The New England Maker Summit, scheduled for Nov. 17 at the University of Hartford in West Hartford, will focus on ‘Why Making Matters’ and the economic impact the movement hopes to achieve.

The New England Maker Summit will be held Nov. 17 at the University of Hartford. Submitted photo

Submitted

The Maker Movement can make a big difference in Connecticut. Learn how at The New England Maker Summit: Why Making Matters.

The event is coming to the University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford, CT, on Thursday, November 17, 2-8 p.m. Register at: www.NEMakerSummit.io.

“It’s about the Economy Stupid” – Congressman Mark Takano, Chair of the Maker Caucus

In the last few decades we:

1. Let domestic manufacturing disappear from our towns and economic equations for success,
2. Believed that we could never compete with labor costs from Asia and China,
3. Believed that “Made in the USA” had no more inherent value,
4. Shifted the fundamental structure of our economy to outsourcing,
5. Thought that the lower price of consumer goods was the key for our future economy,
6. Trained our children to work outside of manufacturing,
7. Buried our factories with neglect.

With the increased purchasing power from the lower costs of goods, we became complacent, feeling secure that the middle class was here to stay. The decrease in domestic manufacturing and the overall decline in the quality of goods became impossible to ignore. We bred generations of Americans that had never been exposed to making or even fixing things.

In 2016 the economists have painted a bright picture for manufacturing to continue on the upswing and the Maker Movement bridges the gap back to innovation and financial stability.

The “Maker Movement” refers to inventors, designers, and other self-reliant innovators who are moving American technology forward with their imagination and independent work culture. From creating new business opportunities to spurring community revitalization and improving our schools, the Maker Movement can change an economic landscape. The New England Maker Summit: Why Making Matters, coming up on Thursday, November 17 at the University of Hartford, will demonstrate how Connecticut is poised to take advantage of this movement by spotlighting success stories and providing guidelines for implementation.

The impressive speaker lineup includes:

• Dale Dougherty, considered the “Father of the Maker Movement”
• Mark Hatch, Co-founder and previous CEO of TechShop
• Tia Capps, Communications Director, CO.LAB
• Bonnie Koba, Director of the HOT (Higher Order Thinking) school program
• Ken Butler and Ed Potokar, musicians and Makers who create their own instruments
• Balam Soto, new media artist, entrepreneur, and Maker in Hartford
• Devra Sisitsky and Bryan Patton, founders of MakerspaceCT and the New England Maker Summit

Attendees will learn:

• How “making to manufacturing” is creating new businesses and jobs
• The educational benefits of Makerspaces
• Why the White House is promoting Making
• What resources are available to get Making more active in Connecticut

MakerspaceCT is developing a large commercial space in the Greater Hartford Area providing members access to educational classes and tools. MakerspaceCT will be a community resource open to the public and offering training on the equipment and tools needed to make or manufacture prototypes, cosplay, hobbyist, and artistic projects. They place an emphasis on hardware, prototype creation, electronics, coding, fiber arts, fabrication- both wood and metal, traditional blacksmithing, glass blowing, ceramics, and the arts. For more information, visit: www.makerspaceCT.com

The University of Hartford’s Entrepreneurial Center (EC) provides hands-on coaching and business training for new and expanding small businesses, as well as aspiring entrepreneurs, throughout Connecticut. Part of the nationally-renowned Barney School of Business, the EC helps small business owners and employees to gain the business skills needed to succeed in the marketplace through business advising, technical assistance, educational programs, and networking events. The Women’s Business Center, which specializes in serving women in business, is the largest initiative of the EC. For more information, visit www.hartford.edu/ec.