After two years of grueling development work, Devra Sisitsky and Bryan Patton are nearing the finish line for โbreaking groundโ on MakerspaceCT, a 15,000 square foot facility they are planning to open in Hartford, Connecticut, at the Colt Building. The focus in this commercial makerspace will be hardware development, and providingย access to a CNC machine shop, woodshop, metal fabrication shop, electronics and robotics, arts shops, ceramic and glass work, digital fabrication shop, 3D printers and scanners, laser cutters and engravers, vacuum forming machine, and much more.
Excited by their venture and desiring a broader forum where they could ramp up the conversation between Connecticutโs makers and decision-makers, they decided to develop the New England Maker Summit: Why Making Matters in partnership with the University of Hartfordโs Entrepreneurial Center. The Summit, coming up on Thursday, November 17 from 1:30โ8pm at the University of Hartford, will demonstrate how Connecticut is poised to take advantage of the potential impact the Maker Movement has on economic development, community revitalization, and educational prospects for training the next generation of Connecticut workers. Get your ticket today!
Particularly interested in the effect making has on manufacturing, Devra said, โOver the past few decades, America has become complacent in its support of manufacturing and, as a result, we have bred generations of Americans that have never been exposed to making or even fixing things. Making can bridge that gap back to innovation and financial stability. We want to get Connecticut excited about this!โ
The impressive speaker lineup includes:
โข Dale Dougherty, Founder and CEO ofย Make:, will speak about the importance and impact of the Maker Movement and how Make:ย and Maker Faire continue to educate and enable Makers to grow and succeed globally.
โข Balam Soto, new media artist, Maker and co-founder of Open Wire Lab LLC in Hartford, will discuss the educational and economic opportunities of the Maker Movement.
โข Mark Hatch, Co-Founder and formerย CEO of TechShop, will talk about the economic impact a well-equipped makerspace can have on a community.
โข Tia Capps from CO.LAB will talk about how Chattanooga, Tennessee, reinvented itself through initiatives like the Gigtank startup accelerator for high bandwidth technology businesses.
โข Bonnie Koba, Director of the HOT (Higher Order Thinking) school program, will detail how making can help us effectively implement STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) education in the schools.
โข Ken Butler and Ed Potokar, musicians and Makers who create their own instruments, will perform.
โข Devra Sisitsky and Bryan Patton, founders of MakerSpaceCT and the Maker Summit, will talk about the New Tech Economy and give an overview of how all the parts of the Maker Movement fit together to create growth.
In addition to meeting numerous Connecticut Makers who will be exhibiting, attendees will learn:
โข How โmaking to manufacturingโ is creating new businesses and jobs
โข The educational benefits of makerspaces
โข Why the White House is promoting making
โข What resources are available to get making more active in Connecticut
About the founding and host organizations:
MakerspaceCT is developing a large commercial space in the Greater Hartford Area providing members access to educational classes and tools. MakerspaceCT will be a community resource open to the public that will offerย training on the equipment and tools needed to make or manufacture prototypes, cosplay, hobbyist, and artistic projects. They place an emphasis on hardware, prototype creation, electronics, coding, fiber arts, fabrication (both wood and metal), traditional blacksmithing, glass blowing, ceramics, and the arts. For more information, visit us online.
The University of Hartfordโs Entrepreneurial Center (EC) provides hands-on coaching and business training for new and expanding small businesses, as well as aspiring entrepreneurs, throughout Connecticut. The center is taking a lead in innovation by welcoming and supporting the maker movement in Connecticut.
The event is sponsored by:
โข The Childrenโs Museum
โข Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology
โข Connecticut Education Network
โข Connecticut Library Consortium
โข Goodwin College
โข Harvest Development Group
โข JCJ Architecture
โข MakerspaceCT
โข Melissa Thom Consulting
โข Mastercam
โข Open Wire Lab LLC
โข Rutledge Family Foundation
โข University of Hartfordโs Entrepreneurial Center
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