Watch inventors bring their ideas to life on Make48

Ultimaker has been present at every Make48 since they began in 2015, and we're proud to be a part of the competition again this year!

What is Make48? It's a 48-hour invention contest where teams of 2 to 4 people are presented with a problem, and then have 48 hours to design a new product that solves their problem. Participants are also tasked with creating a business plan and pitching the product to a panel of judges at the end of the 48 hours, explaining why it is the best solution. Throughout the process, teams have access to multiple Ultimaker printers for prototyping and parts, including the Ultimaker 2+ and the Ultimaker 3.

The entire process is a great opportunity for competing teams to find out how digital fabrication tools, such as Ultimaker, can accelerate their workflow when creating a new product. We’ve covered our participation in the past, as we're always excited to be on-hand and show how valuable high-tech tools like 3D printers are when creating functional prototypes. Within the 48 hours, teams also have access to ‘Tool Techs’ that help them overcome bottlenecks and fill in any lack of skills.

Having completed five rounds of the competition so far, the team behind Make48 originally decided to document this process as it is a testament to the accelerated education that happens through time restriction.  Make48 aims to promote a learning environment and share the benefits of this competition with people beyond the participants, which is why they recently began documenting the 48-hour event as a show aptly titled Make48.

The series was immediately picked up, and the eight-episode premiere season began running nationwide this September on the American Public Television network. Make48 is expected to reach 80% of the U.S. public television market, or approximately 95 million homes by the end of the first season! Viewers will be able to see what it takes to not only create a product but everything that is involved in manufacturing and marketing to consumers. Ultimaker is proud to be a part of this process and congratulates Make48 on their journey to empower the inventors that just might create the next big thing. Check out the trailer for Make48 below.

After watching the show, we encourage you to get a team together and see how fun creating a new product in 48 hours can be! Keep up on the latest about airing dates for Make48 and how to participate in the next competition by visiting Make48.com and connecting with them on social media.