Category Archives: Entrepreneurs

Happy New Year!

IMG_0689To celebrate  the New Year, we’ve gone live a day early with our Maker application!

So have at it! Get your Make on!  Wow us with your incredible ingenuity and creativity!

Set our collective minds afire with your amazing DIY inventiveness, and let’s show the world how absolutely amazing Tampa Bay is – not just for our magnificent weather, views,  and recreational opportunities – but for our unstoppable creative, entrepreneurial and inventive productivity, energy and intellect.

makers-apply-here

Exhibits that are interactive or highlight the process of making things are especially desired. Here’s the process… 

ENTRIES

The first step to participating in our Maker Faire is to submit an entry that tells us about yourself and your project. Entries can be submitted by individuals or groups like hobbyist clubs and schools. You can apply as a Maker, Commercial Maker (individual makers primarily selling —$50 booth fee), Workshop or Presentation, or Performer.  The application asks you to to provide a short description of what you make and what you will actually bring to Tampa Bay Mini Maker Faire. Photos, links and videos of exhibit  ideas are very helpful. The more we can see and learn about your exhibit, the better your chances of getting Maker space at the Faire.

 Here are just some of the things that we’re looking for:

  • Robotics
  • Kinetic & Installation Art
  • Music Performance
  • Hacks of Any Sort
  • Homesteader Projects
  • Workshops and Speakers
  • 3D Printers & Digital Fabrication
  • Textile Arts and Crafts
  • Student Projects
  • Rockets and RC Toys
  • Sustainability
  • Green Tech
  • Radios, Vintage Computers and Game Systems
  • Electronics
  • Electric Vehicles
  • Biology/Biotech and Chemistry Projects
  • Puppets
  • Kites
  • Bicycles and Human-Powered Machines
  • Shelter (Tents, Domes, etc.)
  • Unusual Tools or Machines
  • How to Fix Things or Take them Apart (Vacuums, Clocks, Washing Machines, etc.)
  • Food and Beverage vendors please write info@ebmakerfaire.com for more information.

Maker Exhibit: Our standard setup for a Maker exhibit is a 10′x10′ space.  If you need more space for your exhibit or project, please let us know. Use this space to display your work and/or demonstrate how you make something.

If you have any questions about participating in Maker Faire, please contact us by email: info@learningis4everyone.org

OTHER WAYS TO PARTICIPATE

Exhibitors and Sponsors: We welcome exhibitors and sponsors at our Mini Maker Faire. For more information about becoming an exhibitor or sponsor, please check out our Sponsor page or contact us at info@Learningis4everyone.org

 Volunteer: For information about volunteering at East Bay Mini Maker Faire, please email us at the above address.

We look forward to seeing you at Tampa Bay Mini Maker Faire 2013!

 

Are You Ready?

We are!  Maker applications and ticket sales go live January 2, 2013!  Click here to see what we’re looking for in Maker applications, for a head start on your application.   We’re deeply grateful to our event partners, The Concourse, Pasco County Libraries and Learning is for Everyone, and to our fantastic event planning team who will be working behind the scenes to do everything possible to help Make Your Day, at Tampa Bay Mini Maker Faire 2013

2013 event flyer

TBMMF Sponsor, Gabotronics, Launches Xprotolab Portable Oscilloscope on Kick-Starter

Gabotronics, owned and operated by Gabriel Anzziani, of Sarasota, who was a sponsor participant at inaugural Tampa Bay Mini Maker Faire in March as a commercial Maker,  has just launched his Xprotolab Portable Oscilloscope on kickstarter in a bid to bring his creation to market.

The Xprotolab is a portable combination of three electronics instruments: an oscilloscope, a waveform generator and a protocol sniffer.  The Xprotolab was awarded as one of the 100 Hot Products of 2011, by the EDN magazine. The Xprotolab has been featured in several other online magazines, such as Hack a Day and Elektor.

You can see specs at Gabotronics Kick-Starter page , where you can also pledge your support.

