Solothurn as a Mecca for Inventors

A Maker Faire is a fair for inventors, tinkerers, and creative minds of the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) movement. It was first held in 2006 in San Mateo, California. Since then, it has been held in more than 150 cities, including New York, Rome, Berlin, and Tokyo. In Switzerland, it was held in 2016, 2017, and 2018 at the Dynamo Youth Culture House in Zurich. After that, the Maker Faire disappeared in Switzerland and was only revived in 2025 by Enter Technikwelt and Bastelgarage, an online shop for DIY electronics and 3D printing in Subingen.

International Exhibitors and Ingenious Inventions

Despite the high summer temperatures, many followed the call for creative inventions to Derendingen. Exhibitors traveled from all over Switzerland, from La Chaux-de-Fonds to Winterthur. Among them were national greats like Makerspace Reinach and FABLAB Winti. Even international makers from Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, and China traveled specifically for the two-day fair.

The approximately 80 exhibitors offered the audience a wide range of the latest inventions. These included elaborately 3D-printed cosplay costumes, talking cheese boards, or a musical carillon with light sensors. Particularly impressive were the developments of the two exhibitors NENO CNC and ARTME 3D. The Aargau company NENO CNC managed to develop an industrial CNC machine in a handy living room format, while the German startup ARTME 3D presented solutions for producing recyclable material from 3D printer waste.

Interactive Offerings for All Ages

In addition to the loyal fan base of tech nerds and computer geeks, there were also noticeably many parents with younger and older children present. The latter were well taken care of, as many of the booths were directly aimed at a young audience. For example, children could complete a robot course at the booth of the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland FHNW or participate in a bilingual programming workshop with Lego bricks. But the adult audience was not neglected either and could not only engage with the many interactive devices at the booths but also attend expert lectures. For example, Massimo Banzi, co-founder of the programming platform Arduino, talked about his career and the background of his inventions. He also shared humorous anecdotes from his life, such as the fact that the name "Arduino" comes from his visits to an Italian bar of the same name. Banzi, who had not known Enter Technikwelt until then, was enthusiastic about the event and assured that he would participate in the next edition as well.

The Museum as the Perfect Backdrop

The exhibition grounds in Enter Technikwelt turned out to be a well-functioning venue for a major event like the Maker Faire. The two event halls and the outdoor area offered generous exhibition spaces, so that despite the high number of visitors, there was no feeling of crowding. The catering of visitors with three separate food stands also worked flawlessly.

The ticket to the Maker Faire also included entry to the museum of Enter Technikwelt. On three floors, visitors could experience numerous highlights of technological history: from the Apple I to Switzerland's first radio station to the fantastic DeLorean time travel car. The museum, with its many interactive exhibits, provided the ideal setting for the Maker Faire. Of course, Enter Technikwelt itself was also represented with a booth. Among other things, they presented an interactive replica of the well-known robot R2-D2 as well as 3D-printed and fully functional replicas of Enigma cipher machines. They also offered Blinky Pin workshops for children, which were fully booked on both days. Finally, specially manufactured models of the famous moon rocket from Tintin, equipped with a pepper mill, were shown at the Enter booth and are now available in the museum shop.

To Be Continued: Maker Faire 2026 Already Planned

The great interest in the Maker Faire from both visitors and exhibitors shows that such fairs are needed in the future as well. At the Maker Faire Solothurn, not only the latest technological developments and inventions were shown – it also served as a networking platform for like-minded people, leading to new projects and innovative collaborations.

Finally, the sparkling, magical-looking gadgets also served as an important source of inspiration for children to engage with technology and STEM careers. The exhibition and museum spaces of Enter Technikwelt, with their combination of historical technology and modern applications, provided the perfect platform for this. Accordingly, the next edition of the Maker Faire Solothurn is already planned: It will take place on June 20/21, 2026, again at Enter Technikwelt in Derendingen.