Rutgers Makerspace
Rutgers Makerspace is a university-funded fabrication facility in Piscataway, New Jersey that provides free access to 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC tools, woodworking, electronics, and textiles equipment for Rutgers students, faculty, and staff, with materials sold at cost and reservations managed via Fab-manager.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersPiscataway, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Rutgers Makerspace does
Rutgers Makerspace is a university-operated fabrication facility founded in 2012 and administered under Rutgers University's Division of Continuing Studies, with a primary location on the Livingston Campus in Piscataway, New Jersey and a secondary Honors College location on the College Avenue Campus that is permanently closing at the end of the Fall 2025 semester. The facility provides free equipment access to all current Rutgers students, faculty, and staff, offering a comprehensive suite of digital fabrication and traditional making tools including FDM/SLA/fiber-reinforced 3D printing (Prusa, Bambu Lab, Formlabs, Markforged), CO2 and MOPA fiber laser cutting and engraving, ShopBot and Bantam CNC milling, woodworking, electronics prototyping (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, oscilloscopes, soldering), industrial and embroidery sewing, vinyl/graphic cutting, UV printing, and custom mat cutting. All equipment use requires completion of Safety and Basic Use training courses delivered through the Rutgers Canvas LMS with in-person assessments, and reservations are managed through a Fab-manager booking system with a 3-hour-per-day, twice-per-week limit per machine.
The business model is non-commercial in structure: the facility is funded institutionally by Rutgers, with equipment access free of charge and materials sold at cost (PLA at $0.04/gram, plywood sheets starting at $1, acrylic from $2, embroidery bobbins at $2). A small Makerstore on-site sells consumables, and academic departments may open Internal Purchase Order (IPO) accounts for class-related printing and material purchases. Revenue, ARR, or any commercial pricing for external users is not disclosed, and external membership is described as a future program rather than an active offering.
Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: the Makerspace partners with Rutgers student organizations (RU Makers, Solar Car Club, Rocket Propulsion Lab, A's 4 All, RU Thrifty) and academic departments to embed maker activity in coursework, research, and club projects. Outreach runs through Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, the university website, and Canvas, and CMSCE partnership supports youth summer camps, teacher training, and a Graduate Certificate in Maker Education. The facility also provides consulting to organizations building their own makerspaces. Leadership includes Louli Kourkounakis (Manager), Stephen Carter (Director, Rutgers Center for Innovation Education), and Shino John (Associate Vice President of Strategic Growth).
Rutgers Makerspace firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rutgers Makerspace
- Legal name
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
- Website
- https://makerspace.rutgers.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Rutgers Makerspace is a university-funded fabrication facility in Piscataway, New Jersey that provides free access to 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC tools, woodworking, electronics, and textiles equipment for Rutgers students, faculty, and staff, with materials sold at cost and reservations managed via Fab-manager.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rutgers Makerspace industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Fabrication Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Makerspaces & Fab Labs (Open Build Studios) (EDAMADAC), 3D Printing, CAD & Digital Fabrication Programs (EDAMADAH), Science & STEM Lab Equipment & Supplies (Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Makerspaces) (EDAEAIAC)
Keywords
Where Rutgers Makerspace is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Piscataway
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Rutgers Makerspace business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Equipment Access (Core Service): Free equipment use for all Rutgers students, faculty, and staff. Funded by the Division of Continuing Studies as a university resource.
- Material Sales: Sale of consumable materials including 3D printing filament, plywood, acrylic, vinyl, glassware, and framing materials. Users pay per unit or by weight/volume consumed.
- Departmental IPO Accounts: Academic departments can set up IPO (Internal Purchase Order) accounts for material purchases and class-related printing, with monthly invoicing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard 3D Printing Materials |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Vinyl and Graphics Materials |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Laser Cutting Materials |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Textiles Materials |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Rutgers Makerspace product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rutgers Makerspace provides free equipment access and fabrication services to Rutgers University students, faculty, and staff through a physical facility housing 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC mills, woodworking tools, electronics workbenches, textiles/sewing equipment, vinyl cutters, and framing tools. Revenue is generated through at-cost material sales and departmental purchase accounts. Mandatory Safety and Basic Use training (delivered via Canvas LMS) gates access, and reservations for high-demand equipment are managed through the Fab-manager booking system.
Product overview
Rutgers Makerspace is a collaborative university makerspace offering a unified set of fabrication services and training programs for Rutgers students, faculty, and staff. The core offering consists of fee-for-materials services including 3D Printing (FDM, SLA, Markforged fiber composites), Laser Cutting & Engraving (CO2 and MOPA fiber), Wood Shop (manual and CNC tools), Textiles (sewing and embroidery), CNC Milling, Electronics, Framing, and Graphic Cutters. Access to equipment requires completing Safety & Basic Use training courses delivered via Canvas LMS with in-person assessments. The facility also supports curriculum integration, student clubs, research projects, and hosts workshops/camps through CMSCE partnership. Machine reservations are managed through Fab-manager, with usage limits to ensure equitable access.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 3D Printing Services
- Laser Cutting & Engraving
- Wood Shop
- Textiles
- CNC Milling
- Electronics
- Framing
- Graphic Cutters
- Machine Reservations
- Safety & Basic Use Training
- Workshops & Camps Programs
- Research & Academic Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Free equipment access for all Rutgers students, faculty, and staff
Companies that use Rutgers Makerspace
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Rutgers Makerspace technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Rutgers Makerspace partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Division of Continuing StudiescoreParent division of Rutgers University that funds and oversees the Makerspace. Provides institutional support and resources.
