VIVA Lab
VIVA Lab is a non-profit Fab Lab in Porto, Portugal (Tinker City Associação, founded 2018) that provides public access to digital fabrication tools, sustainability education through Precious Plastic, and maker-focused programs for schools, municipalities, NGOs, and youth across Portugal and Europe.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersSão Martinho Do Porto, Portugal
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What VIVA Lab does
VIVA Lab is a non-profit Fab Lab (digital fabrication laboratory) headquartered in Porto, Portugal, operating under the legal entity Tinker City Associação (association number 514383798). Founded in 2018, it is one of approximately 2,000 labs in the worldwide Fab Lab network and provides open public access to manual and digital fabrication tools including laser cutters, 3D printers, CNC machines, Precious Plastic recycling equipment (shredder, extruder, injector, sheet press), and self-built BioMaker Lab apparatus (laminar flow chamber, incubator, magnetic stirrer, autoclave). The lab combines pedagogical expertise with product design and prototyping, targeting educational institutions, municipal governments, children and youth (ages 5-17), artists and makers, healthcare organizations, and NGOs/social enterprises. Branded sub-programs include Fab Lab, Education Programs, Design Services, Precious Plastic, Shop, FABcONNECTHER (Erasmus+ gender-in-STEAM project), SheMakes, Bio Maker Lab, Future Makers, Plastic Play, Repair Café, and Laboratório VIVA at School, with a flagship prototype being the P.E.T Mini E-Skate (world's first recycled electric skateboard, recognized by Core77 Design Awards).
Revenue is generated through a mix of consultancy services, sale of custom-made goods (recycled plastic items, sensory tables, design objects), training and workshop facilitation, and project-based partnerships funded by Erasmus+, municipal contracts (Porto City Hall, LIPOR, Ovar, Matosinhos), and NGOs (Aga Khan Foundation, Business as Nature). The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, leveraging Maker Faire Porto 2026, Dutch Design Week, and direct outreach to schools and municipalities. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with contracts structured as multi-year engagements and per-project scoping. The organization has received multiple regional awards including the Manuel António da Mota Award (2022) and Ricardo Jorge Merit Distinction (2024), and reports impact metrics of 5,300+ future innovators reached since 2018, 140 teachers/technicians trained, 2 tonnes of plastic recycled by 2024, and 14 recycling centers established with partner machinery.
VIVA Lab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- VIVA Lab
- Legal name
- Tinker City Associação
- Website
- https://vivalabporto.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- VIVA Lab is a non-profit Fab Lab in Porto, Portugal (Tinker City Associação, founded 2018) that provides public access to digital fabrication tools, sustainability education through Precious Plastic, and maker-focused programs for schools, municipalities, NGOs, and youth across Portugal and Europe.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
VIVA Lab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Fabrication Services
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- 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), Additive Manufacturing Research & Innovation Labs (IMAAAJAA)
Keywords
Where VIVA Lab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- São Martinho Do Porto
- HQ country
- Portugal
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
VIVA Lab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Consultancy Services: Professional consultancy services including design, product development, and technical advisory. The provider engages to carry out consultancy services as agreed and perform all required services to produce deliverables.
- Goods Sales: Sale of custom-made physical products including recycled plastic items, design objects, sensory tables for special needs organizations, and custom fabrications. Orders are deemed offers by clients to purchase goods pursuant to the terms of service.
- Training Services: Educational and training sessions delivered to schools, municipalities, and community groups. Training covers digital fabrication tools, Precious Plastic machines, and maker education methodologies.
- Workshop Facilitation: Hands-on workshop delivery including Plastic Play workshops, Future Makers summer camps, school visits, and specialized maker education sessions for children and youth organizations.
- Project Partnerships: European project funding through Erasmus+ (FabConnectHer), Aga Khan Foundation collaborations, and municipal partnerships for sustainability initiatives.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom Consultancy Services |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
VIVA Lab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VIVA Lab operates an open-access Fab Lab in Porto providing digital fabrication services (laser cutting, 3D printing, CNC machining) combined with maker education programs, hands-on workshops, and sustainability initiatives through Precious Plastic plastic-recycling machines. The lab serves schools, municipalities, NGOs, and individual makers with consultancy, training, custom product design, and recurring program offerings such as Laboratório VIVA at School, Future Makers summer camps, and Plastic Play workshops.
Product overview
VIVA Lab operates as a single-location Fab Lab (digital fabrication laboratory) offering a unified portfolio of maker-focused services rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering centers on Fab Lab access combining manual and digital fabrication tools with pedagogical expertise. This core is supplemented by five integrated service lines: Education Programs (workshops and teacher training), Design Services (product development), Precious Plastic (sustainability through plastic recycling machines and education), and a Shop. Key branded initiatives include FABcONNECTHER and SheMakes (STEAM/gender equality), Bio Maker Lab (community biology), Future Makers (children's summer camps), and Plastic Play (sustainability education). The space also runs Repair Café and school-based programs. All offerings share the common thread of democratizing access to making and innovation through digital fabrication technologies, maker culture, and design thinking methodologies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Fab Lab: Digital fabrication laboratory offering manual and digital tools for developing and materializing ideas, part of the worldwide Fab Lab network.
- BioMaker Lab
- Future Makers
- Precious Plastic Porto
- Plastic Play
- FabConnectHer
- Laboratório VIVA at School
Products and services
- Fab Lab Digital Fabrication Access Open-access digital fabrication laboratory providing access to manual and digital tools (laser cutting, 3D printing, CNC machining) for individuals, schools, and organizations to develop and materialize ideas. Operates as part of the Fab Lab worldwide network.
