We don't hear much about the "creative economy" these days. In an era where the word startup is always associated with software in general and interesting new categories like deep technology and artificial intelligence in particular, the work of 20th century artisans rarely makes the news.
But the manufacturing economy continues to grow. From arts and crafts products sold on Etsy to inventors and using crowdfunding platforms to connect with potential buyers, makers play a vital role in today's economy as designers, creators, employers and taxpayers.
And as the technology sector develops, the ability to produce prototypes and small series of physical objects may also play an increasingly important role in the development of technologies that combine software and physical devices.
Of course, the question is: where does all this work actually take place? Prepay for a new product through a crowdfunding site and it will likely be made in a factory somewhere in Asia. The same goes for prototypes. If the creator does not have the skills and machinery to turn the ideas into physical reality, the production work may have to be outsourced. Here in the UK it is hard to find factories that offer short lead times so the only option is to look abroad.
That's the problem Arnaud Nichols, Al Parra and Vinny Nanray are trying to overcome. As co-founders of Bloqs, they created a workspace for artisans and designers. Instead, they function as software-oriented workspaces, with an open design to encourage collaboration and in an "open access factory" style, offering access to a range of paid tools. . When I spoke with Parra and Nichols earlier this week, I was eager to hear their thoughts on the maker economy and their role in encouraging small-scale home design and production.
Born out of necessity
Founded twelve years ago, Bloqs is a company born out of necessity. Nichols, Parra and Nanray are three of the seven artisans facing eviction from the co-working/living spaces. With nowhere to work, they rented a building in Enfield and began filling it with equipment, some borrowed from Arnaud's father. The idea is to provide creators with everything they need to work flexibly.
"The idea is to make it as big as possible and fill it with as much equipment as possible," Parra said. And as Nichols adds, the basic principle is to offer craftsmen a model "at no additional cost." They will only pay for the time they spend on Bloqs.
In practice, there is a wide variety of equipment that allows users to work with 3D laser printers, wood, fabric, metal. Training is also provided for those who need it.
So who needs it? Is this a space for traditional crafters, or is a hub like this something that startups should take advantage of, especially those that combine software and hardware?
Research and development site
Yes, it is a big church. Users may be cabinet makers who have access to woodworking tools and materials, or engineers who use metalworking facilities. Some users can create products for customers or create prototypes.
"So we have people doing interdisciplinary research and development and other people doing small-scale manufacturing," Nichols said.
In terms of research and development, Nichols gives the example of a climate technology company that is building a prototype of a carbon sequestration machine. Typically, carbon capture systems combine multiple disciplines, including chemistry and software engineering. But there is also an important physical component. You have to build a car.
Connect with technology
According to Parra, this is where the services offered by Bloqs go beyond the crafters, designers and engineers market and engage with the growing tech startup community.
"In the new technology sector there is a lot of software and a lot of processes. But there is also a lot to do physically. "That's the market we want to serve," he said.
The company also wants to boost the domestic manufacturing industry. "If you want to mass produce something, you have to go to a big factory," Nichols said. “But if you have these nodes, you can do something small and bring the manufacturing process closer to home. "There is no need to produce it abroad."
According to him, this is in line with the changing expectations of potential customers. "We are seeing changes in the industry," he added. "People are much more aware of what they consume."
There are particular concerns about the carbon footprint of manufacturing products. All things being equal, goods produced close to home tend to produce fewer emissions in transit than goods moving from far corners of the world. Bloqs, on the other hand, uses solar energy and recycles wood chips in an effort to get closer to net zero. How much of this can be communicated to the end consumer may be a question, but reducing CO2 production is a good goal.
Nicholas and Parra said they plan to expand to other centers using a payment model. They are not alone in the market. Many cities across the UK host Makerspaces and universities are also keen to offer such facilities to their students. The key for aspiring creators is to find a framework that provides the right tools for their goals.
Meanwhile, Bloqs serves various interest groups, including the traditional audience of designers and small manufacturers, as well as new technology companies that need space to prototype devices that may one day become final products. .
