maakleerplek

What maakleerplek does

maakleerplek is a community maker space and non-profit project located at the historic Molens van Orshoven site along the Vaartkom in Leuven, Belgium. Founded in 2020 and facilitated by the City of Leuven (Stad Leuven) and project developer Ertzberg as an ESF (European Social Fund) pioneer project within the Flemish transition space 'living, learning and working in 2050', it operates a portfolio of specialized labs and shared spaces serving the Leuven community. These include the High Tech Lab (laser cutting, 3D printing, CNC machining, electronics), Grafisch Lab (RISO printing, screen printing, etching press, cyanotype, analog photography), TextielLab (sustainable textile work and repair), Elektro Herstel Hub (small appliance repair), Textiel Herstel Hub (textile repair by people distant from the labor market), Cowork Plek (coworking space), GEREEDSCHAPPENBIB tool library (~300 tools), New Media Lab (video, podcast, VR), Cas-co operated artist studios, and the HONKantine canteen. The High Tech Lab is 99% volunteer-run, with only 5 paid employees across the broader organization.

The business model blends earned revenue from granular, usage-based fees with public funding. Earned streams include pay-per-use machine time (EUR 0.50/min lasercutter, EUR 0.10/g 3D printing, EUR 0.50/min vinyl cutting), workshops and summer camps (EUR 30-40/session), coworking and studio rental (EUR 10-100/day tiered by non-profit vs. private), tool library membership (EUR 45/year), repair services (suggested EUR 25/device or EUR 7-35 textile repair), and canteen/summer bar food and beverage sales. Public and grant funding sources include Stad Leuven municipal support, ESF pioneer project funding, and Nationale Loterij grants. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on social media (Instagram, Facebook, X), a monthly newsletter, school outreach, and recurring public events (maakleerfest, Makersmarkt, Erfgoeddagen, Herbestemmingsdag, Zomerbar summer bar, Young Maker Days) to attract participants.

Customer segments span the Leuven community, including individual makers and youth (Young Maker Lab for ages 11-14), artists and creative professionals, schools (e.g., Sint-Pieterscollege heritage education projects), entrepreneurs and freelancers using Cowork Plek, and inclusion-focused programs for people with disabilities (HONK canteen, Brake-Out/Konekt 3-year learning program). Distribution is exclusively physical and local to the Leuven region, with all services accessed on-site at the Vaartkom location, supplemented by textile repair drop-off points and the Repair Connects online platform for electronic repair appointments. The organization operates without venture capital, private equity, or public listing, and is not a candidate for traditional PE/VC investment given its non-profit, government-facilitated structure.

Name

maakleerplek

Legal name

Stad Leuven

Website

https://maakleerplek.be

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

maakleerplek is a community maker space in Leuven, Belgium, operating specialized labs (digital fabrication, graphic arts, textile, repair), coworking, artist studios, and a canteen at the historic Molens van Orshoven site, serving local makers, youth, artists, schools, entrepreneurs, and disability-inclusion programs under municipal and ESF funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Maker Space

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Community maker space
• Repair services
• Creative workshops
• Tool lending
• Shared workspace

Headquarters

HQ city

Leuven

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Machine Usage Fees: Pay-per-use fees for lasercutter (EUR 0.50/min), 3D printing (EUR 0.10/g), vinyl cutting (EUR 0.50/min), and CNC machining (price on request).
2. Workshop and Course Fees: Fees for initiaties (EUR 35/session), masterclasses (price varies), summer camps (EUR 40/day), and specialized workshops (EUR 30).
3. Coworking Space Rental: Daily or fixed desk rentals in the former director's building of Molens van Orshoven, with meeting room reservations available.
4. Canteen and Summer Bar Revenue: Food and beverage sales through HONKantine (Wednesday meals) and seasonal summer bar operations.
5. Repair Services: Repair hub services with suggested contribution of EUR 25/device and textile repairs priced between EUR 7-35.
6. Tool Library Membership: Annual membership of EUR 45/year for access to approximately 300 tools through Gereedschappenbib.
7. Space and Professional Services Rental: Grafisch Lab rental (EUR 100-50/day or EUR 20-10/hour), professional guidance (EUR 60-30/hour), custom workshops (EUR 350), with reduced rates for artists and non-profits.
8. Municipal and ESF Funding: Funded by city of Leuven and project developer Ertzberg as an ESF pioneer project within the Flemish transition space 'living, learning and working in 2050'.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

