Fab Labs give everyone, from young children through to entrepreneurs and businesses, the capability to bring their ideas and inventions to life.

The first UK ‘Fab Labbers’ have already made a ‘Sky Baby’ folding travel carry cot; a ‘Crackit Bat’ ultra-light beach cricket bat and a model wind turbine. A group of young carers are working towards creations that will help make their caring duties easier, including: a baby’s bottle with an inbuilt colour changing temperature gauge; a multi-purpose DIY tool; and a toothbrush with an inbuilt MP3 player. They were given early access to the Lab to help test out the new equipment prior to opening. See details of case studies, available for interview, at bottom of press release.

Born from an outreach project by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in inner-city Boston, Fab Labs have exploded around the world. From urban areas, to the villages of Africa, they are connected by a global video link network, enabling ideas, designs and knowledge to be shared across cultures and borders.

The Manufacturing Institute intends the Manchester FabLab in the East Manchester regeneration area to be the first of many for the UK. The Project is being supported by the Manchester Innovation Investment Fund, comprising: The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA), the Northwest Development Agency (NWDA), Manchester City Council, Manchester: Knowledge Capital, and the Commission for the New Economy.

FabLab founder Professor Neil Gershenfeld, Director of the Center for Bits and Atoms at MIT, said: “Fab Labs give people the tools they need to create technology, to be creative and make the stuff that they can’t buy in the shops. Manchester led the first industrial revolution and now it is at the centre of a new industrial revolution where anyone can make anything, anywhere using digital manufacturing.”

Julie Madigan, Chief Executive of the Manufacturing Institute, said: “Fab Labs bring together the opportunities and skills to liberate the innovations of individuals, communities and small businesses. This is a groundbreaking opportunity to broaden our innovation base and increase crucial invention skills. It’s a proven grass roots approach that will directly benefit the economy and different parts of the community.”

Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Manchester has a proud history of innovation and Fab Lab will be another first, as well as another ingredient in the regeneration of east Manchester. This imaginative project has the power to inspire invention and innovation – bringing together young and old, businesses and individuals, to empower them to create their own products.”

Shepherds in Norway have used their Fab Lab to create mobile phones to track sheep. In Afghanistan ‘Fab Labbers’ are creating a local telecoms infrastructure and prosthetic limbs, while in South Africa a government and business backed project is creating simple internet connected computers that hook up to televisions and cost just ten dollars each.

The Manchester Fab Lab is free to non-commercial users. Businesses and inventors can opt to protect their product development ideas by paying to use the service. It will reverse the top down approach to technological advancement by empowering everyone to invent.

The centre is managed by mechanical engineer Chrissy Phipps. Complete novices can use the centre and receive help in developing their own ideas, or in building some of the products made at other Fab Labs using ready-made instructions.

‘Fab Labbers’ can use advanced digital and manufacturing technology to make products out of wood, acrylic, composite moulds, silicon, cardboard, sheet aluminium, plastics, copper foil and vinyl. There are waxing, chemical moulding, milling and routing, laser cutting, electronics, textiles, embroidery, vinyl cutting and 3D scanning and printing facilities.

It will have a direct connection via the internet and real time video to the worldwide Fab Lab network, so that users can keep in touch, problem solve and brainstorm ideas with others as far afield as Pretoria, Ghana and Afghanistan.

Visit the Fab Lab website for more information

A groundbreaking Innovation Award is looking to celebrate some of Greater Manchester’s most forward-thinking and dynamic businesses.

The Innovation Award, the brainchild of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and PR agency Weber Shandwick, is being spearheaded by Dr. Moneeb Awan, President of the Greater Manchester Chamber and himself an award-winning entrepreneur with a passion for thinking outside the box and embracing new technologies to help deliver business growth.

Said Moneeb, “This award is not dependent on business size, turnover or a track record of previous award wins – it’s open to all whether you’re a multi-national or a one-man band – we simply want to hear from businesses with a great story to tell that have innovative thinking at the root of their success. The innovation could be a service, product or business process – the key is that it really stands out and delivers a demonstrable return on investment.”

Andy Poole, digital strategist at Weber Shandwick continued, “Digital technologies and communications are reshaping business propositions and the way companies take these to market. This is creating numerous opportunities, which, with the right thinking and application, can keep companies at the top of their game. The award will celebrate and share business innovation from across Greater Manchester to make the region even more competitive.”

The award is open to all businesses across Greater Manchester that can show how they have innovated and how this has benefitted their company. Award entries can be submitted now and at anytime until Friday 28th May 2010, by logging onto www.gmchamber.co.uk/innovation. Application forms take less than 15 minutes to complete.

