Prototyping in New York City just got a whole lot easier with the launch of NYCEDC’s Futureworks Shops. Spearheaded by global innovation agency SecondMuse and Chelsea-based Imagination in Space, Futureworks Shops links together nine advanced production spaces throughout New York. Over the next ten months, hardware startups and entrepreneurs will be able to apply for subsidized prototyping and contract-manufacturing credits, studio space, and be invited to workshops and open houses. Futureworks Shops will especially focus on serving the soon-to-be announced Futureworks Incubator companies, a program also run by SecondMuse and Imagination in Space. To access Shops programming, sign up for our newsletter. 

Futureworks Shops are:

• A/D/O in Greenpoint, Brooklyn
• Bronx Innovation Factory in Fordham Heights, Bronx
• Pratt Institute’s Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn
• Collab in Hudson Square, Manhattan
• Craftsman Ave in Gowanus, Brooklyn
• NEW INC in Nolita, Manhattan
• NYDesigns in Long Island City, Queens
• Voodoo Manufacturing in Bushwick, Brooklyn
• Zahn Innovation Center in Hamilton Heights, Harlem

Futureworks Shops were selected based on their track record of success, geographic diversity and the complementary advanced manufacturing facilities and startup expertise each one will contribute to the program. Pratt Institute’s Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator, for instance, helps entrepreneurs build smart, sustainable wearable businesses while Zahn focuses on low-cost contract manufacturing. Voodoo Manufacturing accelerates the 3D printing process while Collab offers a powerful modern woodshop in the heart of Manhattan.

The nine Futureworks Shops add to NYCEDC’s three Futureworks NYC Partner Network spaces – CUNY Advanced Science Research Center’s NanoFabrication Facility in Harlem, Staten Island MakerSpace in Stapleton and Coalition for Queens in Long Island City.

Over the next ten months, you’ll be invited to build your products and businesses at Futureworks Shops. Over the next few minutes, get familiar with the brands and resources that just opened up for you. For a snapshot of all the machinery, head to the Futureworks Shops page as well.

 

A/D/O
29 Norman Ave, Brooklyn
A/D/O is a creative space in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, dedicated to exploring new boundaries in design. At its heart is the Design Academy, which offers a range of programming to professional designers, intended to provoke and invigorate their creative practice. A/D/O is located in a 23,000 square-foot former warehouse in North Brooklyn’s Industrial Business Zone. It has been converted into a space for creative exchange, with both public workspaces and desks for rent.

Coworking and hot desking is currently free at A/D/O’s Atrium, and there is application-based availability in the more permanent Workspace. For Workspace Members, A/D/O provides unlimited access to their suite of machinery, which includes rapid prototyping equipment, textile and apparel, print and graphic and assembly and finish tools. A/D/O also houses the Urban-X accelerator for hardware startups focused on mobility and smart cities. Check out A/D/O’s full list, explore their programs and join them on Instagram.

Through Futureworks Shops, A/D/O will create production-focused programming and offer subsidized prototyping and workspace. The Futureworks Shops collaboration kicks off in June and we’ll be back with more details about specific dates!

Bronx Innovation Factory
2431 Morris Ave, Bronx
MIT CoLab, Commonwise Education and a half-dozen local partners are teaming up to develop the borough’s first makerspace. Bronx Innovation Factory will provide free access to digital fabrication facilities, startup and product-design workshops and workforce training. The mission is to increase wealth and ownership among Bronx residents and support the creation of production-based business development capacity in the borough. Bronx Innovation Factory partners include The Knowledge House, Meta Bronx, Scenyc, The Point CDC, Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition and Mondragon LKS.

Over the next year, Bronx Innovation Factory will pilot a makerspace design from their Morris Ave offices to inform a the development of a permanent, larger, freestanding facility. Through funding from the City, BXIF will launch with laser cutters, a CNC machine, a desktop mini mill, 3D printer and hand tools. They will provide education in both English and Spanish. Check out MIT CoLab and Commonwise Education.

