When I arrived in Hong Kong in 2014, I built myself a small workshop near Yuen Long to build Protei an Windtrains. Quickly, the size of the projects I undertook grew and I had to look for a larger place. HK Science Park offered me space but it did not have the flexibility and mindset I came to love working in open, shared, collaborative environments in the US and Europe. I realised that the whole tech and creative industry folks were desperately looking for the same thing: large affordable space, excellent tools, and an inclusive creative community.
In 2015, I found an old factory in Yau Tong and with the help of many, we turned it into MakerBay, Hong Kong first large makerspace for artists, designer, engineers, scientists, focused on addressing social and environmental issues with creative technologies.
In 2016, we opened a second branch in Central, at PMQ, the de facto design community building in Hong Kong island.
End of 2017, our lease in Yau Tong ended. An old friend from college came from an industrial family in Tsuen Wan ; in exchange of renovating the building, she would allow us to pay a affordable rent for many years. Unfortunately, 4 months after we moved in, the rent was tripled. As we were doing many philanthropic projects, the Hong Kong Jockey club suggested that we register a non profit - MakerBay Foundation.
We spent the whole year of 2018 doing design and construction work ourselves, in parallel of running many projects in Hong Kong and abroad. With MakerBay Foundation becoming active that year, with the support of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, we transformed some rooms in six youth centres into “mini makerspaces”. All the mini makerspaces are in public social housing complexes so we can deliver STEAM, creative crafts workshops, personal development workshops to the underserved.
In 2018 and 2019 Makerbay Foundation has delivered maker, STEAM, and arts & crafts workshops to more than a thousand individual young people and trained over 150 youth workers in 6 locations. MakerBay has delivered over 200 projects in Hong Kong, Macao, France, Norway, Cambodia, the Philippines and more. In the process, MakerBay has helped a dozen makerspaces to be set up the region, either proactively by designing or working as a contractor, or simply by sharing resources such as suppliers list and advices.
In 2020, MakerBay is opening its first international collaboration in Cambodia, partnering with the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication, building the country largest Innovation Center while continuing to grow in Hong Kong.
Please get in touch if you need help with
- space, tools, joining a creative community: become a member, just for a day, a week, or many months, we have many options
- design, R&D: we can develop innovative technologies, products and services for you
- Fabrication: we can prototype and manufacture at small scale, help you transform your idea into reality
- Education programs: from young kids to adults, we are experienced at teaching everything from art, design, engineering and applied science.
- Professional development program: we excel at CSR programs, team building, technical training, design thinking and innovation workshops for corporate
In 2021, most of the activities were shifted from MakerBay LTD (Social Enterprise) to MakerBay Foundation (Charity) as well as the staff.
In 2022, MakerBay Foundation moved out of 23 Mei Wan Street building to Tsuen Tung Factory Building, 38-40 Chai Wan Kok St, Chai Wan Kok, also in Tsuen Wan.
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