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!
Since its founding in 2006, Happylab has been driven by a simple idea: tools, knowledge and technology shouldn’t be reserved for companies or research institutions—they should be accessible to everyone.
→ 3D Printing
→ Laser Cutting
→ Electronics
→ Textile Lab
→ Wood & Metal Workshop
→ Workshops & Expert Support
→ Programmes for kids & teens
→ Prototyping
Thursday October 8th, 2026
To kick off our anniversary celebrations, we’re inviting the people who have accompanied, supported and shaped Happylab over the years to a special anniversary gathering. Together, we’ll look back on 20 years of making in Vienna and ahead to the future of technology, education and open workshops.
Alongside inspiring conversations and opportunities to reconnect, we will host a curated selection of projects from 20 years of Happylab: from creative experiments and research projects to start-ups, artworks and interactive exhibits to explore and try out.
Attendance is by personal invitation only.
Friday October 9th, 2026 (5 - 10 pm)
Our 2026 Makers Lab Night will be extra special as we celebrate 20 years of Happylab - and 20 years of making in Vienna!
Join us for an evening full of creativity, technology and community:
→ Discover projects from our maker community
→ Meet the makers and exchange stories and ideas
→ Take a look behind the scenes of Vienna’s largest makerspace
→ Celebrate 20 years of making, open workshops and innovation together
Want to showcase your project at Makers Lab Night?
Our Call for Makers is now open! Everyone exhibiting a project will be entered into a prize draw to win a Happylab membership for 2027.
Make your own ceramics, repair with 3D printing, create with electronics and much more – our anniversary programme is packed with hands-on workshops, giving you plenty of opportunities to discover new skills. More information and workshop dates coming soon!
Tuesday October 27th - Friday October 30th, 2026 (10 am - 1 pm)
During the autumn holidays, Happylab will become a playground for curious young makers! Over four mornings, we’ll be hosting free hands-on workshops for children aged 6 to 12.
Soldering, 3D printing, plastic recycling, woodturning, creative technologies and exciting maker projects - our Maker Kids Days are all about discovering the joy of making through hands-on exploration and creativity.
As part of our 20th anniversary celebrations, we’re inviting children and their families to discover the world of making together and take a look inside Vienna’s largest makerspace.
More programme details coming soon!
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!