- CMSCE Youth Summer CampscoreCollaborative partnership offering maker-focused summer camps for youth. Rutgers Makerspace provides equipment and expertise for the program.
- Rutgers Honors CollegecoreHosts a secondary Makerspace location in the Honors College building on College Avenue Campus, offering embroidery, vinyl cutting, 3D printing, and laser services to Honors College students.
- RU MakerscoreStudent-run organization operating alongside the Rutgers Makerspace, hosting weekly events to teach students how to use equipment. Meets like-minded people with different skill-sets and backgrounds.
- Solar Car ClubcoreStudent-led engineering team competing in American Solar Challenge, using Makerspace equipment for building solar vehicles.
- Rocket Propulsion Lab (Rutgers RPL)coreAIAA student team designing and manufacturing rockets in central New Jersey, using Makerspace for fabrication.
- A's 4 AllcoreStudent-led team modifying toys and ride-on cars to make them accessible for kids with disabilities, using Makerspace equipment.
- RU ThriftyminorSustainability club hosting pop-up thrift stores, working with other Rutgers sustainability clubs.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Rutgers Makerspace competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MIT Media Lab: University-based fabrication and prototyping facility embedded in MIT, supporting research, coursework, and student projects. Comparable as a university-backed makerspace ecosystem with multi-disciplinary access.
- Artisan's Asylum: Large community makerspace in Somerville, MA offering 3D printing, laser cutting, woodworking, electronics, textiles, and a paid membership model. Comparable service portfolio but with a paid external-membership GTM rather than free university access.
- Cornell Maker Club / Cornell Lab Spaces: Cornell operates multiple maker-leaning labs supporting student projects, fabrication, and prototyping. Comparable university makerspace footprint with similar equipment and free-access model.
- Stanford Product Realization Lab: Stanford's hands-on makerspace providing 3D printing, CNC, woodworking, and laser cutting to students, faculty, and startups. Same service mix and educational mission as Rutgers Makerspace.
- FUBAR Labs: New Jersey-based community maker organization explicitly listed as an affiliate of Rutgers Makerspace. Comparable as a local maker community with overlapping equipment and culture.
- Carnegie Mellon Maker Spaces: Carnegie Mellon's distributed maker spaces across campus provide fabrication and digital tools to students and faculty. Comparable in mission and breadth of services to Rutgers Makerspace.
- Georgia Tech Invention Studio: Student-run university makerspace at Georgia Tech offering 3D printing, laser cutting, woodworking, and electronics to its campus community. Closest analog to Rutgers Makerspace in mission, equipment breadth, and free-to-students model.
Broad incumbents
- Shapeways: Large-scale on-demand 3D printing service bureau offering online ordering across many materials and technologies. Comparable as a 3D printing service provider, but operates at industrial scale rather than as an academic makerspace.
- Xometry: Global on-demand manufacturing marketplace (3D printing, CNC, sheet metal, injection molding). Comparable as a service provider for 3D printing and CNC, but commercial scale rather than university-facing.
Others
- MakerBot (Stratasys): Major brand of desktop 3D printers widely deployed in educational makerspaces including university settings. Comparable makerspace equipment vendor and ecosystem partner, though not a direct service competitor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Rutgers Makerspace social profiles
Digital presenceRutgers Makerspace financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rutgers Makerspace leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Rutgers Makerspace funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rutgers Makerspace 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 Rutgers Makerspace
What does Rutgers Makerspace do?
Rutgers Makerspace provides free equipment access and fabrication services to Rutgers University students, faculty, and staff through a physical facility housing 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC mills, woodworking tools, electronics workbenches, textiles/sewing equipment, vinyl cutters, and framing tools. Revenue is generated through at-cost material sales and departmental purchase accounts. Mandatory Safety and Basic Use training (delivered via Canvas LMS) gates access, and reservations for high-demand equipment are managed through the Fab-manager booking system.
Is Rutgers Makerspace a public or private company?
Rutgers Makerspace is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Rutgers Makerspace founded?
Rutgers Makerspace was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Rutgers Makerspace based?
Rutgers Makerspace is headquartered in Piscataway, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rutgers Makerspace make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Equipment Access (Core Service) is the primary driver. The others are material Sales and departmental IPO Accounts.
Who are Rutgers Makerspace's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MIT Media Lab, Artisan's Asylum, Cornell Maker Club / Cornell Lab Spaces, Stanford Product Realization Lab, FUBAR Labs, Carnegie Mellon Maker Spaces and Georgia Tech Invention Studio. Broad incumbents are Shapeways and Xometry. MakerBot (Stratasys) is listed as an others.
Does Rutgers Makerspace have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rutgers Makerspace.
What industry is Rutgers Makerspace in?
Rutgers Makerspace's product category is Digital Fabrication Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEAGAI, Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming), with a secondary code of EDAMADAC, Makerspaces & Fab Labs (Open Build Studios).