Onlfait

What Onlfait does

Onl'fait is a Swiss non-profit association (Association Onl'fait, IDE CHE-433.691.453) founded in 2016 and registered in the Geneva Commercial Register in 2018. It operates a Fab Lab located in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, co-located with ForPro, providing community access to digital fabrication equipment including laser cutters, FDM and SLA 3D printers, CNC machines, vinyl cutters, electronics workbenches, and traditional tools for sewing and woodworking. The association is affiliated with the global Fab Lab Network and serves individual makers, vocational learners (ForPro Youth, career changers, unemployed retraining participants), corporate team-building clients, and institutional partners across public, academic, and civil-society sectors.

The association's technology stack combines physical fabrication hardware with light digital infrastructure: the FabManager self-serve booking platform for machine reservations, a public Wiki and GitHub repository for open-source documentation of all projects, and standard web/e-commerce tooling. Business model revenue is diversified across four streams: annual memberships at 80 CHF/year, pay-per-use machine access requiring mandatory training, customized workshops for individuals and corporate team-building, and commissioned fabrication mandates (prototypes and small-batch production). A direct e-commerce boutique selling custom-made objects priced CHF 9-150 was added in 2025.

Go-to-market is community-led, relying on walk-in traffic, word-of-mouth, social media, and a partner ecosystem of more than 50 actors including Ville de Genève, République et canton de Genève, Infomaniak, Université de Genève, Impact Hub Geneva, HES-SO Genève, IPAC Design Genève, and Post Tenebras Lab. The association is engaged in five European Commission-funded collaborative research projects (LEVERS, TRACKS4CRAFTS, CENTRINNO, SheMakes, Woolshed), which extend its network reach into transnational craft and maker research while Geneva remains the physical site of operations.

Name

Onlfait

Legal name

Association Onl'fait

Website

https://onlfait.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Onl'fait is a Swiss non-profit Fab Lab in Geneva operating since 2016, providing access to digital fabrication equipment, training, workshops, and custom fabrication services to individual makers, youth in vocational programs, corporate teams, and institutional partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Fabrication Services

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

CNC Machining & Programming (EDAOAGAA), CNC Plasma/Laser Cutting & Automated Fabrication Training (EDAOADAH), Industry-Specific Technical & Certification Prep (e.g., Construction, Manufacturing, Energy) (EDAGANAN)

Keywords

• Digital fabrication
• Fab Lab services
• Maker training
• Custom prototyping
• Workshop programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Plan-les-ouates

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Machine Usage and Training: Pay-per-use access to fabrication machines (laser cutter, 3D printers, CNC, etc.) after completing training courses. Training sessions provide certification for autonomous machine operation.
2. Membership Fees: Annual membership at 80 CHF/year grants access to non-numerical tools and maker spaces for tinkering. Machine training and CNC usage are separate paid services.
3. Workshops and Team Building: Customized workshops for children, adults, and companies (team building) around fabrication, design, social innovation, and sustainability.
4. Fabrication Mandates: Custom fabrication services for designers, artisans, businesses, and individuals. Free quotes provided for prototypes and unique objects.
5. E-commerce Product Sales: Online boutique selling custom-made objects (spoons, calendars, boards, furniture, jewelry) produced in the Fab Lab space. Products are customizable and range from CHF 9 to CHF 150.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Association Onl'fait operates a non-profit Fab Lab in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, providing shared access to digital fabrication machines (3D printers, laser cutters, CNC) for individuals and businesses. It complements machine access with structured training programs, workshops, custom fabrication mandates, a youth-oriented MakerLab ForPro curriculum, professional retraining pathways, and an online boutique selling maker-produced items.

