Translations

The American chain of workshops: TECHSHOP provides access to tools and knowledge for product and service innovation

7. Community involvement

Skills and technology transfer

Sector Telecommunication, Medias, ITC

Year 2016

Country France

Transmitter

Context

Founded in 2006, TechShop is a member ship based workshop that provides access to tools, software and space. In the company’s workspace members can make virtually anything. TechShop promotes Do-It-Yourself and the maker movement. Go from co designing to a fablab in the same place.

Objectives

Democratize access to tools of innovation
Create a community – engage people
Offer comprehensive instruction to early Makers and create new business models
Create value at lower costs
Encourage the DIY economy

APPROACH

Find a favorable place to create a privileged open area for people to work together, share and enhance their creativity.

Acquire tools and machines to be able to teach the Makers how to use them.

Create a community of passionate people to mix innovation and passion.

Encourage Makers to teach new members how to use the tools they need and use their knowledge to become Makers on their own and solve issues within the community.

Rely on the community to spread the Maker Movement and encourage people to dare create.

Create new partnerships to spread the process and encourage companies to invest in the Maker movement.

Best Practice spotted by the World Forum for a Sustainable Economy 2015.

CONTRIBUTION TO COMPANY PERFORMANCE

TechShop is cash-constrained on the investment side, which means that they rely on investors
$12 billion in shareholder value (created in other companies)
2,000 jobs have been created in companies that are launched thanks to TechShop
The company Square emerged from TechShop, and is today valued at $6 billion

Benefits

Embrace emerged from TechShop: portable incubation blankets for babies which helps save premature babies. Already 150,000 babies have been saved thanks to this blanket.
TechShop has a social impact because it is open for everyone. A homeless man managed to create his own NGO and put his life back on track after attending a course at TechShop