maakleerplek is a community maker space at the historic Molens van Orshoven site in Leuven that provides shared access to digital fabrication equipment (laser cutting, 3D printing, CNC machining), traditional craft facilities (textile, printmaking, photography), and repair services. It operates multiple specialized labs (High Tech Lab, Grafisch Lab, TextielLab) alongside repair hubs, a tool lending library, coworking space, and a community canteen, all offered on usage-based or subscription terms. The facility is facilitated by the City of Leuven and project developer Ertzberg as an ESF pioneer project.

Product overview

maakleerplek is a physical makerspace and community center in Leuven, Belgium, consisting of multiple specialized labs and shared spaces operated collaboratively. The core offering is a network of maker spaces including High Tech Lab (3D printing, laser cutting, CNC, electronics), Grafisch Lab (printmaking, riso, screen printing), TextielLab (sustainable textile work), and various repair hubs (Textiel Herstel Hub, Elektro Herstel Hub). Additional spaces include Cowork plek for flexible workspace, Studios for artistic residencies, New Media Lab for media literacy, GEREEDSCHAPPENBIB for tool lending, and Kantine as a social meeting point. The ecosystem also includes special initiatives like Leuven River Upcycling and educational programs like Young Maker Lab and Open Lab sessions. maakleerplek is facilitated by the city of Leuven and project developer Ertzberg, functioning as an ESF pioneer project.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Leuvens Leerecosysteem (Europa WSE): Leuven Learning Ecosystem, an ESF transition project at maakleerplek
• HONKantine
• High Tech Lab
• Grafisch Lab
• TextielLab
• Herstel Hub Elektro
• Cowork Plek
• New Media Lab

Products and services

• High Tech Lab An open and inclusive makerspace within maakleerplek providing access to advanced manufacturing equipment including a MetaQuip 100W CO2 laser cutter, FDM 3D printers (PLA and PETG), CNC MEKANIKA and STEPCRAFT machines, electronics, and microscopes. Operated by 99% volunteers with Open Lab sessions on Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons.
• Grafisch Lab An informal meeting and knowledge space focused on photo-graphics, run by artists and volunteers. Offers two RISO printers (red, blue, emerald green, black), screen printing table, UV exposure unit, etching press, A3 proof press, darkroom, enlargers, photo studio, cyanotype, and analog photography initiaties (EUR 35/session) and summer camps (EUR 40/day for ages 8-13).
• TextielLab A textile workshop space where everyone is welcome to work with textiles in a sustainable way, featuring reused materials and machines, workshops on textile repair, and clothing exchange activities.
• Textiel Herstel Hub A textile repair service hub where repairs are carried out by people with talent but distance from the labor market, with pickup points throughout the city. Repair prices range from EUR 7 to EUR 35 per item.
• Elektro Herstel Hub A weekly repair service for small household appliances, audio equipment, and tools where experienced repairers attempt to fix items within an hour. Suggested contribution of EUR 25 per device with free advice on repair options; bookings through Repair Connects.
• GEREEDSCHAPPENBIB (Tool Library) A tool lending library operated by MAAKbar where members can borrow approximately 300 different types of tools for DIY and home improvement projects. Annual membership costs EUR 45 and allows reservation of up to 5 tools per week through the online catalog at maakbar.myturn.com/library, with open hours on Thursday and Saturday.
• Cowork Plek A coworking space in the former residential and director's building of Molens van Orshoven offering daily or fixed desk rentals with meeting room reservations. Tenants include C3000, Maakbaar Leuven, Kijkcoaching, Quppa, Studio D, Leuven Voor Ondernemers, and Samen Onderwijs Maken.
• Kantine (HONKantine) The community meeting place and eat-cafe of maakleerplek where learning, making, and tasting come together. Wednesday meals are prepared and served by HONK young adults with disabilities through HONKantine; seasonal summer bar operations run Thursday through Sunday in the inner courtyard.
• Studios Art studios including container-based artist residencies organized by Cas-co, an Open Atelier for creative projects, and spaces for artistic practice.
• New Media Lab A media literacy hotspot offering workshops and equipment for video, photo, podcast, graphic work, music production, and virtual reality, with attention to societal vulnerability in media. Initiative of Link in De Kabel and Artforum/Urban Woorden.
• Deelplek Ateliers Three ateliers provided to starting visual artists aligned with maakleerplek's story, in close collaboration with Cas-co's atelier and residency program.
• Young Maker Lab An educational program for young people aged 11-14 to explore technology curiosity, working on their own projects under volunteer supervision during Wednesday and Sunday sessions at the High Tech Lab.

