Summary

TechBridge is a nonprofit organization with the mission of opening Lethbridge’s first public makerspace. Lethbridge is a vibrant, growing city and by starting up a makerspace our goal is to foster a spirit of innovation and collaboration within the community. TechBridge has three main purposes:

• To provide space, tools and training on using the tools.
  
• To provide education in areas such as design and programming for all ages.
  
• To foster business development and provide office space rentals.
  

There are numerous reasons for the development of such a space. Many of the users do not have the space or tools at home to do the things they want or need to do. Others are looking for opportunities to collaborate and share on projects they are working on. As trends in high school have moved away from the industrial education and home economics programs of 20 years ago, people are looking for ways to learn what they missed (or failed to take advantage of) during those years.

What is a Makerspace?

The best analogy is to compare it to a gym, except instead of providing fitness equipment, a makerspace would provide tools and materials for members to use. After purchasing a membership and attending a brief safety orientation, you would be given access to our shared workspace including a wide variety of tools and equipment. Experts would be on hand to make sure tools are being used safely and appropriately, as well as to offer assistance for any equipment you might be unfamiliar with. Memberships would be available for various lengths of time depending on the needs of the user (daily, monthly, yearly) with longer memberships being more cost-effective. Storage and studio space would be available for anyone who is working on bigger projects. There will also be office space available for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

What We Need 

Starting up a makerspace requires a large initial investment, most of which will go towards purchasing equipment for our users. We set our primary goal at $25,000 as we believe that will give us a good variety of tools to start off with (see below for examples). Anything above and beyond our goal will contribute to buying more tools and equipment to better serve our users. The success of a makerspace depends on our ability to provide a wide range of equipment to appeal to a broad user base. Your donation helps bring us one step closer to making this makerspace the best it can be.

Equipment Wishlist

Funds raised by this campaign will go to the purchase of equipment for the makerspace. The activities and tools offered in a makerspace are determined by the needs of its users, so this list may change. These are just a few examples of some of the pieces we would like to buy that you might not find in the average garage. If there is something you'd like to see that we haven't listed here, tell us about it!

• 4’ x 8’ CNC mill with 2.2 kV spindle – $4,600
• Machina X20 3D Printer – $3,950
• 3D Scanner - $519
• TechSew Heavy Duty Sewing Machine – $2,874
• 20" x 12" Full Spectrum Laser Cutter – $3,499 
• Vacuum Forming Machine – $1,495
• 24" Vinyl Cutter – $1,995

As a non-profit, any money we make from membership sales and classes will go directly towards buying new equipment and improving the space so that we may offer a more diverse range of activities. A more versatile space will be appealing to more people, leading to greater membership sales, thus creating a cycle that will sustain and grow the makerspace. One of the biggest risks of opening a makerspace is that the initial offering of equipment will not be enticing enough to kick off this cycle. This is why your donation is so important as it will help us make a great space right from the start, and one that will continue to grow to serve the needs of the community.

Another challenge we face is lack of public awareness about what a makerspace is and what it can offer. We are often met with blank stares when we tell people that we are "opening a makerspace", which quickly turn into excited expressions once we explain the concept. If you like the idea of a makerspace, spread the word by telling your friends or liking us on Facebook!

Other Ways You Can Help

While donations of money are always appreciated, there are many other ways of getting involved.

• Donate new or used tools and equipment.
• Donate building materials or office furniture.
• Inspire others and put your unique skill set to work by instructing a class. 
• Sign up to our mailing list and receive updates about the progress of the makerspace.
• Even the simple act of telling a friend about us or liking us on Facebook would be beneficial to our cause.
  

If you'd like to get involved drop us a line at info@techbridgemakerspace.com and let us know!