Austria’s first makerspace is celebrating its 20th anniversary in October 2026 – join us!
→ Since 2006, Happylab has been the place where ideas, prototypes, start-ups and businesses take shape.
→ From a small basement workshop to Vienna’s largest makerspace on over 900 m²
→ For 20 years, Happylab has been home to a growing community of people who learn, experiment and create together
→ In October 2026, we’re celebrating 20 years of making and open innovation in Vienna
→ Join us for a programme of events, workshops and community projects!
On 8 October we celebrated 20 years of Happylab with members, partners and long-time companions, and on 9 October with the whole community at the Makers Lab Night. Thank you for being there! Here are the photos of both days and a video message from Dale Dougherty.
Dale Dougherty founded Make: Magazine and Maker Faire and with them shaped the maker movement. He visited Happylab in 2023, and his story about us appeared in Make: Magazine in 2024.
Anniversary celebration, 8 October · Photos: Franzi Kreis
Makers Lab Night, 9 October · Photos: Tanja Zach
Workshop weeks · 12–29 October
16:00–18:00
Got a broken device at home, but spare parts are too expensive or no longer available? In this basic course we show you when a 3D-printed repair makes sense, what mechanical, thermal and chemical requirements spare parts have to meet, and how to find and assess suitable models.
For anyone who wants to get everyday objects working again themselves. Held in German. Participation is free of charge.
16:00–19:00
Together with Repair Team Wien, you repair your broken small appliances: kitchen appliances, lamps, irons, radios, CD players and more. Whether you're already a Happylab member or just coming by to fix something, you're very welcome.
Free of charge, no registration needed: first come, first served.
19:00–20:00
18:00–20:00
16:00–20:00
The word clock is always an eye-catcher! Guided by Happylab member Markus Täubler, you'll build your own clock that spells out the time in words (25 × 25 cm or 50 × 50 cm), using the laser cutter, vinyl cutter, an ESP32 microcontroller and LEDs.
Suitable for beginners, no previous experience needed. Held in German. You only pay for materials. Workshop leader: Markus Täubler
17:00–20:00
Dive into the world of ceramics: on the first evening you'll learn the basics of hand-building and create your own pieces from clay, from functional, food-safe ceramics to decorative sculptures.
The workshop runs over two evenings, 19 and 29 October, and your registration covers both. Suitable for complete beginners, no previous experience needed. Held in German. Participation is free of charge. Workshop leader: Zahra Mirza.
17:00–19:00
Want to keep working on a 3D scan in a CAD program but don't know how? In this workshop you'll learn how to prepare scan data in Quicksurface Pro, extract primitive shapes, reconstruct complex surfaces and export the result as a STEP file: the basis for making spare parts with 3D scanning and 3D printing.
Prerequisite: previous experience with CAD. Held in German. Participation is free of charge.
19:00–22:00
18:00–20:00
A get-together for women* makers from the Happylab community: chat about current projects, get to know each other and connect.
Born out of Female Maker Month, because women are still clearly underrepresented in the maker scene and we want to change that. Participation is free of charge.
15:00–18:00
Want to 3D print, CNC mill or laser cut your own object but don't know how to design it digitally? Step by step, we'll show you how an idea becomes a 3D model in Autodesk Fusion, from the first sketch and parametric bodies to the finished file for the machine.
For beginners with no previous experience. Please bring your own laptop with Autodesk Fusion installed. Held in German. Participation is free of charge.
17:00–20:00
The second evening of the same workshop: the pieces from part 1 are glazed and fired in Happylab's kiln. Held in German. Workshop leader: Zahra Mirza.
Kids' programme during the autumn holidays
10:00–13:00
Drawdio (ages 10–12, fixed start at 10:20 am): From a pencil and a few electronic parts you solder an instrument that plays music when you draw with it.
Wunderwuzzi (ages 6–12): You build a little robot from a toothbrush, decorate it and race it against the others.
Woodturning (ages 6–12): Wearing safety glasses, you shape your own piece of wood with a turning chisel on a child-sized lathe.
3D pen and games (ages 6–12): With the 3D pen you make small works of art, from a badge to the Eiffel Tower.
Drawdio (ages 10–12, fixed start at 10:20 am): From a pencil and a few electronic parts you solder an instrument that plays music when you draw with it.
Wunderwuzzi (ages 6–12): You build a little robot from a toothbrush, decorate it and race it against the others.
Woodturning (ages 6–12): Wearing safety glasses, you shape your own piece of wood with a turning chisel on a child-sized lathe.
3D pen and games (ages 6–12): With the 3D pen you make small works of art, from a badge to the Eiffel Tower.
Wooden racers (ages 6–12): You build and decorate your own wooden racer and race it on our four-metre track.
Textile printing (ages 6–12): You design a motif, cut it out on the vinyl cutter and press it onto fabric.
Injection moulding (ages 6–12): You sort and shred plastic and turn it into your own object on the injection moulding machine.
