Following the concept of community makerspace, an innovative idea that’s yet to take root in India, Maker’s Asylum facilitated 753 young people from 15 countries, 150 schools and 50 cities so far, offering them the taste of the maker culture and allowing them to immerse in creativity and innovation in Goa
Maker’s Asylum offers an open, inclusive environment that welcomes all. Offering workshops such as women teaching fabrication, rocketry, woodworking, 3D printing and more it works as a hub for anyone eager to learn how to make things that matter. A relatively new concept in India, an unexpected situation gave birth to Maker’s Asylum in a small garage in Mumbai 12 years ago. Shifting places finally it chose Goa to settle down in 2021. The credit of giving birth to this idea and working on it goes to the founder Vaibhav Chhabra – a mechanical engineer, turned carpenter and educator.
“From launching initiatives like M19 to going digital, our journey has been about building, learning, and evolving—now with a focus on fostering open-source hardware innovation online,” shares Vaibhav who boasts to have a degree from Boston University.
Vaibhav, accidently, recognised the need for accessible makerspaces while working with eye diagnostic prototype in India. “I recall having spent my early career at EyeNetra, a startup from MIT Media Labs, building portable virtual reality-based eye diagnostic devices. A collapsed ceiling at EyeNetra’s office led me to gather like-minded makers to rebuild furniture. What started as a Sunday DIY group quickly grew into India’s first open makerspace, first in a Bandra garage and later in larger spaces in Mumbai and Delhi,” narrates Vaibhav.
“In 2021, we moved to a 100-year-old settlement in Goa, now home to laser cutters, 3D printers, and a thriving maker community,” states Vaibhav who has been driving open innovation and hands-on education. He shoulders various responsibilities. Apart from being a visiting faculty at IDC - IIT Bombay, Judge School at Cambridge University, he also is an Advisor to the Museum of Solutions, Chair for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Young Indians – Confederation of Indian Industries, besides being a global shaper at the World Economic Forum, and a member of the French President's Young Leaders Club. These multiple roles have allowed him to contribute to driving innovation, education, and community development, globally.
While looking at some of the inspiring success stories that Maker’s Asylum witnessed during its journey one stumbles upon Ganesh who entered Maker’s Asylum through a Teach For India fellowship in 2018 sparking a transformative journey with the Innovation School. He later mentored students in immersive global programs and joined Parvai Aerospace, a deep-tech firm at IIT Bombay. Today, Ganesh is director of technology at Airbound—a drone startup founded by fellow Innovation School alumnus Naman.
In 2019, Zaberi Ansari and Anas Shaikh, first-time makers from Dharavi, joined Maker’s Asylum with no prior experience. Through hands-on learning in CAD, electronics, IoT, PCB design, and VR, they developed First Steps, a gamified platform to make English learning fun and accessible for children in their community. Refining their prototype they pitched it at the Inventors Challenge securing Rs10 lakh in seed funding. Today, they’re working to turn their idea into a scalable, socially impactful startup.
Suryansha's journey began in 2022 at the Innovation School, where he and his team designed a mobility aid for a visually impaired friend. This sparked a deep curiosity, leading him to return for hands-on workshops like woodworking and to join the 2024 SDG School Program, collaborating with change makers across India. Both his Innovation School and SDG projects were accelerated at the Make Break Create Summit. These layered, immersive experiences inspired him to pursue Design Engineering at Imperial College London. Now, as an Alumni Maker Mentor, he’s back to support others on their own innovation journeys.
“With such vibrant inflow of young talent, Maker’s Asylum is reshaping the narrative of Goa. No longer just a tourist destination, Goa is emerging as a safe, creative space where technology and imagination converge. Here, young people are empowered to create futuristic tech solutions—an opportunity unique in India’s educational landscape,” asserts Vaibhav.
Working at the intersection of creativity, education, and innovation, Maker’s Asylum welcomes young people from across the world to Goa for its immersive and hands-on learning experiences and programs. So far, 753 young people from 15 countries 150 schools and 50 cities across India have had the taste of the maker culture and immersed themselves in creativity and innovation through their space in Goa.
