The Makerbox Lao hosted its grand opening ceremony on Sunday at the World Trade Center building in Vientiane Capital.
The Makerbox Lao (MBL) is the first public “maker space” in Laos, allowing members and visitors to enjoy a co-working space, as well as state-of-the-art facilities for experimentation and discovery around science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) at the space.
Aside from providing tools and consumables for any type of project, Makerbox has access to an extended network of experts who are able to assist in ideation, prototyping, and commercialization of new products.
The opening was presided over by Mr. Souphon Chanthavixay, Director-General Lao Telecommunication Public Company, and was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Technology and Communications, representatives from the public and private sectors, diplomatic personnel, and invited guests.
Visitors toured the facilities, guided by the nine co-founders, employees, and a host of young volunteers. They were treated to a 3D printing demonstration and viewed Makerbox projects centered around electronics, the internet of things (IoT), smart agriculture, architecture, and the arts.
The space will host workshops for professionals, enthusiasts and curious members of the public to get hands-on experience on a variety of topics from IT to arts and crafts, with distinguished speakers from Laos and from abroad.
In addition to its long-term goal of helping to accelerate and accompany Laos’ transition to a sustainable, digital economy, The Makerbox Lao also aims to empower youth and provide them with the resources and facilities they need to develop their ideas, which eventually can become part of the incubator stream for promising new companies and start-ups in STEAM fields.