Product overview

Onlfait is a Fab Lab (digital fabrication laboratory) operated as an association in Geneva, Switzerland since 2016. The organization offers a unified maker space combining traditional craftsmanship with digital fabrication technologies. The core offering centers on providing access to machines (laser cutters, 3D printers, CNC mills, vinyl cutters, embroidery machines) combined with training and workshop programs. Key offerings include the MakerLab ForPro youth program, professional retraining courses (4-6 months), custom fabrication services (mandats), and an online boutique selling custom-made items. Projects and documentation are shared via Wiki and GitHub as open-source resources. The FabManager platform handles bookings and reservations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fab Lab Machine Access Membership Recurring membership giving individuals access to the Fab Lab's digital fabrication equipment (3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines) and workshop space, supported by on-site specialists. Intended for makers, hobbyists, designers, and students who want hands-on access to professional-grade machines.
• Training Programs and Workshops Structured courses and hands-on workshops covering 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC machining, electronics, and other fabrication skills, delivered by Onlfait specialists for individuals, groups, and corporate clients.
• MakerLab ForPro (Youth Program) Dedicated youth-oriented curriculum introducing children and teenagers to digital fabrication, design thinking, and making through guided projects on Fab Lab equipment. Designed for schools, youth organizations, and families.
• Professional Retraining Programs Structured retraining pathways aimed at professionals and career changers who want to acquire digital fabrication, prototyping, and maker skills. Delivered as longer-form programs combining workshops, project work, and specialist mentoring.
• Custom Fabrication Mandates Project-based fabrication service where Onlfait specialists design, prototype, or produce parts on behalf of clients (designers, SMEs, startups, R&D teams) using the Fab Lab's equipment and expertise.
• Corporate Team-Building Workshops Curated group workshops for companies and teams combining digital fabrication activities with team-building outcomes, delivered on-site at the Fab Lab or at client locations.
• Online Boutique (Creator Products) E-commerce boutique offering maker-produced items, kits, and finished products created by Onlfait members and specialists, available for direct online purchase.

Quantifiable outcome

• Diverse fabrication capabilities spanning 15+ machine types and multiple crafts

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ForProcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerForPro is a youth education and professional orientation institution. Onlfait operates the MakerLab within ForPro, supporting young people experiencing school dropout or seeking vocational direction through hands-on fabrication experiences.
• LEVERSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean research project exploring climate justice through technological and social innovation. Onlfait contributes to applied research on technology, society, and sustainability.
• TRACKS4CRAFTSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean project focused on preserving and promoting traditional crafts and skills. Onlfait participates in research activities around artisan practices and craft heritage.
• CENTRINNOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean innovation project addressing urban transformation and creative industries. Onlfait contributes expertise in fabrication and maker culture.
• SheMakesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean initiative promoting women's participation in maker and tech fields. Onlfait supports gender-inclusive fabrication education.
• WoolshedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlpine Space project involving sustainable textile and craft practices. Onlfait participates in documentation and hands-on workshops.
• Fab-managercoreTechnology or IntegrationSoftware platform powering Onlfait's booking system, machine reservations, workshop registrations, and space management. Critical operational infrastructure.
• FondetecminorOthersPartner organization visible in the friends and partners section of Onlfait's About page.
• Ville de GenèveminorOthersCity of Geneva municipal support for Fab Lab operations and maker education programs.
• République et canton de GenèveminorOthersCanton of Geneva government support and recognition for Fab Lab activities.
• Université de GenèveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for research and educational collaboration in science and technology.
• Impact Hub GenevaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem partner in Geneva.
• Post Tenebras LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeneva-based hackerspace and maker community partner.
• HES-SO GenèveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland - Geneva, for academic collaboration.
• Fab Lab NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Fab Lab network affiliated with MIT. Onlfait adheres to Fab Lab charter principles.
• IPAC Design GenèveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign school partnership for educational collaboration.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fab Lab Berlin: Berlin Fab Lab in the same global network as Onlfait, offering comparable digital fabrication training, machine access, community workshops, and educational programs.
• Post Tenebras Lab: Geneva-based hackerspace and an explicit Onlfait partner, operating shared digital fabrication workshops and community programs in the same local ecosystem.
• Fab Lab Barcelona: A node in the global Fab Lab network offering digital fabrication equipment access, machine training, and maker community programs with the same charter-based operating model as Onlfait.
• NYC Resistor: Brooklyn-based community makerspace offering digital fabrication equipment access, training classes, and member workshops analogous to Onlfait's community fab lab model.
• Impact Hub Geneva: Innovation and entrepreneurship community space in Geneva with which Onlfait partners directly, sharing the local ecosystem and operating shared-workspace programs for creators and small organizations.

Regional players

• Artisans FabLab: Lyon-based Fab Lab operating in the broader European network with similar maker education and digital fabrication programming, comparable in mission but serving a different regional market.
• ECAL Fab Lab: Lausanne-based design school Fab Lab in Western Switzerland providing similar digital fabrication services and maker education to a comparable but geographically separate Swiss audience.

Others

• Fab Lab Foundation: MIT-affiliated umbrella organization that charters the global Fab Lab network to which Onlfait belongs, setting the operational standards and program framework Onlfait follows.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/FabLabOnlfait
• GitHubgithub.com/onlfait
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/OnlFait/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/onlfait
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/onlfait
• Instagraminstagram.com/onlfaitgeneve

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 Onlfait