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TechShop Celebrates Grand Opening Of Missouri Location

  • October 25, 2016

screen-shot-2016-10-25-at-11-35-51-amTechShop, the world’s first and largest network of open access, do-it-yourself workshops and fabrication studios, celebrated the grand opening of its 18,000 sq. ft. facility in the Cortex Innovation Community, in St. Louis, Missouri.

“Home to one of the largest tech hubs in the Midwest, St. Louis’ Cortex District is the perfect location for TechShop to expand and create jobs,” said Missouri Governor Jay Nixon. “With the opening of this maker-space, students, small business owners, and those wanting to turn their dreams into something tangible, can access virtually any tool or piece of equipment to start building the products of the future from right here in Missouri.”

TechShop was founded in 2006 in California’s Silicon Valley as a place for the public to come and have access to industrial strength machinery without having to pay a fortune to buy it.

The St. Louis office will offer dozens of classes for members and non-members, teaching safety and the basic use of TechShop’s tools and equipment, and covering a variety of topics, including woodworking, welding, electronics, 3D printing, machining, textiles, and much more.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the grand opening of TechShop St. Louis, our ninth U.S. location,” said TechShop CEO Dan Woods. “St. Louis is a community steeped in exploration, manufacturing, science, medicine, education, and the arts. We are proud to partner with Cortex to help St. Louis grow as a center for innovation in the region for years to come.”

Missouri entrepreneur and inventor Jim McKelvey used TechShop to create the prototype for Square, a mobile-based payment system, which has now grown into one of the most successful mobile-based payment companies in the world. Square recently opened their new St. Louis office, also choosing to locate in the Cortex Innovation Community.

With its strategic location, globally connected infrastructure, economic diversity, competitive business and labor costs, highly-skilled and hard working talent, reliable and inexpensive energy and a statewide commitment to attracting companies and investment, Missouri is a place where companies come to grow and thrive.