On Philippine Independence Day, as families gathered at Ayala Malls Manila Bay to celebrate freedom in many forms, another kind of independence quietly took center stage, the freedom to create.
Makerlab CEO Mike Sy and general manager Wendel Harris Chan
Makerlab officially unveiled the country’s first 3D Printing Experience Hub, transforming the mall into an interactive playground where visitors didn’t simply admire technology behind glass displays. They watched machines in action, handled finished creations, asked questions, and imagined what they themselves could build.
The launch also marked a milestone for the homegrown technology company as it celebrated its tenth anniversary.
For Makerlab founder and CEO Mike Sy, however, the celebration represented far more than the opening of a new showroom.
“This launch represents more than a milestone for Makerlab—it represents a new chapter for innovation in the Philippines,” Sy said. “We want more Filipinos to discover that 3D printing is no longer the future; it is a powerful tool available today for learning, business, creativity, and innovation.”
That philosophy has guided Makerlab since its earliest days.
Solving a Problem Few Were Addressing
Long before 3D printers became familiar to many Filipinos, Sy saw a problem that frustrated aspiring inventors, students, and hobbyists.
“When we started Makerlab, the problem was very clear to me,” he recalled. “If you wanted electronic components, robotics parts, or maker tools, access was very limited. Many people had to go to places like Raon or import parts themselves.”
While the global maker movement was already gaining momentum, Filipino innovators struggled with limited access, high costs, and little awareness of emerging technologies.
“Makerlab was created to bridge three gaps: accessibility, affordability, and awareness,” Sy explained. “We wanted Filipinos with ideas to have a place where they could find the right tools, understand how to use them, and actually start creating.”
What began as a modest 35-square-meter shop has since grown into a technology platform serving customers through e-commerce, retail stores, and now experiential learning hubs. “We started as a store,” Sy said. “But the real vision now is to become a platform for Filipino makers.”
More Than a Store
Walking into the new Experience Hub is intentionally different from entering a conventional gadget shop.
Instead of rows of products waiting to be purchased, visitors encounter working 3D printers producing real objects, interactive demonstrations, workshops, and experts ready to answer questions.
“A traditional showroom usually lets you look at products,” Sy said. “The Makerlab Experience Hub is different because we want people to see, touch, test, and understand the technology.”
That hands-on approach is central to Makerlab’s mission.
“Many people still think 3D printing or robotics is complicated,” he said. “But once they see a machine working, once they ask questions, once they hold an actual printed object, the technology becomes less intimidating.”
The goal isn’t simply to sell machines.
“The hub is not just a place to buy,” Sy emphasized. “It is a place to discover, learn, and imagine what you can create.”
Technology for Ordinary Filipinos
Choosing Ayala Malls Manila Bay as the flagship location was deliberate.
Rather than placing emerging technology inside a specialized industrial facility or engineering center, Makerlab wanted everyday shoppers to encounter it naturally.
“We wanted a location where families, students, professionals, and creators could encounter 3D printing and maker tools in a normal everyday setting,” Sy explained. “A mall makes the technology more approachable.”
That accessibility reflects his broader belief that innovation should not belong exclusively to engineers or large corporations.
“Technology can be intimidating,” he said. “A lot of people think robotics, electronics, and 3D printing are only for engineers or big companies. We want to change that.”
For Sy, true accessibility goes beyond making products available online or in stores.
“Real accessibility is not just being able to buy the tool,” he said. “Real accessibility means people know how to use it and have support when they get stuck.”
From Imagination to Reality
The practical applications of 3D printing are already extending well beyond engineering laboratories.
Students can produce thesis prototypes instead of relying solely on drawings. Designers can quickly test concepts before investing in manufacturing. Homemakers can create replacement parts and organizers. Small entrepreneurs can launch personalized product lines without enormous startup costs.
“Ordinary Filipinos can benefit from 3D printing because it makes creation faster, more local, and more customized,” Sy explained. “It is useful for school projects, replacement parts, product prototypes, home items, design samples, and small business products.”
Among the business opportunities he sees are customized souvenirs, personalized gifts, school prototyping services, home décor, and product mockups.
Still, Sy cautioned against seeing the printer itself as the business.
“The printer itself is not the business,” he explained. “The business is the customer problem you solve using the printer.”
Likewise, he advised aspiring entrepreneurs to study the market before investing.
“A 3D printer is a tool,” he said. “If you use it to solve a real problem, create a unique product, or serve a specific market, then it can become a strong business asset.”
Building a Nation of Makers
Perhaps Makerlab’s biggest ambition isn’t selling more hardware but cultivating more creators.
The company plans to roll out workshops, training sessions, and educational programs designed for beginners and experienced makers alike, while continuing partnerships with institutions such as DOST, MIRDC, AMCEN, and UP NISMED.
“The Philippines does not lack talent,” Sy said. “What we often lack is access to tools, exposure, and support systems.”
He believes innovation starts long before factories and large-scale manufacturing.
“Advanced manufacturing does not start only with big factories,” he said. “It starts when more people learn how to design, prototype, test, and improve ideas.”
Equally important is the growing maker community that has developed around the technology.
“Community is very important because people learn faster when they learn together,” Sy said. “Makerlab provides access, tools, and support. The community provides passion, feedback, and real-world use cases.”
Looking Ahead
As artificial intelligence reshapes how people generate ideas, Sy believes the next frontier lies in transforming those digital concepts into tangible products.
“People can already use AI tools to generate ideas, code, designs, or instructions,” he shared. “The next step is bringing those ideas into physical form through microcontrollers, sensors, robotics, and 3D printing.”
His long-term vision extends beyond a single flagship hub.
“I want more Filipinos to have a physical place where they can see, feel, learn, and try these technologies,” the CEO emphasized. “Sometimes, people need to experience it in person before they believe they can use it.”
Sy hopes the company’s impact will be measured not by the number of machines it sells but by the number of creators it helps empower. He said, “The future of Filipino innovation is when ordinary Filipinos no longer just consume technology, but confidently build, improve, and export their own ideas to the world.”
As Makerlab embarks on its next decade, that vision may prove to be its most ambitious project yet — helping transform a nation of technology users into a nation of makers.