The lucky winner of the Innovation Award will receive digital consultancy from Weber Shandwick worth £5,000. In addition, they’ll also receive a high speed printer, courtesy of leading printer manufacturer Brother UK.

The award is being delivered by the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Weber Shandwick, and supported by Brother UK and Manchester: Knowledge Capital.

So, with a form designed to take less time than a tea break to complete – what have you got to lose?

For further information, please contact Nadia Kassas on 0161 238 9416 or email nkassas@webershandwick.com

We’re on the look-out for young people with ‘the App Factor’ and an ambition to work in Manchester’s Creative Industries.

WHO?

Are you:

• Looking to get a career or start a business in the creative industries?
• Full of ideas and ambition?
• Based in the Manchester ‘city council’ area?
• Aged between 18 & 24?
• Interested in apps and the potential they offer?

If so, a brand-new project called ‘Creative Innovation Lab’ is for you!

WHAT?

Creative Innovation Lab or ‘The App School’ will take ten lucky individuals on an intensive learning journey as they develop their ideas for a Mobile Phone ‘app’ – by working with some of the best trainers and creative companies in Manchester.

You just need ideas, not tech know-how.

If you’re chosen, you’ll get the chance to work on your ideas through a series of three ‘ideas’ workshops, beginning at the end of February.

You’ll also attend four workshops that will give you essential creative business know-how about managing projects and money, team working, and presenting your work.

At the end of the scheme, you will be able to pitch your worked-up plans for your App to a panel of creative companies – and if they like what they see, they’ll build the app for you and take it to market!!!

Whether your app is selected or not, you’ll have learnt a massive amount and have fantastic industry contacts – improving your chances of getting a career in the creative industries in Manchester.

In addition, we’ll be creating an online documentary about the scheme, which will go out on www.CREATIVETimes.co.uk.

If you are interested in being part of the scheme, you need to first think about the App you would like to work on. You need to consider what it will do, who it will be for, and why people will want to use it.

Apps may be used by a Cultural Organisation or Charity in the city, or could be a straight-forward commercial proposition – if you’ve got a good idea, let us have it and we’ll help you get it to market!

HOW?

Places are really limited, so if you are up for the challenge, register your idea for your app online now at http://tinyurl.com/TheAppSchool or call 0161 446 2991 for an application form.

If you want to register but don’t have access to a phone or computer, there will be a drop-in session at the First Floor Café in Cornerhouse, 70 Oxford Rd. from 3pm to 5pm on Thursday 11 February 2010.

The App School team will treat all ideas in confidence. We will be judging applications by Sunday 21 February 2010 – we’ll be in touch shortly after to let people know if they have secured a place on the project.

Good luck! The App School Team.

More information and contact

Creative Innovation Labs is funded by Manchester City Council, delivered in partnership with Cornerhouse, MMU, Manchester Beacon for Public Engagement and is being managed by The White Room.

If you have any questions about The App School, please contact The White Room.

During a course of four workshops, managers of Greater Manchester SMEs will work with experts such as Nigel Newman of the Edward de Bono Foundation UK, one of only 5 global lifetime master trainers, Jim O’Loughlin who enables senior global executives to enhance their strategic decision making and Mike Ryan, Secretary of Manchester Digital.

The practical 1-day workshops combine insights from business model engineering, neuroscience and practical thinking skills to help leaders develop a fresh perspective to apply current solutions to overcome their immediate business challenges.

The scheme has been described as “a groundbreaking opportunity” by Greater Manchester Chamber’s President, Moneeb Awan, who adds, “Irrespective of the size of your business, the practical benefits of Innovate with Confidence are hugely important. SMEs will learn to develop the tools, embody the perspective and cultivate the contacts to make successful innovation an in-built habit.”

Register to attend the second series of courses

There are just 25 places on the scheme available to Greater Manchester based SMEs. With a waiting list forming as soon as the first course sold out, we expect that this final series of Innovate with Confidence will sell out as quickly as the first series, so don’t delay. Act now to secure your place at www.InnovatewithConfidence.com

The organisers are keen to ensure that this final run of the programme leaves a lasting legacy to a wide range of businesses across Greater Manchester – so we’d appreciate if you could forward the information above onto any businesses you feel would really benefit from the opportunity to ‘Innovate with Confidence’.

More information

Please download the Innovate with Confidence PDF

It is aimed at people already running one of the following ventures:

• Small or Medium business
• Social enterprise
• Not-for-profit organisation

Such ventures in the Northwest can apply for funding (a voucher) which can be used to purchase knowledge from one of the NWDA’s registered knowledge providers.

