Would anyone like to attend the below event?  If so contact me directly and
I'll pass your details on to the organisers.

It's a discussion event for people who are actively involved in
establishing Maker communities to investigate whether and how the
Technology Strategy Board can support communities of Makers as a source of
Internet of Things innovation in the UK. The aim of the round table is to
explore the key issues these communities face and how they could be
supported.

Laura

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I am organising a round table for a group of select people who are actively
involved in establishing Maker communities to investigate whether and how
the TSB IOT SIG can support communities of Makers as a source of IOT
innovation in the UK. The aim of the round table is to explore the key
issues these communities face and how the IOT program going forward could
support such communities. We are calling them Maker communities, but
consider this to include communities known as Makers, Hackers and
Tinkerers.

Maker communities are known to face various barriers to growth,
predominantly around funding. However, there may be specific interventions
where the IOT SIG can help. As a result of informal discussions, some of
the areas where the SIG may be able to help are outlined below:

-        Individual projects struggle to scale. Is there a way to broker
projects with expertise in areas such as manufacturing and certification,
so that projects can develop from producing a one-off and into a start up?

-        How can we encourage links between grass roots and traditional
companies and what form would these relationships take?

-        Is there a way to connect manufacturers who have old equipment
with Maker communities?

-        How can we network Maker communities so they can share resources,
supply chains and best practice?

-        Makers commonly need to liaise with civil society challenge owners
or end user communities, such as schools, hospitals, local communities. How
can we facilitate easier access to such communities so that individual
projects do not have to establish their own links?

-        How do we encourage the active involvement of creatives and
encourage multi-disciplinary working that often leads to greater success?

Whilst the areas outlined above are the result of informal discussions, we
need to check if they are a priority more widely and to explore how the IOT
SIG could help going forward. At this stage, it is a consultation exercise
with those specifically involved in the Maker community.
The date organised is 23rd November 3 to 5 pm in a central London venue.