Quantifiable outcome

• Prevents 55 million unused electronic devices in Belgium from becoming waste through repair services
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

33 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Vlaams Minister Wouter BekeminorOthers · 17 March 2022Flemish Minister of Welfare, Public Health, Family and Poverty Reduction visited Brake-Out program to observe strength-based approach for people with disabilities.
• Vlaams Minister Benjamin DalleminorOthers · 17 March 2022Flemish Minister of Brussels, Youth and Media visited Brake-Out program to understand impact of disability inclusion programs.
• KSKCL (Kayak Club Leuven)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 October 2021Leuven kayak club participating in Leuven River Upcycling project, collecting waste from Dijle and Vaart waterways.
• DijlejuttersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 October 2021Initiated Leuven River Upcycling in 2018, organizing regular cleanup actions on the Dijle river.
• JCI LeuvenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 October 2021Young entrepreneurs association providing kayaks for river cleanup activities in exchange for waste collection.
• Leuven 2030minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 October 2021Climate initiative supporting circular economy projects and sustainable city development aligned with Leuven 2030 goals.
• High Tech Lab (Leuven River Upcycling)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 October 2021Transforms collected plastic waste into raw materials for new products like sticks, pallets, and paddles for Leuven sports clubs.
• LE(J)ONminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 October 2021Leuven entrepreneurs organization organizing the Upcycling River Challenge that processes river waste into new products.
• Stad Leuven (City of Leuven)coreOthersPrimary facilitator and co-founder of maakleerplek. Provides municipal support, legitimacy, and alignment with city sustainability goals including Leuven 2030 climate initiatives.
• ErtzbergcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject developer that partnered with the city to establish maakleerplek at the Molens van Orshoven heritage site, repurposing the historic industrial complex.
• High Tech Lab VolunteerscoreOthersVolunteer-run component of maakleerplek with 99% volunteer staff providing technical expertise and lab supervision during Open Labs.
• HONKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResidential initiative for 13 young adults with disabilities operating HONKantine in the Kantine every Wednesday, providing job training and social inclusion.
• Cas-co vzwcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtelier and residency organization managing artist studios in the silos, organizing artistic residencies with production budgets, and collaborating on Grafisch Lab masterclasses.
• Konekt vzw (Brake-Out)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting people with disabilities runs Brake-Out 3-year learning program at maakleerplek twice weekly, helping young adults (18-30) discover talents.
• MAAKbarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManages the Gereedschappenbib tool library offering 300+ tools for annual membership, with open hours on Thursday and Saturday.
• Link in De KabelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia education organization co-founding New Media Lab for media literacy, video, photo, podcast, graphic work, music production, and VR workshops.
• Artforum/Urban WoordencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural organization partnering with Link in De Kabel on New Media Lab initiatives.
• Alvinnenberg vzwcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization for adults with intellectual or multiple disabilities, cooking together with Foodatelier César on Thursdays for social inclusion and skill development.
• Foodatelier CésarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMeal prep service preparing fresh soup and school meals on maakleerplek, using cooking as a low-threshold way to connect people.
• Vlaamse Waterweg and VMMminorOthersFlemish waterway authority and environmental agency coordinating with river cleanup initiatives.
• Peddelsport Vlaanderen and Sport VlaanderenminorOthersWater sports and sports federations supporting and coordinating kayak cleanup activities.
• b00t vzwminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYoung architects collaborated with Sint-Pieterscollege students on designing and building an educational igloo in the silos.
• C3000minorOthersCircular economy hub sharing coworking space at maakleerplek.
• Maakbaar LeuvenminorOthersLocal circular economy organization sharing coworking space.
• KijkcoachingminorOthersOrganization sharing coworking space.
• QuppaminorOthersOrganization sharing coworking space.
• Studio DminorOthersOrganization sharing coworking space.
• Leuven Voor OndernemersminorOthersLeuven entrepreneurs organization sharing coworking space.
• Samen Onderwijs Maken (SOM)minorOthersEducation initiative sharing coworking space.
• Honk vzwminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceives and sorts kayak cleanup participants at maakleerplek, facilitating the upcycling process.
• ArktosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth organization receiving kayak cleanup participants and supporting river upcycling activities.
• COREminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Leuven River Upcycling project.
• Reisburo RoulotminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Leuven River Upcycling project.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Repair Café International: Netherlands-originated global network coordinating local Repair Cafés. Directly comparable to maakleerplek's Herstel Hubs (textile and electronics), with similar circular-economy, volunteer-driven, donation-supported model but a much broader geographic and operational footprint.
• Fab Foundation: MIT-affiliated non-profit that licenses and supports the global Fab Lab network. Operates as a network umbrella for community fab labs, comparable to maakleerplek's High Tech Lab model, but functions as an enabling organization rather than a single site.

