What the foundry makerspace does

The Foundry Makerspace (legally Bellingham Makerspace, dba "The Foundry") is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community tool- and skill-sharing organization founded in 2014 and headquartered at 1 Bellis Fair Parkway #618, Bellingham, WA. Since 2020 it has operated out of a 7,000+ square foot facility inside Bellis Fair Mall, providing members with shared access to industrial- and hobbyist-grade equipment across eight disciplines: 3D printing, wood shop, laser cutting, electronics, textile and fiber arts, jewelry and non-ferrous metalwork, vinyl cutting, and craft. A dedicated Maker Store retails maker supplies, and a public-facing wiki documents rules, safety procedures, and training guides for every tool area. The organization also functions as a recurring-meeting venue for community partners including Gabriel's Art Kids, TAG NW Robotics Club, Mount Baker Amateur Radio Club, and Bellingham Evening Toastmasters.

The business model is a tiered subscription membership. The core Maker tier at $59/month provides keycard facility access plus class and event discounts; a discounted $39/month tier targets students, educators, and seniors; a $89/month Household tier covers up to four members; a $19/month Supporter tier grants public-hours access only; a premium $299/month Resident tier adds a dedicated 10x10 studio with extended hours (wait-listed); and a $5,000/year Corporate tier packages eight Maker memberships with brand visibility. Episodic revenue is generated through Eventbrite-listed public classes and workshops with member discounts, plus donations via PayPal. Go-to-market is community-led: organic social (Facebook, Instagram), the member Slack, the wiki, and word-of-mouth through local partnerships drive top-of-funnel awareness, while the MemberPress-powered self-serve portal handles subscription conversion.

Governance is volunteer-led via a Board of Directors (President Grant Dobbe, VP Ian Garconette, Treasurer Rupert Ayton, Directors-at-Large Lisa Lang, Sandra Phoenix, Alejandro Lopez-Berryman, Shawn Ross) supplemented by Area Leads for each tool discipline. The company has no disclosed headcount, no outside funding, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no AI or proprietary software capabilities — its underlying technology is fundamentally physical fabrication infrastructure wrapped in commodity SaaS (WordPress, MemberPress, Eventbrite, Slack, PayPal).

Name

the foundry makerspace

Legal name

Bellingham Makerspace

Website

https://bellinghamfoundry.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Foundry Makerspace is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a 7,000+ sq ft community workshop in Bellingham, WA, providing members with shared access to fabrication tools (wood, metal, laser, 3D printing, electronics, textiles) across tiered subscriptions ranging from $19 to $299 per month, plus classes and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Monthly and annual membership subscriptions providing keycard access to facility, tools, and member benefits. Multiple tiers serve different customer segments from individual makers to households and corporate teams.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bellingham Makerspace (DBA The Foundry) operates a 7,000+ square foot community workshop facility providing shared access to fabrication tools across eight disciplines (3D printing, woodworking, laser cutting, electronics, textiles, jewelry/metalwork, vinyl cutting, and craft), supported by a tiered membership system and public classes/events. The organization sells monthly and annual subscriptions that grant keycard access to tools and workspace, plus structured educational programming open to the public with member discounts.

Product overview

The Foundry Makerspace (Bellingham Makerspace) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community tool and skill sharing space that operates as a unified platform providing access to tools, education, and workspace. The organization offers a tiered membership system ranging from Supporter ($19/month) to Corporate ($5,000/year) memberships, with the core Maker membership ($59/month) providing keycard access to the facility. The makerspace houses eight distinct tool-based workshops including 3D Printing, Wood Shop, Laser Cutting, Electronics, Textile & Fiber Arts, Jewelry & Metal Arts, Vinyl Cutting, and Craft areas. Additionally, the Resident Membership provides dedicated studio spaces. Classes and events are offered through Eventbrite with member discounts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Maker Membership Full-access monthly membership ($59/month) providing keycard access to the makerspace shop, discounts on classes, free public events, and social gatherings. For individual adult makers.
• Senior/Educator/Student Membership Discounted monthly membership ($39/month) for students, public educators, and seniors, providing the same access as a Maker membership at a reduced rate.
• Household Membership Family monthly membership ($89/month) covering four household members with full orientation and shared access to the makerspace.
• Supporter Membership Entry-level monthly membership ($19/month) providing access to makerspace computers and common areas during public hours, plus invitations to social events and outings.
• Resident Membership Premium monthly membership ($299/month) including a dedicated 10x10 studio space with workbench and storage, plus keycard access from 6am to 12am. Limited availability with wait list.
• Corporate Membership Annual business membership ($5,000/year) bundling eight tax-deductible Maker memberships and brand recognition on the makerspace wall. Targeted at businesses seeking team building and creative outlets.
• Classes and Events Educational programming and workshops open to the public with discounted pricing for members. Listed and ticketed through the Eventbrite platform.
• Maker Store Retail space within the makerspace selling maker supplies and materials to members and the public.

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Gabriel'S Art KidsminorOthersLocal nonprofit art education organization that uses the makerspace as a collaboration and community point for their programs

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Artisan's Asylum: One of the largest nonprofit community makerspaces in the US, based in Somerville, MA. Operates a similar shared-tool, multi-discipline workshop model with memberships, classes, and resident studios—making it the closest analog to Bellingham Makerspace's concept and operating model.
• The Crucible: Oakland, CA-based nonprofit industrial arts education space offering shared access to tools across welding, woodworking, jewelry, ceramics, and more, combined with classes and events—directly comparable in mission and facility model.
• ADX Portland: Portland, OR makerspace and small-batch manufacturer providing shared tool access and education across multiple fabrication disciplines. Operates on a membership and class-based model similar to Bellingham Makerspace, in the same Pacific Northwest region.
• Bolt: Philadelphia-based community makerspace offering memberships giving access to a broad range of tools and equipment across woodworking, metalworking, textiles, and digital fabrication—directly comparable operating model and product offering.
• NYC Resistor: Brooklyn-based community hackerspace/makerspace providing shared access to tools (3D printing, laser cutting, electronics, sewing) via membership. Same grassroots nonprofit, community-led model with a comparable tool breadth and educational programming.
• Noisebridge: San Francisco-based volunteer-run hackerspace and makerspace operating as a community workshop with shared tools, classes, and wiki-based documentation—comparable grassroots, donation- and membership-supported nonprofit structure.
• HacDC: Washington, DC-area community hackerspace offering shared access to electronics, fabrication, and other maker tools via membership—same nonprofit, volunteer-led, community workshop model.

Emerging players

• Maker's Row: While more of a marketplace/Software platform than a physical makerspace, Maker's Row addresses similar maker and small-manufacturer needs around access to tools, materials, and production support. Comparable in serving the independent maker segment, though it operates digitally rather than as a physical workshop.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bellinghammakers
• Instagraminstagram.com/bellinghammakers

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 the foundry makerspace