Maker incubator project

With nothing in place initially, we envisioned a fully equipped maker incubator: a space where modern digital fabrication meets traditional craft. The plan includes 3D printers, laser cutters, vinyl printers, electronics workbenches, woodworking and metalworking tools, plus shared living spaces like a kitchen, bathroom, and private sleeping quarters for residents or guests.

So far, we’ve secured a dedicated space and stocked it with essential traditional woodworking tools such as table saws, hand tools, and some metalworking equipment. Leveraging Frank’s experience from setting up similar facilities in the Netherlands, we’re building this incubator step by step, ensuring it’s practical, safe, and suited to both hobbyists and professionals.

The goal isn’t just tools, but community and opportunity. We aim to host young entrepreneurs who want to move quickly from idea to prototype, using the incubator’s equipment and benefitting from coaching, either from us directly or via our network of experts. They can stay on-site in private rooms, cook in the shared kitchen, and work day and night if needed.

Beyond this, we want local makers and entrepreneurs to use the space too, creating cross-pollination of ideas and experience. By offering this professional maker environment in a rural area, we hope to prove that modern, innovative manufacturing doesn’t have to be limited to cities. Instead, people can build, create, and earn a living locally and in doing so, we hope to inspire young people to stay or even return to the rural region.