Proposal

Draft, compiled by --trox [at] fabfolk [.] com 13:31, 27 July 2010 (UTC)

Overall structure of this document / proposal
 * identify overall goals
 * identify sustainable business models, each with
 * assets that can be leveraged at the local Lab level and are the basis for our possible businesses
 * related tools
 * Summary of the tools suggested, adding more details

Overall Goals within the Fab ecosystem
As a starting point, it is instructive to identify and classify the multiple goals being pursued within the Fab ecosystem, and group them into what are likely independent enterprises that are well suited to pursue the different goals. Such enterprises will share in the ecosystem values (as defined in the Fab Charter), as they pursue independent missions. In addition, the enterprises would be financially linked by a series of licensing and partnership agreements. We see the FabLab goals coalescing into the following groupings:


 * 1) Support and grow the network of FabLabs worldwide, relying primarily on local resources and bootstrapping at the local Lab level.
 * 2) Organize and disseminate knowledge of personal fabrication and FabLabs.
 * 3) Support the creation of tools to advance the interoperability of personal fabrication gear.
 * 4) Support the creation of FabLabs in the developing world with an emphasis on securing  government, educational and NGO grant-level funding to form new labs.
 * 5) Create revenue sources from services delivered by Labs that help FabLabs to be self-sustaining.
 * 6) Labs and the community need products and services to get started and for maintenance purposes.  More importantly, the FabLab network and community as a whole should work to mature the infrastructure of the technology for the sake of ease of use, interoperability and similar goals that increase the adoption rate and broaden the possibilities.
 * 7) Support and accelerate the creation of entrepreneurial enterprises based on ideas and products created in Labs.

The extensive network of FabLabs, the worldwide Fab ecosystem, and the creativity unleashed through individuals at local labs are collectively incredibly fertile ground for launching Fab-centric businesses. We seek business models that leverage and are a natural companion to the worldwide network of FabLabs.

Specific, sustainable business models
Based on the goals above, there are four categories of businesses that meet our requirements for a sustainable businesses:

The Enabler business model
Opportunities for launching / installing new Labs or providing maintenance, supply chain or similarly positioned services for existing Labs. Products or services that provide information or tools throughout the Lab network also fall under the Enabler heading. These businesses will help propel the growth of the Lab network and increase the level of consistency across sites.

Assets that can be leveraged:
 * Experience from existing labs
 * National/regional Fab Foundations

Related tools:
 * Allow users to post questions which can be easily accessed and answered by the entire network
 * To allow Fab Labs to share best practice about achieving sustainability at individual labs in a tutorial based format
 * A searchable database of Fab Lab expertise
 * A method for Fab Lab users to contribute towards Fab Lab projects which can be described online - similar to open-source software development
 * A from of E-commerce which enables agreement of fees for assistance and also the payment and receipt of such fees

The Education business model
tba. see separate efforts lead by John Boeck

The Incubator business model
Provide infrastructure for entrepreneurs to turn their FabLab creations into sustainable businesses. The incubator provides back-office infrastructure, promotion & marketing, seed capital, the leverage of the FabLab network and other venture infrastructure to enable the entrepreneur to focus on her areas of expertise. Obviously it is necessary to have local (national) expertise at hand to incubate a business from a specific lab, particularly when it comes to legal and administrative questions.

Assets that can be leveraged:
 * experience from examples that could be written up as case studies
 * expertise in labs that is transferable (e.g. new product development, business model generation, design thinking)

Related tools:
 * Allow users to post questions which can be easily accessed and answered by the entire network
 * To allow Fab Labs to share best practice - e.g. identifying customer value, etc - in a tutorial based format -- or simply start a collection of case studies from all over the world or write a book
 * A searchable database of Fab Lab expertise / experts
 * (maybe also) A method for Fab Lab users to contribute towards Fab Lab projects which can be described online - similar to open-source software development

The Replicated / Network business model
Provide a product, service or curriculum that operates by utilizing the infrastructure, staff and expertise of a local Fab Lab. Such opportunities can be replicated, sold by and executed at many (or all) local Labs, with sustainable revenue at each location. The leverage of all Labs in the network simultaneously promoting and delivering the business creates strength and reach for the brand. This could be obviously extended to a variety of products (e.g. from various labs). Examples include:


 * Providing information, such as regarding the network, equipment, or proceeses.
 * Curriculum for instruction
 * Software to enable or improve process and interoperability
 * Software to simulate machine operations

Another idea would be to leverage the network's capacities, making the skills and knowledge of individual labs (and eventually individual lab users) available globally as sources of knowledge and production:


 * Register of Fab Labs avaiable for single product fabrication or low volume production - i.e. Ponoko or 100k Garages
 * Fab Labs and Fab Lab commercial users paying for other Fab Lab expertise by the hour/day
 * Fab Labs collaborating on problems posed on such websites as Innovation Exchange or Brainrack and sharing financial rewards

Assets that can be leveraged:
 * People that are educators, engineers, tinkerers, evangelists, early adopters and above all, creators.
 * Fabrication gear (bits & atoms), with some degree of uniformity
 * Interoperability and digital control of the fabrication gear
 * Expertise in using the equipment
 * Platform for education
 * Prototyping and short run manufacturing capability

Related tools:


 * Allow users to post questions which can be easily accessed and answered by the entire network
 * To allow Fab Labs to share best practice - e.g. use of equipment, materials, etc - in a tutorial based format
 * A searchable database of Fab Lab expertise
 * A method for Fab Lab users to contribute towards Fab Lab projects which can be described online - similar to open-source software development
 * A from of E-commerce which enables agreement of fees for assistance and also the payment and receipt of such fees
 * (maybe) A method/platform for potential Fab Lab clients to put out calls for tender to the Fab ecosystem -- if the

Q&A

 * Allow users to post questions which can be easily accessed and answered by the entire network
 * internal "ask for help" system which includes
 * asking questions (including reward system, both in terms of money/micropayments and karma),
 * commenting / clarifying questions,
 * providing answers/solutions,
 * discussion of answers/solutions,
 * rating of answers and questions (which could be accumulated into a community wide "karma" system to supplement the accreditation mechanism)
 * such a system could be modeled based on http://www.starmind.com (I am in contact with ceo)

Tutorial

 * To allow Fab Labs to share best practice about achieving sustainability at individual labs in a tutorial based format

Directory

 * A searchable database of Fab Lab expertise
 * directory of capabilities, needs to be "certified" in some way (probably fab central style) -- on the level of labs and individuals

Collaborative Projects

 * A method for Fab Lab users to contribute towards Fab Lab projects which can be described online - similar to open-source software development

E-commerce

 * A from of E-commerce which enables agreement of fees for assistance and also the payment and receipt of such fees

Tendering

 * A method/platform for potential Fab Lab clients to put out calls for tender to the Fab ecosystem