Makerspace Residency

The Makerspace Residency programme supports ambitious University of Auckland student teams who are actively building high-impact technical projects.

Whether you’re preparing for international competitions, developing advanced prototypes, launching a product, or showcasing technical capability, residency gives you structured access to Unleash Space, priority prototyping support, and mentorship from CIE’s Technology and Prototyping team.

This is a selective programme designed for teams who are already building and ready to lift their standards, scale their capability, and strengthen their leadership.

As a Makerspace Resident, your team receives:

• Dedicated access to Unleash Space and makerspace facilities
• Priority prototyping and fabrication support
• Mentorship from the Technology and Prototyping team and Creative Technologists
• Structured technical training and certification pathways
• Executive-level development and capability support
• Clear connection pathways into wider CIE programmes (e.g. get a competitive edge for the Velocity $100k Challenge)

Residency is more than space access. It’s partnership, accountability, and momentum.

In return, resident teams host at least one Build Night per semester, opening up your project to new members, industry partners, and the wider innovation community.

Through the Residency, teams will:

• Strengthen technical design and prototyping capability
• Lift the standard of project execution and documentation
• Develop leadership and operational discipline within executive teams
• Improve industry engagement and communication skills
• Build community through shared learning and public showcases
• Create clearer pathways from technical projects into entrepreneurship and industry

The aim is simple: build better projects, grow stronger leaders, and contribute to a thriving innovation culture on campus.

The Makerspace Residency programme is open to University of Auckland student teams across all disciplines.

Resident teams typically:

• Are working toward defined technical outputs (e.g. competition entries, prototypes, launch milestones)
• Have an established executive structure capable of leading delivery
• Are committed to growing technical capability within their membership
• Demonstrate ambition, consistency, and a build-first mindset

Auckland University Robotics Association
University of Auckland Makers Club
University of Auckland Game Developer Guild
University of Auckland Rocketry Club

Residencies run either:

• One semester, or
• A full academic year

Each resident team commits to:

• Active project development throughout the residency period
• Hosting at least one Build Night per semester
• Participating in mentorship sessions and technical training
• Showcasing progress at agreed milestones

We support up to five resident teams annually to ensure depth of support and quality engagement.

If your team is building something bold and ready to scale, we’d love to hear from you. 

Email: cietechprototyping@auckland.ac.nz 

Tell us about your project, your team, and what you’re working toward. 

The Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship provides a world of opportunity to participants so that they can stand-out and create value through innovative careers and start-up creation. 

CIE is New Zealand’s leading University entrepreneurship centre, winning 14 international awards since 2020.