October 6 - 28: New York, NY
GE Garages
Join GE and partners in celebrating the official launch of a new building experience: GE Garages
This manufacturing co-lab celebrates technologists, entrepreneurs and everyday people with a one-of-a kind opportunity to discover modern prototyping and manufacturing processes, collaborate in hands-on workshops, participate in specialized manufacturing training and education, and learn from guest speakers.
GE Garages Fact Sheet
GE Garages
GE Garages is a skill-building center powered by TechShop and developed in partnership with Skillshare, Quirky, Make and Inventables to serve as an advanced manufacturing lab for technologists, entrepreneurs and every day Americans. The innovation and manufacturing center aims to spark interest and engagement for modern making from prototyping inventions to modern manufacturing-based technologies through hands-on experiences with 3D printers, a CNC mill, laser cutter, injection molder, and through special classes in the space. Join us to learn about the future of making and try your hand at it!
Top Messages
GE Garages are skill-building innovation and manufacturing centers, developed to spark interest and engagement in jobs that have led America through a variety of innovative high-points. From prototyping inventions and new products to creating manufacturing-based solutions to solve tough problems, the new centers will invest in the education of our employees and communities.
GE Garages is a free space where aspiring builders of all levels can go to develop new skills and learn about modern manufacturing technologies.
GE Garages will offer a first-of-its-kind opportunity to learn about the invention and manufacturing processes, receive support in product building, participate in hands-on maker workshops, conduct trainings on high-tech prototyping equipment and learn from guest speakers.
GE Garages is part of GE Works, which focuses on what’s working in the U.S. and solutions.
Partner Information & Press Contacts
Quirky
Quirky is a social development company that brings two brand new consumer products to market each week through its online collaborative platform. Quirky’s community of over 180,000 members weigh in on every aspect of product development from sketch to store. Quirky shares its revenue with influencers who help bring each product to life. Since its launch in 2009, Quirky has collaboratively developed over 200 new products. National retail partnerships include Apple, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Target, Barnes & Noble, OfficeMax and many others.
Tiffany Markofsky
tiffany@quirkyinc.com
Skillshare
Skillshare is a community marketplace to learn anything from anyone. Our mission is to transform education by empowering teaching and democratizing learning. We believe that everyone has something they want to learn and something they can teach to others. This means our communities are really the greatest universities. Our platform helps make the exchange of knowledge easy, enriching, and fun.
Abigail Besdin
abigail@skillshare.com
917-447-4235
TechShop
TechShop, Inc. is the first membership based, do-it-yourself (DIY) workshop and fabrication studio, providing access to a vibrant community of highly creative people and more than $1million worth of high-quality machines, tools, and software. Based in Northern California with plans to expand nationally, TechShop offers hands on training for people of all skill levels to get them started using TechShop's tools and equipment. TechShop’s classes are the perfect way for Artist, Entrepreneurs, Hobbyist, and Makers of all ages to acquire the needed talents to build their dreams. From CNC prototyping tools to industrial sewing and textiles equipment, laser cutting and electronics, to welding and machine shop equipment.
Carrie Motamedi
carrie@techshop.ws
415.244.2204
Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc., is a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software. Customers across the manufacturing, architecture, building, construction, and media and entertainment industries—including the last 16 Academy Award winners for Best Visual Effects—use Autodesk software to design, visualize, and simulate their ideas before they’re ever built or created. From blockbuster visual effects and buildings that create their own energy to electric cars and the batteries that power them, the work of our 3D software customers is everywhere you look.
Jennifer Gentrup
jennifer.gentrup@autodesk.com
How it will work
The Garages will facilitate three categories of activities:
- GE Projects: Community participation in solving a specific local or global challenge
- One-off Products: Support individuals wanting to create a single item of interest
- Consumer Products: Development of products designed for mass production
What's Inside
Workstations at the Garages will be fully-equipped to give visitors the ability to realize their ideas in wood, plastic, textiles, sheet metal and various other materials. Visitors will be able to learn on and have access to the following GE equipment including:
- CNC Mill – designed for cutting wood, acrylic, aluminum, stainless steel, titanium and other materials.
- Laser Cutter – CAD files are output to the laser cutter to either cut or engrave a wide range of materials
- 3D Printer – for rapid prototyping and creation of plastic objects from CAD files
- Injection Molder – used to create plastic parts from metal molds; can be fabricated using the CNC mill.
Locations
Kicking-off in Austin, TX at SXSW, the GE Garages first launched as mobile pop-ups traveling to Houston and San Francisco during Q2 and then Virginia Tech and Boston in September of 2012. The NYC Location will be at 144 10th Avenue at 19th Street, New York, NY 10011.
Collaboration to Foster Innovation in America
With approximately 219 GE manufacturing plants located in 38 states in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, manufacturing is our primary focus for driving American competitiveness. With GE Garages, GE intends to develop the same sense of pride in invention and innovation across the country’s universities and cities to increase American competitiveness. GE believes that the next great technologists and entrepreneurs are here in the U.S., and GE Garages will deliver new opportunities for their education and training.
