make717

What make717 does

make717, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community makerspace founded on April 20, 2015 and headquartered at 1151 Clark Street, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on the Orange Street campus of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology. The organization operates as Lancaster, PA's first makerspace, providing shared access to capital-intensive fabrication equipment organized into five areas: FabLab (3D printing, electronics, fabric, vacuum forming, vinyl/paper cutting), Machine Shop (Tormach PCNC 770 CNC mill, lathes, Wazer desktop waterjet), Studio (laser cutter), Tech Row (design workstations), and Wood Shop (Laguna band saw, Sawstop cabinet saw, Carvey CNC carver). It serves individual makers, hobbyists, families, students, veterans, library patrons, and youth through structured training, orientations, and project-based workshops.

The organization is 100% volunteer-driven, with operational decisions made by a Planning Team and a Maker-in-Charge program in which members staff operational hours in exchange for membership extensions. Revenue is generated through tiered recurring monthly memberships (Maker at $40, Maker Family at $60 covering up to 4 adults, Academic/Veteran and Bulldog Maker at $25 each, with Social Maker and Mini Maker tiers free via library partnership), paid workshops (including a $500 four-part Tormach Training curriculum, $85-$95 cutting board classes, and equipment orientations ranging from free to $50), and tax-deductible donations.

The go-to-market motion is community-led: distribution relies on word-of-mouth, social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), in-person information sessions and tours, and strategic partnerships with the Library System of Lancaster County (STEM Pass program), Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology (host campus and discounted Bulldog Maker tier), and Lancaster Rec (summer camps). Membership management is run on the Wild Apricot platform, and volunteer scheduling is handled via WhenToWork. Since its 2015 grand opening, make717 has more than doubled its available space and continuously expanded equipment inventory.

Name

make717

Legal name

make717, Inc.

Website

https://make717.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Short description

make717 is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community makerspace in Lancaster, PA, providing shared access to CNC, laser, woodworking, and 3D-printing equipment for individual makers, families, students, veterans, and youth through tiered memberships and paid training workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Makerspace Services

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI)

Keywords

• Community makerspace
• Maker membership
• Fabrication training
• CNC machining
• Woodworking workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Lancaster

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Monthly membership subscriptions at multiple tiers: Maker ($40/month), Maker Family ($60/month), Academic/Veteran Maker ($25/month), Bulldog Maker ($25/month). Social Maker and Mini Maker tiers are free through library partnerships.
2. Workshop Fees: Revenue from paid training workshops including Tormach Training Workshops ($500 total for 4 workshops) and various maker skill workshops with per-class fees.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible cash donations accepted as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

make717 operates a community makerspace in Lancaster, PA providing shared access to professional-grade fabrication equipment across multiple labs (FabLab, Machine Shop, Studio/Laser Cutter, Wood Shop, Tech Row). Members gain access through tiered monthly subscriptions and can enroll in paid training workshops covering CNC machining, woodworking, 3D printing, and robotics.