The aim is to improve your company’s innovation capability.

The key benefits are:

• Access the wealth of knowledge from the  knowldge base, including public and private sector research and technology organisations
• Resolve a business issue, quickly, efficiently and through a source not previously utilised
• Easy to apply and ’spend’ the voucher
• The scheme is funded by the NWDA and ERDF, so is a credible and stable way to fund your organisation’s growth.

Creative and Digital Industries are one of the sectors where applications are being given a higher priority.

NWDA particularly welcome applications from women, minority groups and businesses in deprived areas. Please note that charities are not eligible to apply.

Application deadlines

The current application round is open until 28 August 2009.

The following vouchers are available in the current round:

• 250 x £3,000 vouchers
• 50 x £7,000 vouchers

More applications rounds are planned for December 2009, April 2010 and August 2010.

How to apply

The application form should be submitted online. If you are awarded an innovation voucher you can use it to purchase leading edge expertise to meet your innovation requirements.

You can apply online on the NWDA website.  The application process will take about 20 minutes.

More information

Please contact the Innovation Voucher Team on 01925 400466 for further guidance, or visit the NWDA Finance for Business website.

What is a Fab Lab?

It is a fully-fitted digital fabrication workshop where anyone can go to learn skills, make products that they want for themselves, develop small business ideas, be part of a linked global community and strengthen local links by working together on products to help their own communities.

There are already Fab Labs across the World, from inner cities to the villages of Africa, connected by a global network which enables the sharing of ideas, designs and knowledge.

How will it work?

First, and best of all, standard use of this resource will be free to you and your group. The workshop can be used by anyone who has an idea that they would like to make – they can come along, learn how to create what they want, make it and then take the product away.

We will also be running sessions for groups to start the ideas flowing and take them through the practical skills of using the machinery to produce items.

The workshop really encourages users to interact with and learn from each other, swapping ideas and techniques, and is a fabulous opportunity to be part of a global community.

With all the world-wide Fab Labs linked by live video conferencing, users are able to connect with other users from all over the globe, encouraging cooperation and facilitating cultural learning.

How can you get involved?

Right now we are looking for your input to make sure this project is tailored to your needs. One of the best ways for you to find out more and get involved would be to come along to our Fab Lab Forum Discussion in April (there’s a flyer in PDF format about the event here), where we have secured the founder of Fab Labs, Professor Neil Gershenfeld (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), as a speaker.

The Forum Discussion will bring together our local supporters and potential users such as yourselves, providing a great opportunity to shape the future of the project.

Agenda for the event

• 09:30 Reception: Tea, coffee and breakfast rolls
• 10:00 Dr Julie Madigan: Introduction to The Manufacturing Institute
  • History of The Manufacturing Institute
  • Charitable objectives
  • Community links/activities
• 10:10 Prof. Neil Gershenfeld: Personal introduction and the concept of Fab Labs
  • About Neil Gershenfeld and the MIT Centre for Bits & Atoms
  • Digital fabrication – the new revolution
  • Fab Labs – conception and history
  • International Fab Lab Community
• 10:40 Dr Eddie Kirkby: North West Fab Lab – implementation and possibilities
  • Why a Fab Lab in the North West
  • Implementation plan – timescales, location, etc
  • Possibilities – what could a Fab Lab mean to the community?
• 10:55 Break: tea, coffee and biscuits
• 11:15 Panel discussion:
  • Jonathan Lawson – The Manufacturing Institute – Chair, Neil Gershenfeld – MIT, International Fablabs, Julie Madigan – CEO, The Manufacturing Institute, plus three expert contributors – to be confirmed
  • How to make it happen – getting the most out of the Fab Lab.
  • Set questions and open discussion – how could parties contribute to the ‘success’ of the Fab Lab and what would this look like
• 12:45 Lunch
• 13:45 Close

How to attend

If you would like to come along to the Fab Lab Forum Discussion on the 22nd April, contact Jonathan Lawson by phone on 0161 874 3241 or by email at jonathanl@manufacturinginstitute.co.uk.

Please be aware that places are limited and will be in high demand.

Where and when

Starts 9.30am, ends around 1.45pm, Wednesday 22 April 2009.

The Manufacturing Institute, Quay West, Trafford Wharf Road, Manchester M17 1HH

Who’s organising this event?

The Manufacturing Institute, in partnership with the Innovation Investment Fund, who are facilitating the pull from several North West communities and groups to see the frst UK Fab Lab pilot set up here in our region. You can find out more on the Manufacturing Institute’s website.