Clearwater’s Grumpy Owl Gamery Launches Keep System

Robert Groller, of Clearwater, is the mind behind Grumpy Owl Gamery‘s Keep System – a method for organizing and mobilizing  hobby games. According to the recently launched Kick-Starter campaign for the project, “ The Keep is a custom messenger style bag that carries a set of special game organizers. It can carry numerous games, even the hard to handle expandable games, in an organized and labeled manner.”

Wired’s Geek Dad gave Groller’s effort a little press this week, and in just three days, he’s raised over $30K!

Way to go, Grumpy Owl Gamery! Visit Groller’s Kick-Starter page for details and to help out a fellow Maker.

Mentagy: The App

Local educator Allyn Kahn, of New Port Richey, FL, is well known as a math, statistics, philosophy and critical thinking instructor, as well as a popular chess coach.  He’s also an award winning game inventor, whose signature puzzle game, Mentagy, has been awarded multiple awards, from Creative Child’s Puzzle of the Year Award to the Brain Child Award from Tillywig.

Now Mentagy Puzzle eBooks have been released as part of an Apple iOS app launched by the Puzzazz eBookStore for iPhone and iPad. It will soon be available for Kindle and Android devices, as well.

Kudos to another great Tampa Bay inventor!

All in Knots? Try Super Rope Cinch!

Timothy Bourke, of Estero, FL, is the inventor of the Super Rope Cinch, a device that locks rope in place without the need for knots.

Super Rope Cinch just got a super boost from Walmart, which plans to roll it out soon, according to Naples News.  HomeDepot.com and more than 70 Do-it-Best Hardware stores in the U.S. carry the product, and both  Lowe’s and Home Depot will begin carrying it in stores soon.  In tests, the product lifted more than 750 lbs.  , truly making rope tying – a cinch!

“This is the new bungee cord, Bourke told the Naples News. ” No more bungee cords.”

Chalk one up for another Florida inventor!

Dade City Inventor Takes on Federal Patent Law

MadStad Engineering, Inc. , of Dade City, was started in 2006 by Mark Stadnyk, a biker who loved to ride but “hated having his head beat to death by turbulence, air pressure and wind noise.”

After abundant research, he eventually came to the conclusion that “the problem isn’t the windshield, it’s the way the windshield is positioned” and he developed the MadStad adjustable windshield system, which reconfigures the angle of the windshield to make it more aerodynamic, eliminate any vacuum, and adjust the height to better direct airflow.

Today, MadStad employs eight people, including Mr. Stadnyk and his wife, Patty and his windshield system is sold throughout the world and used on dozens of makes and models of motorcycles, with annual sales of more than $500,000.

He also holds three patents, and is making headlines taking issue with a relatively new federal patent law called the  Leahy-Smith America Invents Act of 2011 (AIA) .

In a federal court in Florida, Stadnyk and his counsel charge that “the legislation is a triumph of corporate lobbying power over the founders’ wishes, and that it threatens America’s stature as the world’s leading innovator.”

As recently as yesterday, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office moved to dismiss Stadnyk’s lawsuit , but it’s unlikely Stadnyk will stand down easily.  We’ll keep you posted!

Read the full story at the NY Times.

Space Coast Maker Makes News at DNC

69 year old Cate Vincent made her way up to Charlotte to the DNC convention this week to showcase her DIY job creation spirit, with her iPad handle invention, reports WINK News.

Vincent told WINK her invention not only got the attention of Apple, but has created jobs.

“I live on the Space Coast in Florida where there are no jobs now, and we’ve already put 30 people to work,” Vincent said.

Let’s hear it for a DIY inspired economy!

Tampa Bay Mini Maker Faire Video

Check out the great little video our student videographer, Ryder, made at this year’s Tampa Bay Mini Maker Faire!

An Inside Look at CyberCraft Robots

Check out this great little documentary about CyberCraft Robots , a popular Maker at our recent Tampa Bay Mini Maker Faire, who will also be appearing at the Orlando Mini Maker Faire next week!