Makery, reinventing itself for the future

After an investor failed to follow through, the media in DIY mode that you have known and loved since 2014 must reinvent itself. Here’s why.

This time, instead of bringing you news of labs and beyond, this newsletter is focused on Makery. Since 2014, Makery has been dedicated to informing readers about the world of fablabs and makers, supporting and accompanying the development of an international DIY movement—independently and with a method that borrows from the DIY model: a small and motivated team, headed by a seasoned editor-in-chief, Annick Rivoire, along with regular contributors, makers, designers and other actors of the movement who have shared stories of their initiatives on our website. Our readers, newsletter subscribers (4,000) and followers (9,300 on Twitter; 8,800 on Facebook) have only increased over the past four years, demonstrating your support of our editorial line.

1.5 million visits to Makery.info since 2014

Independent reporting has a price. Like fablabs searching for a business model that reconciles development with the sharing of knowledge and practices, Makery has also been building its own model, more or less successfully. As the maker community buzzed with activity over the summer, we were engaged in ultra-confidential negotiations with an investor—who changed their mind at the very last minute, leaving Makery in the dust with an empty tank.

V2 and new formula

In order to continue, we need to focus all our energy on redefining a new model, finding sustainable solutions and building Makery V2. This post-summer newsletter is unlike all the others before it. We have since adopted several money-saving measures.

The first (and not the easiest) was the departure of our editor-in-chief Annick Rivoire—a departure that makes a future possible.

The second is a new formula, while Makery takes the time to reinvent itself: the newsletter will become monthly, because content incurs costs, and producing it requires a focused attention that is now reoriented toward building a new Makery.

Our mission remains to develop a media platform dedicated to makers and the DIY movement. We are open to any suggestions, offers of support and collaboration for the future of Makery.

In the following months, our team is still keeping busy—with support from the French ministry of Culture, we are working on an augmented version of the map of labs, aimed at art, architecture, craft and design schools, to launch in early October. We are also quite proud to belong to the Feral Labs Network, which has just received funding from the European Commission’s Creative Europe program. The Feral Labs Network is involved in organizing summer camps with prestigious European partners: Projekt Atol in Slovenia, Schmiede Hallein, Verein zur Förderung der digitalen Kultur in Austria, Bioart Society in Finland, Radiona Zagreb Makerspace in Croatia, Helsingor Kommune in Denmark. Lots to nourish and participate in open innovation, which we have promoted ever since the beginning of Makery!

Ewen Chardronnet (in charge of Makery medialab), Annick Rivoire (ex-editor-in-chief) and Anne-Cécile Worms (publisher)