Abstract:

Purpose:
Makerspaces are relatively new and growing domain of innovation ecosystem. Makerspace is a physical space contains specialized tools, hardware and software that allow individuals, are called makers, and entrepreneurial teams to create what are they passionate about. Developed makerspaces create communities around that unite maker-enthusiasts, and professional. University-based makerspaces are increasingly appearing on campuses of universities across the world. In the frame of experiential education, their activities focus on improvement of creativity, interaction, and cross-disciplinary collaboration of the students. So far, little is known about how university-based makerspaces promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the emerging country, and how university students leverage the resources of a makerspace in innovation development.

Purpose & aims:
The research aims to enhance the innovation and entrepreneurial capabilities of the students of the university of emerging country by using university-based makerspace facilities. This paper focus on study of the characteristics of the university-based makerspace can promote innovation and entrepreneurship development among the students, and how university students leverage the resources of the makerspaces in innovation development.

Research design:
The exploratory research is based on case study approach. The framework of the study included review of the relevant literature, sampling, data collection through observation and in-depth interviews, and analysis through sequential categorization levels.

Findings and originality:
The research revealed the key number of resources and tools of university-based makerspace that should be accessible for students operating in “hypothesis – build – measure – learn – new hypothesis” feedback loop to develop competencies in innovation development. The university-based makerspace should have a density of diverse ideas by collaboration, open-ended nature of the activities the students engaged with access to social, knowledge and technological streams of makerspace resources. Open-ended nature of the activities required self-motivated students to identify problems, critically reflect on alternative perspectives, and network to find solutions. The research paper presents a new look at makerspace that can be applied to entrepreneurship education to enhance innovative thinking of nascent entrepreneurs and innovators to create experience-centric innovation.

Practical implications:
This paper provides for nascent entrepreneurs and innovators a guidance in design experience-centric innovation by using resources and tools of the university-based makerspace.

Keywords:

University, innovation, makerspace, startup, entrepreneurship.