Product overview

make717 is a nonprofit makerspace (501(c)(3)) that provides community access to shared fabrication equipment and education rather than selling commercial software products. The core offering is a physical makerspace with distinct lab areas including FabLab (3D printing, electronics, fabric, vacuum forming, vinyl cutting), Machine Shop (CNC milling, lathes, waterjet cutting), Studio (laser cutting), Wood Shop (band saws, tablesaws, CNC carving), and Tech Row (design workstations). These are supported by tiered membership programs (Social Maker free via library STEM Pass, Maker at $40/month, Maker Family at $60/month, and discounted Academic/Veteran options at $25/month). The company generates revenue primarily through membership fees and workshop fees rather than product sales. Workshops include Tormach Experience (hands-on demos making parts like soap dishes and dice boxes) and Tormach Training (a comprehensive 4-part $500 curriculum for CNC machining), plus woodworking, 3D printing orientation, robotics, and custom cutting board workshops. The focus is on physical making and skill development rather than digital products or AI-powered solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FabLab A fabrication laboratory providing community members access to 3D printing, electronics work including hydraulic cable lug crimping, fabric services (dye sublimation and sewing/embroidery), vacuum forming, and vinyl/paper cutting equipment.
• Machine Shop Industrial-grade machining area with Tormach PCNC 770 CNC mill, lathes, Wazer Desktop WaterJet, radial drill, metal spin forming lathe, sheet metal tools, and supporting metalworking equipment available to trained members.
• Studio (Laser Cutter) Professional laser cutting system access with associated training modules covering basic, moderate, and advanced operation plus materials guidance.
• Tech Row Design workstations providing computer resources for digital design and prototyping work.
• Wood Shop Woodworking equipment including Laguna 14|BX Bandsaw, Sawstop 10" Professional Cabinet Saw with integrated safety technology, and Carvey 300-watt CNC carving system.
• Maker Membership Programs Tiered membership access to the makerspace including Social Maker (free via library STEM Pass), Mini Maker (free for under-18 with adult supervision), Maker ($40/month with cubby storage), Maker Family ($60/month for up to 4 adults), and Academic/Veteran/Bulldog Maker ($25/month for students, faculty, veterans, and TSCT community).
• Tormach Training Workshops A four-part paid training curriculum ($500 total) for the Tormach PCNC 770 Series 3 CNC mill covering soft jaws, helping hands base, Arduino Uno enclosure, and student thesis projects over approximately 30-40 hours over 6 months.
• Tormach Experience Workshops

Quantifiable outcome

• More than doubled available space since 2015 grand opening

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology (TSCT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2015Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology provides generous sponsorship enabling make717 to operate on their Orange Street campus. This is a cornerstone partnership that provides the physical location for the makerspace, making make717 Lancaster, PA's first makerspace. TSCT also offers a discounted 'Bulldog Maker' membership tier for TSCT staff, students, and alumni.
• Library System of Lancaster CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnique partnership enabling free 'Social Maker' membership through the Library STEM Pass program. Library card holders can check out a STEM Maker Pass from their local public library or bookmobile to access the makerspace during prime time hours. This democratizes access to makerspace tools for the broader community.
• Lancaster RecminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for summer camp programming where Lancaster Rec hosts camps at the make717 makerspace. Access is granted exclusively to camp participants and coaches during scheduled sessions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• NextFab: Philadelphia-based membership makerspace offering access to 3D printers, CNC, laser cutters, woodworking, and electronics, with structured training programs. Closest geographic and operational peer to make717 within Pennsylvania.
• HacDC: Washington, DC community hackerspace/makerspace offering shared fabrication equipment, electronics workstations, and educational events with a volunteer-driven, nonprofit operating model.
• NovaLabs: Reston, VA makerspace offering shared access to 3D printers, laser cutters, woodworking, electronics, and a robust workshop/class schedule with tiered memberships — highly comparable community model.
• Pumping Station: One: Chicago-based community-run makerspace with similar equipment breadth (CNC, laser, wood, electronics), tiered memberships, and volunteer-driven operations — a strong operational benchmark for make717.
• ADX Portland: Portland, OR membership-based fabrication and prototyping workshop offering woodworking, metalworking, and digital fabrication equipment with structured training and tiered access — comparable service offering.
• NYC Resistor: Member-supported hackerspace/makerspace in Brooklyn offering 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC, electronics, and crafts alongside workshops — a long-running community nonprofit analog to make717's model.
• All Hands Active: Ann Arbor, MI member-supported makerspace offering fabrication, electronics, woodworking, and textile equipment with volunteer-led operations and community education programming.
• Artisan's Asylum: Large community makerspace in Somerville, MA providing shared access to fabrication equipment, studios, and workshops across similar domains (wood, metal, electronics, textiles), with tiered memberships and educational programming.
• SparkMacon Maker Space: Macon, GA community makerspace with shared equipment (3D printing, laser, CNC, woodworking), tiered memberships, and STEM/youth programming — analogous mid-sized-city nonprofit model.

Others

• Fab Foundation: Nonprofit that coordinates the global Fab Lab network and supports the establishment of community fabrication labs. Relevant as an ecosystem enabler rather than a direct operator; useful for understanding the broader Fab Lab category make717 sits within.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/make717pa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@make717pa
• Facebookfacebook.com/make717pa
• Instagraminstagram.com/make717pa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/make717-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 make717