- Education Programs Pedagogical programs combining maker culture with technological tools, including workshops, teacher training, and maker education for various age groups. Designed for schools, universities, and community groups.
- Design Services Product design and development consultancy services leveraging digital fabrication technologies and maker methodologies for clients needing prototypes, custom objects, and product development support.
- Precious Plastic Sustainability Initiative Sustainability initiative featuring Dave Hakkens' Precious Plastic recycling machines adapted for local projects (shredder, extruder, injector, sheet press), combined with education on plastic reuse and circular economy principles. Enables plastic recycling and production of recycled plastic products.
- Future Makers Summer Camps Summer camps program empowering children to become future digital social innovators through hands-on maker education projects, digital fabrication tools, and creative making activities.
- Plastic Play Workshops Sustainability education workshop for children using Precious Plastic machines to teach product life cycle and circular economy concepts through hands-on plastic recycling activities. Reached 10 schools during 2-year pilot.
- Repair Café Community initiative where experts and enthusiasts come together to repair damaged items instead of discarding them, promoting circular economy and sustainability.
- Laboratório VIVA at School School-based creative activity program where students develop projects with support of tools, 3D printing, microcontrollers, programming, and Lego robotics. Delivered on-site at partner schools throughout the year, including team projects and end-of-year challenges.
- Bio Maker Lab Community biology and science Maker Lab dedicated to making science accessible and inclusive, featuring custom-built equipment including laminar flow chambers, incubators, magnetic stirrers, and autoclaves.
- VIVA Lab Shop Physical and digital shop selling custom-made products created at the Fab Lab, including recycled plastic items, design objects, and maker kits.
Quantifiable outcome
- Recycled 2 tonnes of plastic and trained 80+ people on Precious Plastic machines by 2024
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use VIVA Lab
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
VIVA Lab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
VIVA Lab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- FabConnectHer ConsortiumcoreErasmus+ funded European project to bridge the gender gap in STEAM fields. VIVA Lab is a partner alongside organizations from multiple European countries. The first transnational meeting was held in Leeuwarden, Netherlands in November-December 2023.
- LIPORcoreLIPOR is the waste management association for the Porto region. VIVA Lab collaborates with LIPOR on Precious Plastic initiatives, EWWR Awards design, and various sustainability projects. This is a key municipal partnership for plastic recycling and environmental education.
- Precious PlasticcoreGlobal open-source plastic recycling initiative founded by Dave Hakkens. VIVA Lab is a certified Precious Plastic workspace, using their machine designs and methodologies. They collaborate on sharing knowledge about plastic reuse and have participated in Dutch Design Week with the Precious Plastic team.
- Porto City Hall (Câmara Municipal do Porto)corePrimary municipal partner for various civic projects including Eco Centro Prelada signage, Eco Agenda production, climate pact commitments, and urban sustainability initiatives. Porto City Hall Vice President Filipe Araujo has publicly praised VIVA Lab's contributions.
- Fab Lab BarcelonacorePart of the Fab Lab network, collaborating on best practices, knowledge sharing, and maker culture development within the global Fab Lab community.
- Fab FoundationcoreNon-profit organization that supports and connects Fab Labs globally. VIVA Lab participates in the Fab Lab network under Fab Foundation's coordination.
- Aga Khan FoundationminorInternational development organization. VIVA Lab collaborated on a Sustainable Design Sprint with Aga Khan Foundation and SDM+Ação in Serra de Minas Market, Sintra, Portugal.
- Distributed Design Market PlatformminorEuropean platform promoting distributed and open-source design. VIVA Lab is a candidate for Distributed Design Awards recognizing innovative distributed manufacturing approaches.
- Business as NatureminorOrganization supporting sustainable development. Partnered with VIVA Lab on the 'Fishing the Plastic' project in Ovar, developing sustainable laboratories with Precious Plastic equipment.
- MOVEUminorBarcelona-based organization promoting European and international educational mobility projects. Organized teacher visits to VIVA Lab through Erasmus+ program.
- ScaleUp PortominorPorto innovation acceleration program. VIVA Lab was selected among seven innovative projects in the 2020 ScaleUp Porto call.
- Ecsite European NetworkminorEuropean network of science centres and museums. VIVA Lab collaborates on science communication and public engagement initiatives.
- Porto Municipality Climate PactcoreVIVA Lab is a partner company of the Porto Climate Pact, contributing to local climate action initiatives and sustainability goals.
- Escola ÁrvoreminorEducational institution network in Portugal. VIVA Lab collaborates on educational projects and maker education initiatives.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
VIVA Lab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
VIVA Lab social profiles
Digital presenceVIVA Lab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
VIVA Lab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
VIVA Lab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
VIVA Lab 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 VIVA Lab
What does VIVA Lab do?
VIVA Lab operates an open-access Fab Lab in Porto providing digital fabrication services (laser cutting, 3D printing, CNC machining) combined with maker education programs, hands-on workshops, and sustainability initiatives through Precious Plastic plastic-recycling machines. The lab serves schools, municipalities, NGOs, and individual makers with consultancy, training, custom product design, and recurring program offerings such as Laboratório VIVA at School, Future Makers summer camps, and Plastic Play workshops.
Is VIVA Lab a public or private company?
VIVA Lab is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was VIVA Lab founded?
VIVA Lab was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is VIVA Lab based?
VIVA Lab is headquartered in São Martinho Do Porto, Portugal, in the Europe region.
How does VIVA Lab make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Consultancy Services are the primary driver. The others are goods Sales, training Services, workshop Facilitation and project Partnerships.
Does VIVA Lab have an API?
No public API is recorded for VIVA Lab.
What industry is VIVA Lab in?
VIVA Lab'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). Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 8731.