MC066: A Community of Makers - The Catalyst for Catalyze with Bill Fienup

When it comes to starting up your own business, it isn’t always easy finding the the right space for exploring, creating, and developing your new ideas. What if you could assemble a community of like-minded people in a place where you can share ideas, be inspired, and collaborate with other creators.

"It started with four or five people, grew to 400, and now we've built a physical home for that community." - Bill Fienup

On this episode of MakingChips, we sit down with Bill Fienup, co-founder of Catalyze Chicago. Catalyze is a creative and collaborative workspace, equipping its members with state-of-the-art tools, industry mentorship, manufacturing support, and investment networks. With a focus towards business start-ups, Catalyze has become Chicago’s premier center for product development and commercialization. Bill shares his brush with internet fame, his inspiration for building Catalyze, and why he believes a maker space like Catalyze should be in every community. We also preview IMTS 2016 and share some of what our listeners can expect from MakingChips at the event.

Episode Structure:

[00:07] - Episode Preview [02:45] - MakingChips Mastermind & Workshop [06:00] - IMTS 2016 [06:40] - MakingChips Studio [07:50] - Welcome Bill Fienup of Catalyze Chicago [09:00] - "Internet Famous” Story [10:20] - Patented Biopsy Needle [12:25] - The Formation of Catalyze [16:00] - How long has Catalyze been an organization? [18:51] - Benefits of Membership [22:45] - Membership Fee Structure [25:49] - Inspiration for Building Catalyze [26:40] - Investor Structure [28:55] - The Future of Catalyze [30:30] - Starting a Maker-Space in your Community

Mentioned in this Episode:

Our FAVORITE Restaurants in Chicago Heinz Automato IMTS 2016 Bill Fienup | LinkedIn Ryan's Patreon Account

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