Ahead of Friday’s 35th Annual Meeting, Emporia Main Street got big news about funding for its Fabrication Lab.
A New and Expanding Business $100,000 Accelerator grant to Emporia Main Street, courtesy of a partnership involving Main Street America and The Hartford, will help to expand the makerspace as demand continues to grow. Emporia Main Street Director Casey Woods says there has been a “substantial” increase in the demand for the Fab Lab, as well as the complexity of prototypes and other projects brought to the facility. He says the addition of Bobby Thompson to the staff, coupled with the ongoing work of Fab Lab Director Jeremy Wharton, has allowed the lab to help more local businesses — both directly and indirectly.
Woods also says the Fab Lab has become a de facto community research and development hub and has been able to tap Main Street’s other business development components to create a unique place among other makerspaces nationally.
Woods says the Fab Lab has already been active in creating a range of products and prototypes.
The grant will help pay for additional overall space, flexible classroom space, new production equipment and a multimedia studio. Woods says work will begin soon in the west third of the Main Street building once final plans are in place.
Meanwhile, people who want to attend Emporia Main Street’s annual meeting don’t have a lot of time, and they don’t have a lot of space.
The 35th annual Main Street Meeting is at 5:30 pm Friday at the Emporia Arts Council, 815 Commercial. Tickets are $50, including dinner. They are available through emporiamainstreet.com.
3 pm Tuesday
Emporia Main Street’s Fab Lab is benefiting through a partnership involving Main Street America and The Hartford.
A New and Expanding Business $100,000 Accelerator grant to Emporia Main Street will help to expand the makerspace as demand continues to grow. Emporia Main Street Director Casey Woods says there has been a “substantial” increase in the demand for the Fab Lab, as well as the complexity of prototypes and other projects brought to the facility. Woods also says the Fab Lab has become a de facto community research and development hub and has been able to tap Main Street’s other business development components like funding opportunities, entrepreneurial guidance and networking, market analysis and even community events on the way to creating a unique place among other makerspaces nationally.
The grant will help pay for additional overall space, flexible classroom space, new production equipment and a multimedia studio.
