makespace
Plan your product
Expert consultancy and mentoring to help you plan for success
Whether you’re at an early stage of ideation or well into your production-eering process, we have the support and expertise to help you efficiently plan and guide you on your journey to commercialisation.
Mentoring
Turning an idea into a successful business concept is challenging for any startup. But for startups developing hardware products there are added costs, bigger risks and a higher failure rate. Finding a good mentor can help mitigate these risks and increase your likelihood of success.
We handpick the most appropriate mentors for you based on your company’s industry vertical and business needs. Having experienced mentors also provides access to larger networks and markets that would otherwise take years to develop.
Cost: Free 30 minute sessions for Makespace members.
Meet our mentors
Clint Bruin
Principal, Ampcontrol
Clint is a straight talking, quick thinking engineer, product developer and entrepreneur. He’s friendly charm and curious mind make him an incredible resource and powerful mentor.
Some of his career highlights include automating the first Weet-Bix Fruity Bix bar pilot in 1994, starting an automation and software company in 1998 and second company in commercial software development in 2001.
He ultimately went on to successfully sell his company to Ampcontrol and now heads up their R&D and Product Development arm.
Trent Bagnall
Founder, Slingshot & CoVentured
Trent unearths entrepreneurial talent, market gaps and innovation opportunities. He’s smart, well-networked, insightful and extremely knowledgeable. As Managing Director of QML, an ASX-listed software company, Trent grew the company from 3 to 150 staff in 5 countries and won NSW Regional Exporter of the Year in 2011.
He’s the Founder of Slingshot Accelerator, Australia’s most recognised and successful startup accelerator, and the digital platform CoVentured. He is also a Professor of Practice in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at The University of Newcastle.
Having worked with some of the largest companies and most exciting startups in the country, helping transform ideas into leading businesses, Trent is an amazing asset and mentor.
Pierre Gouhier
Product Development Manager, Ampcontrol
Pierre is an award-winning engineer, technical design expert and impressive project manager. With a dry sense of humour, fabulous French accent and a sharp, inquisitive mind, he is a strong mentor and leader.
He moved to Australia from France in 2006 to work as a Design Engineer, receiving a National Engineering Excellence award for the design of a tidal turbine in 2012 and the Engineers Australia Newcastle Young Engineers Award in 2013.
In 2011, he followed his managerial inspiration and became Engineering Manager. Since then he has been leading, overseeing, coaching and mentoring Engineers and other professionals towards the delivery of complex engineering solutions.
Today Pierre is a Product Development Manager at Ampcontrol, helping to make great ideas a reality
Adam Van Dyck
Business Development Manager, The Melt Accelerator
Highly accomplished but forever humble Adam is a seasoned traveller, engineer and business powerhouse. Practical, technical and persuasive, he knows how to rapidly mobilise people and accelerate product delivery.
Previously the COO for Slingshot, Adam established systems and processes that took Slingshot from a startup to Australia’s most successful corporate Accelerator, winning contracts with global brands such as Qantas, Lion, SEEK, NewsCorp, HCF and Caltex. In his role as CEO of an engineering services firm, he oversaw a major restructure of the business and helped secure lucrative, multi-year contracts with the world’s largest Oil and Gas operators, including Chevron and Inpex.
Now as the manager of The Melt Accelerator program, he is helping high-potential hardware startups achieve early traction and long-term success. We are incredibly lucky to have Adam available as a mentor.
Product assessment
Free gap analysis and product assessment workshop
In the early stages of the product development process Makespace members have the opportunity to attend a workshop with our resident mentors and technical experts.
This power session/s is designed to uncover and challenge the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities of your product or project, with consideration of the market and competitors. The aim is to prioritise your action plan and expedite commercialisation.
Cost: First session is free for Makespace members.
Consultancy
Expert guidance and support
For more in-depth support and expertise you can access the in-house consultancy, a paid service designed to help you with each step of the product development lifecycle from prioritisation and strategic planning through to prototyping and procurement management.
The consultancy can assist with:
- Technical and commercial risk assessment – hazard identification, prioritisation, commercialisation planning and decision-making framework.
- Rapid-realisation – uses design thinking for rapid iteration of product development to validate and revise risk assessments and priorities, develop proof of concept and increase efficiencies.
- Production-eering – design for manufacture, supply chain and assembly analysis, testing and quality assurance, cost-down and scale-up programs, packaging and distribution, documentation, warranty and support.
Here we give you the guidance and you do the work. If you need specific technical assistance with equipment or software or you want to outsource elements of your product development process check out our engineering capability services.
Cost: Discounted rate for Makespace members. Contact us to find out more.
Start your 5-day free trial
Join a vibrant and supportive community to build and commercialise your product. Access industry-grade prototyping equipment, software and programs to accelerate your success.
We’ll invite you in for a site visit, chat about your project and pick a date to start your 5-day free trial.
Book a tour