Through Futureworks Shops, Bronx Innovation Factory will begin to build the Bronx production community, host educational workshops and provide production subsidies that can be used at other Shops throughout the city. Programming kicks off later this fall.

 

Pratt Institute’s Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator
630 Flushing Ave, Suite 704, Brooklyn
Pratt Institute’s Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator is redefining the apparel industry to benefit the environment and society. BF+DA provides workspace, manufacturing services, mentorship and programs designed to build financial success alongside ethical production. A community initiative of Pratt Institute, it has supported more than 40 emerging ventures and collaborated with close to 200 organizations over the past three years. NYC entrepreneurs who called BF+DA home include Maddy Maxey, Mandy Kordal and Tara St. James.

Fashion tech startups can apply for open-plan studio space or hotdesking, both of which gives them access to manufacturing services and events. The BF+DA provides apparel development and small-scale production including: cut & sew and knitting manufacturing, tech-pack development, pattern-marking and grading, sample development fittings and small-scale production. In-house facilities include 3D printers, laser cutters, knitting and sewing machines and more. Check out BF+DA’s full list of resources, explore their programs and join them on Instagram.

With a fashion future that’s increasingly connected, BF+DA is investing in an R&D center to advance responsible integration of technologies into apparel. In addition to almost $500k in federal funding, the Brooklyn Borough President pledged / promised $1 million to expand BF+DA’s advanced manufacturing lab textile production alongside digital knitwear and cut & sew and 3D printing.

Through Futureworks Shops, Pratt Institute’s Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator will offer subsidized shared-studio space, host educational workshops and educate the wider community on their technologies. Starting this summer.

 

Collab
304 Hudson St, 6th Fl, Manhattan
Adina and Marc Levin cofounded Collab in 2009 to give innovators and creative entrepreneurs access to prototyping and digital fabrication equipment as well as the mentoring and space they need to build their ideas. Collab started as – and still is – Adina and Marc’s mission to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem, foster innovation and make a positive social impact. Mission: Possible.

Ayah Bdeir grew littleBits from two to 14 people while at Collab, Lucas Werthein launched virtual reality firm Sensorama and experiential design shop Black Egg there, too. Bdeir and Werthein founded three of the ten companies who used Collab to nourish their entrepreneurial spirit. The 10 brands have a combined valuation of $200 million and created 250 new jobs. Collab has also been able to generate millions in revenue for its organization and members by creating products and installations for clients like Hearst, L’Oreal, Intel and the UN.

Collab offers shared workspace, private studios, a high-powered woodshop, rapid prototyping equipment, a sewing room and a can’t-be-beat location. Check out Collab’s full list of resources, explore the space and join them on Instagram.

Through Futureworks Shops, Collab will offer subsidized woodshop access, studio space and a lineup of open programming starting this summer.

 

Craftsman Ave
117B 11th St, Brooklyn
Craftsman Ave opened up their 1500 sq-ft space in 2015 to help New Yorkers bring their ideas to life. Since then, they’ve had more than a thousand students come through for workshops in everything from product design to woodworking and prototyping. For curriculum and teaching, Craftsman Ave partners with instructors at Pratt and Parsons. Six of them were awarded Best Instructors by CourseHorse in 2016. They also teamed up with Soho House to bring their maker education to Manhattan.

Founder Taras Kravtchouk also runs Gravity Hill – a digital design agency that helped FIKA develop their brand identity, packaging and interior design and works with brands like Earos Acoustic, Cobble Hill Juice and Roomi. Craftsman Ave has a wood and metal shop as well as hotdesking and events space. Check out Craftsman Ave’s full list of resources, explore the space and workshops and join them on Instagram.

Through Futureworks Shops, Craftsman Ave will offer subsidized daily and monthly passes and host workshops on building an industrial design brand starting this summer.

 

NEW INC
231 Bowery, 2nd Fl, Manhattan
NEW INC is an incubator and professional development program founded by the New Museum in 2014 to support ambitious ideas and approaches to culture, technology, and business that strive for a more creative, diverse, and equitable future. Their mission is to foster cultural value, not just capital value. NEW INC serves a community of nearly 100 creative practitioners and entrepreneurs annually, working on a range of for-profit and nonprofit ventures across art, design and technology. Members include Artiphon, The Principals and VolvoxLabs.

