FAB25 Czechia — A Look Back

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FAB25 Czechia was absolutely one for the record books! Hosted in two separate regions of the country, with travel between them taking place on a special train reserved exclusively for conference participants, the event planning itself was a logistical feat. But the fact that attendees, partners, and stakeholders consistently expressed that FAB25 represented the highest-quality event in all of FABx history means that the incredible amount of effort put into preparation paid off in a big way for everyone involved. It was a truly impactful conference.

Here’s a snapshot of the event, by the numbers:

• 8 days of riveting event programming
• 2 beautiful cities—Brno and Prague—connected by a one-of-a-kind Maker Train (a fun opportunity for socializing and networking within a set space and time)
• 4 eye-catchingly impressive venues
• 172 technical workshops, featuring 700+ hours of engaging hands-on content
• 5 lively networking parties
• 2,100+ attendees overall, coming from 53 different countries around the world
• 10 scholarships awarded to help Fabbers across the globe attend the event
• 188 Academany graduates representing four separate distributed education programs (Fab Academy, Fabricademy, MDDI, and Fab Learning Academy)

When they weren’t busy making, networking, or simply enjoying their time in Czechia, participants had a chance to hear from a star-studded cast of speakers who shared exciting news on a broad range of topics. Here are just a few of our favorite moments from the week:

• Our very own Sherry Lassiter, President & CEO of the Fab Foundation, related a touching tale about the evolution of Fab Labs over the past quarter century.
• Neil Gershenfeld, Director of MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms and the founder of the Fab Lab movement, wowed the crowd with an impossibly succinct breakdown of quantum science.
• Czech architect Walbert Schmirler discussed his work designing and planning the biggest makerspace in Czechia.
• Bas van Abel, founder and CEO of Fairphone, shared his experience of scaling ethical tech.
• Dale Dougherty, founder of Make Magazine and Maker Faire, dropped some knowledge on the state and future of the maker movement.
• Camila Luna, one half of the dynamic duo, Moon Makers, explored what it really means to learn in the digital age.
• And, during a day dedicated to the ever-evolving technology of 3D printing hosted by Průša Research, Josef Průša gave a captivating keynote on the benefits and challenges of open-source technology in the modern global economy.

Don’t worry, anyone who couldn’t join the fun in person can catch all of the streamed content from Brno and Prague on our YouTube channel.

Closing out the big week, conference attendees and the general public gathered at the Prague Exhibition Grounds for the Fab Festival—a day-long celebration of creativity, innovation, and the DIY spirit. The vibrant event was free and open to anyone who wanted to discover a new world of opportunity. Throughout the day, visitors enjoyed a diverse showcase of workshops and exhibitions demonstrating how digital fabrication opens up new possibilities in art and design and how these innovations can solve real-world problems, support local manufacturing, and support community collaboration. There could hardly be a more fitting way to conclude the 21st annual Fab Lab Conference & Symposium.

We’re so grateful to everyone who made this such a memorable and successful event. It would not have been possible without the tremendous collaborative effort of all of our partners, supporters, organizers, and presenters. And, of course, that effort would have been entirely meaningless without the enthusiastic participation of every person who joined us in Czechia for FAB25. Thank you!!

If you weren’t able to make it this year, we sincerely hope that you’ll join us next summer for FAB26 Boston, as we’ll be celebrating the 25th anniversary of Fab Labs in the place where the historic movement first began. Save the date now: July 27-31, 2026. And we’ll see you there in a year!