Robotics Garage

Since its creation in June 2016, the lab has registered 250 active members. 70% of them are startups, coming to use the machines or to attend workshops and challenges organized by the lab. For the rest, it is composed of students (15%), or hobbyists (15%) (mostly parents and kids coming on Saturdays workshops).

Most of the users are coming frequently, as they use the space to develop a specific project. Since the launch of challenges like SCI TECH, some users come to be selected in the pre-incubation program.

The Robotics Garage encourages its members to use the space to deliver their workshops. The team also organizes frequently events for the community to gather, and exchange about their projects.

Robotics Garage is not managed as a separate entity of Science Park. Hence it does not have a proper business model and 95% of its funding and all its operational costs are operated by Science Park.

The key figures tracked by the team, as part of their model, is the number of members, the number of projects concretely realized and the number of partnerships.

The key challenges for the future are their ability to spread the maker culture to the inhabitants of Hong Kong, and inspire them to innovate. That is why they focus on the creation of challenges, events and partnerships.

The team of the lab counted 7 people in August 2017. 1 lab manager, taking care of strategy and external relationships. 1 assistant lab manager is leading the operations inside the lab. 2 people are managing the daily operations, events and workshops. 2 technicians are ready to help members and 2 interns are here to support the team.

To stimulate the community and attract new members, the team delivers “lunch workshops” of 2 hours, organized by the members, and allowing employees from startups and companies to attend them. The lunch is provided and they can learn “how to build a cnc machine” or “how to use a 3D printer”.

Robotics Garage is playing its part to develop the pre-incubation programs by organizing challenges in partnerships with companies like ARROW. Together they launched the SCITECH challenge, a 6-month competition for 80 startups to showcase their products, and if selected, to access a grant and facilities.

To spread the maker culture is also a key objective for the lab, and that is why they partner with the Boys and Girls Club Association (BGCA) to provide STEM education workshops in schools. They also co-organize the Robocon contests in Hong Kong, for students.

The internal documentation of the projects is not compulsory. Each user can decide to document or not. As some projects are meant to stay confidential, the lab does not ask its members to provide them any detailed information. They keep a trace of the nature of the project. It is the same for the workshops, the lab does not require the members to document them in details and share them.