Creative Workspace 'Maker Space' Initiative in Jeonbuk

Main Components of Jeonbuk Province's 2020 Maker Space Establishment and Operation Project. Photo by Jeonbuk Province

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Tae-in] A space where those dreaming of starting a manufacturing business can realize innovative business ideas in one place and create a healthy manufacturing ecosystem through various network collaborations is being established in Jeonbuk Province.

Jeonbuk Province announced on the 6th that the Korea Carbon Convergence Technology Institute was finally selected for the 2020 Maker Space Construction and Operation Project, which the Ministry of SMEs and Startups promoted to spread the nationwide Maker Movement, an innovative creative activity.

The Maker Space attracted by Jeonbuk this time is a specialized lab supporting professional creative activities and linked startup infrastructure commercialization. It is led by the Korea Carbon Convergence Technology Institute, with the Jeonbuk Economic and Trade Promotion Agency participating as a corporate support and domestic and international marketing specialist organization.

The Jeonbuk Maker Space will be promoted with a total project budget of 7.8 billion KRW over five years starting this year, aiming to spread maker culture, nurture 300 professional makers, and support 30 maker startups.

The Jeonbuk Maker Space plans to cultivate differentiated professional makers by having excellent technical personnel from 12 participating institutions act as professional maker supporters and utilizing companies related to carbon and convergence materials.

Additionally, through technical support from the Korea Carbon Convergence Technology Institute and commercialization support from the Jeonbuk Economic and Trade Promotion Agency, the plan is to establish the nation’s best Maker Space.

The name of Jeonbuk’s Maker Space (specialized lab) is ‘Ttukttak365,’ which conveys the sound of an idea being ‘ttukttak’ (the sound of something being made) into a product and the meaning that maker activities are possible 365 days a year. A space for overnight work will also be provided.

The space will be constructed over eight floors, encompassing all processes such as education, production, and exhibition, including areas for installing high-load specialized equipment, composite material molding rooms, electrical and electronic application rooms, 3D digital education rooms, post-assembly processing rooms, and prototype exhibition spaces.

With the help of professional supporters from 12 participating institutions, the Jeonbuk Maker Space will provide support for technology and commercialization as well as product mass production through the corporate network factory, expected to yield various economic, industrial, and social benefits.

Before applying for the contest, Jeonbuk Province, the Korea Carbon Convergence Technology Institute, and the Jeonbuk Economic and Trade Promotion Agency visited five specialized labs nationwide and six general labs within the province to set the project direction. They also conducted two rounds of surveys and focus group interviews with general labs and company employees to reflect field demands in the project plan, dedicating great effort.

After supplementing the project plan through two rounds of expert consulting, they signed MOUs with general labs and professional maker supporter participating institutions in the province and held a professional maker supporter launch ceremony attended by representatives of 12 participating institutions, presided over by Vice Governor Woo Beom-gi.

The selection for the Maker Space contest project this time is evaluated to have been effective due to the close mutual cooperation among Jeonbuk Province, the Korea Carbon Convergence Technology Institute, and the Jeonbuk Economic and Trade Promotion Agency.

Starting next month, the province plans to proceed with space design, interior construction, and purchase of equipment and devices, conduct online and offline pre-promotion, and hold meetings with university startup incubation centers and network factory representatives.

Furthermore, active promotion will be carried out in connection with the Jeonbuk Science Festival, which involves 130,000 participants, and full operation is scheduled after the opening ceremony in November.

Na Seok-hoon, Head of the Jeonbuk Job and Economy Headquarters, said, “With the attraction of the Maker Space specialized lab, the spread of maker culture and activation of manufacturing-based maker activities are expected. We ask for the interest and participation of residents as it is expected to greatly contribute to regional economic revitalization through the establishment of a startup ecosystem and activation of youth entrepreneurship.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.