Others

• iFixit: US-based global repair community and knowledge platform providing free repair manuals. Adjacent to maakleerplek's Elektro Herstel Hub — both serve the right-to-repair ecosystem, but iFixit is digital-only whereas maakleerplek combines physical repair services.

Regional players

• iMAL (Interactive Media Art Laboratory): Brussels-based arts laboratory focused on creative technology, media arts, and maker/digital fabrication. Comparable emphasis on combining digital fabrication with art practice and educational programming, despite being in a different city.
• Atelier LUMA: Arles (France)-based bioregion and circular materials laboratory focused on textile/material upcycling and regenerative design. Comparable textile and circular-economy focus with maakleerplek's TextielLab and Leuven River Upcycling programs.
• Timelab: Belgian community production house for contemporary art, design, and technology located in Ghent. Comparable model: shared tools, maker activities, and programs for creative professionals with social innovation orientation, but in a different Flemish city.
• Z33 House for Contemporary Art: Hasselt-based Flemish contemporary art institution with artist residencies, exhibitions, and craft/design programming. Comparable artist-residency and design-craft focus like maakleerplek's Deelplek Ateliers and Grafisch Lab programming.
• FabLab Genk: Belgian Fab Lab in Genk providing community access to digital fabrication tools (lasercutting, 3D printing, CNC). Directly comparable Fab-Lab-style infrastructure and open access mission but located in a different municipality.

Emerging players

• The Restart Project: UK-based non-profit organizing community repair events for electronics and household items. Strong overlap with maakleerplek's Elektro Herstel Hub in mission and approach, though it operates as event-based rather than permanent location based.
• Waag Futurelab: Amsterdam-based research lab combining maker/technology activity with social innovation, public engagement, and inclusion themes. Highly comparable mix of fabrication, social programs, and European policy alignment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Maakleerplek
• Instagraminstagram.com/maakleerplekvzw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maakleerplek

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries10 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 maakleerplek