TechShop Celebrates Nationwide Maker Movement With the White House
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
White House
Maker Faire--TechShop, a membership-based, do-it-yourself workshop and
fabrication studio with locations nationwide, is participating in the
first-ever White House Maker Faire on Wednesday, June 18, which has been designated a National Day of Making.
The debut event celebrates American makers, students and entrepreneurs of all ages who are inventing the future.
“TechShop is excited to join forces with the White House in celebration
of makers to showcase some of the amazing results of our platform used
for STEAM, education and innovation,” said Mark Hatch, CEO and
co-founder of TechShop. “TechShop already serves more than 6,000 members
nationwide. We aim to democratize access to tools and empower makers
from all walks of life. From startups and students to grandmothers and
veterans, we want to inspire everyone to invent, create jobs and launch
successful and world-changing businesses.”
Hatch and TechShop founder Jim Newton will attend the White House Maker
Faire, which will feature several TechShop-member projects, including
the following:
- Embrace: Prototyped at a Bay Area TechShop, the award-winning Embrace Warmer is designed to rapidly stabilize the body temperature of hypothermic infants in developing countries. At less than 1% of the cost of a standard incubator, the warmer does not require constant electricity and is portable, hygienic and reusable. Embrace is on track to help over 150,000 infants by the end of 2014.
- Solepower: Created by a team at TechShop Pittsburgh, this unique design captures, generates and stores power within a shoe insole. Users charge smartphones by harnessing their walking power.
- John Lawton: John became a member of TechShop Austin-Round Rock through the Veterans Training Program, which is sponsored by GE and the VACI and gives veterans a year of free membership and classes. John was a pilot for Marine One and uses his skills to create custom, high end, industrial furniture as well as various other inventions and creations.
- Joe Ryan: Joe commuted from Iowa to Detroit and joined TechShop Detroit via the Veterans Training Program. He took more than 20 classes, eventually becoming an instructor at the shop as well as an entrepreneur. He was recently able to quit his job that required long commutes and start his own local business.
- Marc Roth: Using the first $50 he received from San Francisco's General Assistance while homeless, Marc joined TechShop San Francisco. In the shop, he engaged with members and learned advanced manufacturing skills that allowed him to start his own business. He has since launched a non-profit to help others build their skills.
“The Maker Movement is inspiring more young people to excel in science,
technology, engineering, and math,” said Tom Kalil, Deputy Director
for Technology and Innovation at the White House Office of Science and
Technology Policy. “It’s also empowering more Americans to design and
build innovative products, launch a startup, and create new jobs. I
applaud TechShop for participating in the National Day of Making.”
Expanding across America
With eight locations and growing, TechShop is in discussions with over a
dozen other cities who want to bring TechShop's open access model to
their communities.
TechShop is working with St. Louis and Los
Angeles to partner with universities, academic institutions, companies,
corporations, local government and individuals to bring TechShop St. Louis and TechShop Los Angeles to those cities next year. TechShop is also entering into separate agreements to begin developing concepts for a TechShop Louisville in the Kentuckiana region.More Maker Celebrations
In celebration of National Day of Making, all TechShop locations across the U.S. will host open houses for makers and aspiring makers in those cities. Come into any location from 9AM-midnight and discover how you can learn how to use new tools to create and make something. Special promotions will also be available for visitors. Tag your visit/check-in with #NationofMakers.
On
Tuesday, leading up to the White House Maker Faire, President Obama
toured TechShop Pittsburgh, where he met with the local maker community
and delivered remarks on the economy. That same day, TechShop
DC-Arlington held its official ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, June
17, and hosted Maker Summit, bringing together leaders to discuss
global maker expansion efforts.
The weeklong festivities will
culminate in a grand opening celebration of the TechShop DC-Arlington
location, which will be open to visitors on Saturday, June 21, from
11AM – 4PM ET.About TechShop, Inc.
Founded in October 2006, TechShop is a membership-based, do-it-yourself
(DIY) workshop and fabrication studio providing access to a vibrant
community of creative people and more than $1 million worth of high
quality machines, tools and software. TechShop offers classes,
workshops, instruction and meet-ups for people of all ages and skill
levels. TechShop is based in San Jose, Calif., with locations
nationwide.
For information and course listings, visit www.techshop.com, email info@techshop.com
or call 855-TECHSHOP. You can follow TechShop on Twitter at
“@TechShop.” TechShop is also on Facebook as “TechShop Incorporated.”
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