Mission & Vision

The COG’s Mission

We empower makers to connect, collaborate, and create.

The COG’s Vision

  • The COG will be a preeminent makerspace community that seamlessly blends hobbyist, educational, and entrepreneurial ambitions by providing a place for all makers to practice and develop hands-on skills.
  • It will be a fun, exciting, and creatively stimulating environment that encourages connection and collaboration as cornerstones to self-empowerment.
  • Every person, regardless of background, will be able to see themselves here because they’ll see active members just like them doing great work.
  • Dozens of successful, world-enhancing businesses will be able to say “We started at the COG”
  • The COG will be a factor in why makers choose to live, work, and play in the Capital Region

The COG’s Values

Be Excellent to Each Other!

  • Trust
    • We assume everyone comes into the community with the best of intentions.
    • Honest mistakes are a natural part of the learning process.
  • Positivity
    • We know that a supportive and uplifting work environment is necessary for people to grow in their skill levels, whether beginner or advanced.
    • Everyone should feel comfortable asking for help without fear of belittlement or shame. Learning and growth won’t occur unless failures and mistakes are respected and encouraged.
  • Mentorship
    • Everyone is on a learning journey, whether personally or professionally. Making a connection with those who have been there before helps clear a path to success.

Everyone is a Maker!

  • Community
    • Broadly speaking, a maker is anyone that creates something that wasn’t there before. All makers are welcome here, but our support structure is optimized for those that fabricate physical objects.
    • While the makerspace is our core, our Community is our heart. Our success depends on strong relationships among members, volunteers, and staff.
    • We are the “Center of Gravity” for Capital Region makers, with a strong emphasis on the hyper-local needs of Troy.
  • Inclusion & Empowerment
    • We believe that all persons are gifted with the ability to be makers if they are allowed the opportunity.
    • Marginalized groups have specific barriers that prevent uninhibited participation in maker environments. We actively identify and remove these barriers.
  • Accessibility
    • Our workshops and equipment are clean, well-maintained, and always ready-to-work
    • Resources for learning – reference material, knowledgeable people, classes – are easy to find.
    • Nobody should be left out due to lack of financial resources.

Don’t set on fire that which has not been designed to be on fire!

  • Safety
    • The dangers of tools will be respected, all warnings and safety requirements will be heeded.
  • Rampant Curiosity
    • Pursue an environment where new ideas, concepts, and skills can be discovered, experimented with, and learned from – as long as it’s done safely.