research opportunities for UCL staff and students, alongside public events, open days, and masterclasses for the broader community.
Product overview
Institute of Making is a physical multidisciplinary maker space and materials research facility at UCL (University College London). The organization offers four interconnected offerings: the Materials Library (a physical collection of materials from around the world for study and exploration), Workshops (equipped maker spaces at Bloomsbury and Stratford with tools and equipment for hands-on making), Research (multidisciplinary research projects on materials and processes), and Events (public programming including open days, masterclasses, and the Festival of Stuff). Membership and day-to-day access to the Institute is available to all UCL staff and students. This is a physical facilities and programming organization, not a software or technology product company.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Materials Library A physical and digital collection of materials gathered from labs, repositories, and other sources worldwide, accessible to Institute members for exploration and study.
- Workshops (Bloomsbury and Stratford) Physical maker spaces at Bloomsbury and Stratford equipped with hand tools, power tools, 3D printers, laser cutters, and other fabrication equipment, available to inducted members for hands-on making.
- Research Multidisciplinary research projects exploring materials and making processes, including citizen science initiatives such as LEGO2NANO / OpenAFM.
- Events and Public Programming Free public events including open days, masterclasses, material extravaganzas, Materials Library discovery sessions, and the annual Festival of Stuff for the general public.
Companies that use Institute of Making
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Institute of Making technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Institute of Making partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Institute of Making competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Fab Foundation (Fab Lab Network): The global network coordinating Fab Labs worldwide, including academic Fab Labs. Comparable in mission and toolset (digital fabrication, materials exploration) to the Institute of Making, but operates as an umbrella organization rather than a single site.
- Central Saint Martins (UAL): A constituent college of the University of the Arts London with specialist workshops across art, design and making. Comparable to the Institute of Making in providing hands-on access to fabrication tools within a London educational institution.
- Royal College of Art (RCA): A leading UK arts and design university with extensive workshop facilities and materials-focused teaching. Comparable in offering multidisciplinary making education to a university community, but as a degree-granting institution rather than a focused makerspace.
Direct peers
- London Hackspace: A London-based community hackerspace providing shared workshop facilities, tools and making infrastructure to paying and community members. Closely comparable to the Institute of Making's workshop offering and member-driven ethos, though operating on a fee-based, non-university model.
- Makespace Cambridge: A community-led makerspace in Cambridge offering workshop access, tools, and training to members. Operates a similar membership-and-workshop model to the Institute of Making, but is an independent non-profit rather than a university department.
Others
- Science Museum Group: A UK cultural institution curating scientific and material collections with public-facing exhibitions and education programming. Comparable to the Institute of Making's Materials Library curation and public-events mission, but as a museum rather than a working makerspace.
Regional players
- Nottingham Hackspace: A UK community hackerspace offering shared making facilities and tools. Operates a comparable workshop/membership model to the Institute of Making but serves the East Midlands rather than London.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Institute of Making social profiles
Digital presenceInstitute of Making financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Institute of Making leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Institute of Making funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Institute of Making M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Institute of Making
What does Institute of Making do?
The Institute of Making is a multidisciplinary home for exploring, investigating, and celebrating all aspects of materials and processes. It provides free membership access to equipped workshops (hand tools, power tools, 3D printers, laser cutters), a curated Materials Library, and research opportunities for UCL staff and students, alongside public events, open days, and masterclasses for the broader community.
Is Institute of Making a public or private company?
Institute of Making is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Institute of Making founded?
Institute of Making was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Institute of Making based?
Institute of Making is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Institute of Making make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership Services.
Who are Institute of Making's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Fab Foundation (Fab Lab Network), Central Saint Martins (UAL) and Royal College of Art (RCA). Direct peers are London Hackspace and Makespace Cambridge. Science Museum Group is listed as an others. Nottingham Hackspace is listed as a regional player.
Does Institute of Making have an API?
No public API is recorded for Institute of Making.
What industry is Institute of Making in?
Institute of Making's product category is Academic Maker Space and Materials Research Facility. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMADAC, Makerspaces & Fab Labs (Open Build Studios), with a secondary code of EDAEAGAI, Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming). Its NAICS code is 61161 and its SIC code is 8731.