New 16 Tech Makerspace is Ready to Innovate
Machyne makerspace is part of the 16 Tech Innovation District in Indianapolis. (photo provided)
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowOne of the newest businesses at the 16 Tech Innovation District in Indianapolis has now opened, offering a place for inventors and entrepreneurs to collaborate. A virtual grand opening ceremony was held Friday at Machyne, a makerspace in the district’s innovation hub, HqO.
“As a makerspace, Machyne can be many things to many people,” said Alex Bandar, executive director at Machyne. “We’re a prototyping lab for startups; experiential education space for students; a place to fine-tune new skills for people exploring new career opportunities; an art studio for creatives seeking to bring amazing things to life.”
Bandar says Machyne is a place where innovators, creatives, and makers big ideas to life in a “fun and collaborative” environment.
Reginald McGregor, who works in the development of engineers for Indianapolis-based Rolls-Royce North America, says Machyne can become a source for future engineers.
“From an industry standpoint, I work of course, with engineers every day. As engineers, we also are really continuous learners, we also look for a space where I am sharpening my toolset,” said McGregor. “We also want to be able to advance our creative thinking and keep our account creative and innovative.”
Bandar says the goal is to work together to learn, collaborate, and share. He says the collaborative workspace allows students and entrepreneurs to explore, create new things, or improve things that already exist.
He says Machyne has the necessary tools, such as 3D printers, for students to get advanced, hands-on learning.
A supporter of the makerspace is STEMNASIUM Learning Labs, an Indianapolis-based organization that helps schools engage in scientific and technology programs.
“One of the things that makes it unique and transformative is no one picked up a book to read the instructions on page 50, chapter eight or anything like that,” said Tariq Al-Nasir, who founded STEMNASIUM. “It’s the natural curiosity that students have to do these types of things…and the natural ability to be curious to just be able to pick something up, like what just happened here.”
Click here to learn more about Machyne.