Their 4,000 sq. ft. workshop is scheduled to open late May 2017 with some light fabrication tools including 3D printers, laser cutter, drill press, vinyl cutter, desktop CNC, and hand tools. Additionally, other A/V equipment available includes Canon cameras and lenses, large format printers, projectors, Oculus and Vive VR headsets, and two high-powered HP Z480 workstations.

Each year, NEW INC runs a 12-month professional development incubator program with curriculum that includes: hybrid practice, business strategy, leadership, startup law, accounting, fundraising, branding, marketing and more. Check out NEW INC’s full list of resources, explore the lineup of programs and join them on Twitter.

Through Futureworks Shops, NEW INC will create collaborative programming with other Shops and subsidize studio space for promising young startups. They will also hone in on best practices for online and social media promotion of advanced manufacturing technologies starting this summer.

 

NYDesigns
29-10 Thomson Ave, 7th Fl, Queens
Founded in 2006, NYDesigns is dedicated to the success of design and hardware tech startups in NYC. Incubator companies get three years of private studio space and access to a network of mentors and advisers. Startups can prototype their design ideas in the 5,000-sq-ft fabrication lab.

NYDesigns currently hosts 20+ companies including companies such as BotFactory, Sunhouse, Vengo, Hoplite, Stickbulb and Urban Design Forum. Studio space is available as well as 12 coworking desks (starting at $350 per month). Individual FabLab members get access to wide range of prototyping equipment starting at $350 per month. NYDesigns is a program of CUNY at LaGuardia Community College. Check out NYDesigns’ full list of resources, explore the space and join them on Twitter.

Through Futureworks Shops, NYDesigns will host FabLab workshops, tours, subsidize memberships and studio space starting this summer.

 

Voodoo Manufacturing
361 Stagg St, Suite 408, Brooklyn
Voodoo Manufacturing was founded in 2015 to fill the market void between prototype and cost effective scalable production of plastic parts. Voodoo serves both individuals and businesses with its Direct Print, Volume Print and API integration services to 3D print up to 10,000 or more parts on one of their 160 Makerbot Replicator 2 3D printers (generally in less than 2 weeks). Voodoo also offers design services to help businesses, entrepreneurs, engineers and artists bring their products to life.

Voodoo’s customer base spans the worlds of marketing, advertising, and media, including companies like Viacom, NBCUniversal, EA Sports, Droga5, and Syfy. Voodoo also operates within the hardware industry, providing parts for companies like BotFactory, Open BCI, Enable Community Foundation, and Squats And Science. Voodoo is a private company with 17 full-time employees. Its founders (Makerbot alumni) have gone through startup accelerator Y Combinator twice. Get to know Voodoo and join them on Twitter.

Through Futureworks Shops, Voodoo will offer subsidized 3D printing credits starting this fall.

 

Zahn Innovation Center
160 Convent Ave, Harlem
In 2012, the Zahn Innovation Center opened to bridge the gap between the theory of the classroom and the reality of the business world. The Zahn Center has blossomed into an incubator of nearly 40 startups each year sourced from all across the tri state-area and CUNY system. Located on the City College of New York campus in the Grove School of Engineering, Zahn specializes in the production and design of high-quality, low cost rapid prototypes of hardware, electronics and software.

Their startup incubator functions as the center of prototyping and entrepreneurship throughout campus. With a range of technologies at Zahn’s disposal, they offer contract manufacturing by pairing startups with vetted engineering students to make prototypes at a fraction of the traditional cost. Companies who’ve created products at Zahn include Keen Home, StrongArm Technologies, Shade and Infinite Corridor Technology. Check out Zahn’s full list of resources, get to know their expansive offerings and join them on Twitter.

Through Futureworks Shops, Zahn will provide subsidized contract manufacturing credits and build a more cohesive online marketing platform for prototyping. Kicking off this summer.