As the oldest and biggest makerspace in the state, Fort Wayne’s TekVenture is well-known among roughly 50 residents who regularly use its space.
But among the general public, TekVenture’s President Chris Knipstein says he’s encountered some confusion.
“People simply don’t know what we’re all about,” Knipstein says. “We’ve even heard that we are some sort of capital investment venture firm. That’s definitely not us.” 
Chris Knipstein
To set the record straight, he explains that TekVenture is a 13,000-square-foot creative space that runs on volunteer labor, donated tools and facilities, and virtually no funding.
Instead, it’s largely financed by northeast Indiana residents who purchase memberships, providing them with access to its space, tools, materials, and expertise to develop ideas and prototypes of products.
It’s a place where residents can learn skills and…
