We are all Makers

As Creative Director of MakerMela and Design based Startup Founder, I have always had questions like What is Maker Community all about? What is MakerMela? Who is a Maker? What do we do as Maker ?

The maker community is a contemporary subculture, representing a technology-based extension of DIY culture. Makers have created their own market ecosystem, developing new products and services. The combination of ingenious makers are driving innovation in manufacturing, engineering, industrial design, hardware technology and education.

Maker Projects vary from being technology driven, art and craft to futuristic crafts. The beauty of maker community is people of different age groups and diverse backgrounds collaborate to learn from each other, which doesn't happen at schools, colleges or work places. We have reached a saturation into information phase and now is the time to collaborate this information and built our future. Typical interests enjoyed by the maker subculture include engineering-oriented pursuits such as electronics, robotics, 3-D printing, 2D plotter cutting, waterjet cutting, and the use of CNC tools (even applied to embroidery), as well as more traditional activities such as metalworking, woodworking, and traditional arts and crafts, fusion of technology and art.

We are all born Makers with ability to make. Many Makers are hobbyists, enthusiasts or students but they are also a wellspring of innovation, creating new products and producing value in the community. Some Makers do become entrepreneurs and start companies. Some are Geeks experimenting with technology, science and nature. Dale Dougherty identified makers as zero-to-maker, maker-to-maker, and maker-to-market.

The maker culture enables many aspiring entrepreneurs who want to produce things, to do just that themselves, at least to get started with their business. Makerspaces provide membership-based workshop that provides members with access to tools and equipment, instruction, and a community of creative and supportive people so that one can build the things they have always wanted to make. Background, Age, Gender doesn't matter, the Spirit of Making does. Every maker has a different starting point. However, the common thread begins with an inspiration to invent, the spark that turns an individual from purely consuming products to having a hand in actually making them.

MakerMela is a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. It’s a venue for makers to show examples of their work and interact with others about it. Many makers say they have no other place to share what they do. DIY (Do-It-Yourself) is often invisible in our communities, taking place in shops, garages and on kitchen tables. It’s typically out of the spotlight of traditional art or science or craft events. MakerMela aims to make these projects and ideas visible and promotes the following:

• Showcase the making already taking place in India
• Connect with larger creativity, innovation, STEM, or art initiatives
• Cultivate awareness of the Maker Movement
• Build Stronger Maker Community

The projects showcased at such Maker Gathering are grassroots innovation that we can foster in every community. Being called a Maker should bring great esteem, MakerMela is very proud of having been a nurturing ground for this growing community of creative and curious people in India. With this I would surely like to send across an invite to all makers around. Join us at MakerMela, 11-13 Jan 2018, Mumbai.