The Future of Manufacturing: Scaling the Maker Movement

Being a maker in the United States is so much more than just DIY and crafting. Individuals are starting legitimate businesses and supporting families off the things they make. However, in the last few years, I’ve seen that the challenges come when they are trying to scale and go from being maker to a manufacturer (or using a contract manufacturer). Manufacturing has been an insider industry: historically, you’ve had to “know somebody” in order to get something made.

Since many design entrepreneurs don’t have experience in the manufacturing industry, they don’t know where to start. Technology is the great equalizer, and that’s why bringing technology into the maker movement is something me and Matthew are really passionate about.

Now, Maker’s Row is making it even easier to produce in the United States by giving brands the ability to request estimates, transact, and, with the new project dashboard, have local factories bid on their projects. It used to be that designers would spend countless months searching for factories to produce their ideas. Today, Maker’s Row is turning the tables, allowing factories to find the entrepreneurs.

Factories can browse through hundreds of projects that are posted every day and select which leads they’d like to pursue. Not only does this give power to factories to choose their work, it also gives brands a chance to be exposed to thousands of factories that are willing to help them manufacture their products in the United States.

The democratization of information is the future of American manufacturing, and I’m excited that Maker’s Row is at the forefront.

Check out the newest features:

• New homepage: makersrow.com
• Maker’s Row Payments: makersrow.com/payments
• Maker’s Row Projects: makersrow.com/projects … as of this month, factories now can bid on them!