3D pen and games (ages 6–12): With the 3D pen you make small works of art, from a badge to the Eiffel Tower.
Wooden racers (ages 6–12): You build and decorate your own wooden racer and race it on our four-metre track.
Textile printing (ages 6–12): You design a motif, cut it out on the vinyl cutter and press it onto fabric.
Injection moulding (ages 6–12): You sort and shred plastic and turn it into your own object on the injection moulding machine.
3D pen and games (ages 6–12): With the 3D pen you make small works of art, from a badge to the Eiffel Tower.
From the very first machines in a small basement to organising Maker Faire Vienna and the maker community during the pandemic - take a journey through 20 years of Happylab.
2006 - 2010
In 2006, Happylab founders Karim Jafarmadar and Roland Stelzer were working on their own research projects when they rented a small basement workshop and equipped it with the first machines and tools.
It didn’t take long for a new idea to emerge: opening the workshop to others through community evenings, workshops, and open access to technologies such as CNC milling machines, laser cutters and more. Without even realising it, they had created Austria’s first makerspace.
2006 - 2012
One of the first research projects to emerge from the growing Happylab community was ASV Roboat—a fully autonomous robotic sailing boat developed by Karim, Roland and their team between 2006 and 2012.
Roboat went on to win several international autonomous sailing competitions and was later used in collaboration with Oregon State University to study harbour porpoise populations in the Baltic Sea.
2004 - 2016
From 2004 to 2016, we hosted RobotChallenge in Vienna - one of the world’s largest competitions for self-built autonomous and mobile robots.
RobotChallenge brought together thousands of participants and visitors from around the world, inspiring enthusiasm for robotics, electronics and artificial intelligence. Since 2017, the competition has been held in Beijing in cooperation with Chinese partner organisations.
2010 - 2021
As the community continued to grow, the original basement soon became too small. In 2010, Happylab moved to a new location in Vienna’s 2nd district, expanding to 240 m² and creating more space for machines, workshops and new projects.
With larger CNC milling machines, laser cutters, 3D printers and other new technologies, Happylab became a central hub for making, prototyping and digital fabrication in Vienna.
2014
In 2014, we opened Happylab Salzburg, the first makerspace to grow out of Happylab Vienna. Together with regional partners, we created a new space for making, digital fabrication and creative technologies.
Today, Happylab Salzburg is independently run by a local team and continues to be an important part of Austria’s makerspace community.
2016 - 2023
The maker movement needs a stage: In 2016, Happylab brought Maker Faire Vienna to the city, creating a major festival celebrating innovation, creativity and technology.
For the first time, Maker Faire Vienna showcased Austria’s maker community to a broad audience, inspiring thousands of visitors to explore science, technology and hands-on creativity. It quickly became a showcase, knowledge-sharing platform and meeting place for Austria’s maker movement.
2016
With the opening of Happylab Berlin, Happylab expanded beyond Austria for the first time. Together with our local team, we created a new open space for making, digital fabrication and innovation in Berlin.
Today, Happylab Berlin is independently run by a local team and continues to carry the spirit of Happylab forward.
2020
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when protective equipment was in short supply around the world, Happylab quickly transformed into a production hub for 3D-printed face shields.
Together with our community, we produced thousands of face shields for temporary hospitals, medical practices and other essential organisations. The project demonstrated how open workshops can respond quickly in times of crisis and create real impact for society.
2021
With the move to our new location, Happylab entered its next chapter. Expanding to more than 900 m², we created new workshop areas, more space for projects, and even greater opportunities for digital fabrication and prototyping.
Alongside our existing facilities, we added fully equipped wood and metal workshops, new machine areas and a dedicated finishing space. Today, Happylab remains Vienna’s largest open high-tech workshop.
2022
Starting in 2022, Happylab placed an even stronger focus on diversity and equal opportunities in technology and making. Through workshops, exhibitions, networking events and women*-only formats, we created spaces for women* to explore new technologies, develop their own projects and become part of the maker community.
By increasing the visibility of female* makers in a traditionally male-dominated field, we established long-term Female* Makers programmes that continue to shape Happylab today.
2024
Building on our long-running and popular kids birthday parties, Happylab introduced new programmes designed especially for children and teenagers. Through initiatives such as the Young Makers Academy and the Young Makers Club, young makers explore digital technologies, tools and creative project work in a fun and hands-on way.
At Happylab, we create spaces where children and young people can be creative, experiment and discover future technologies by making them their own.
2026
Twenty years after Happylab was founded, we’re celebrating more than an anniversary - we’re celebrating two decades of open access to technology, knowledge and tools.
Twenty years of Happylab have shown why open workshops matter: they bring together education, technology, craftsmanship, art and entrepreneurship, foster collaboration, and make innovation accessible to everyone. Together, we’re celebrating 20 years of making in Vienna - and the people, ideas and projects that have made Happylab what it is today.
We look forward to celebrating 20 years of Happylab with you - and to shaping the next 20 years of making in Vienna together!
