SLO MakerSpace Competitors

The Mill is a creative partner for brands, agencies, and production companies, crafting bold and memorable content across commercials, branded films, digital campaigns, and interactive experiences. We are trusted specialists in visual storytelling, from visual effects and creative production to design and experience. With over 30 years of expertise, we provide end-to-end supervision across every stage of the process: concept development, copywriting, pre-production, mockups, shoot supervision, and post-production. We’re a one-stop visual lab—collaborative, and hands-on. Our teams of artists, directors, producers, and creative technologists work side by side with clients to turn ideas into powerful, resonant visuals. We create connections between ambition, ideas, and people. No jargon, just shared understanding, precise execution, and stories designed to move and inspire. Since March 2025, The Mill has been part of the TransPerfect Global Group. Follow @millchannel and @transperfect on Facebook & Instagram for more updates: https://www.instagram.com/transperfect/ http://instagram.com/millchannel Facebook: http://facebook.com/MillChannel

Foundry has a 30-year heritage in developing creative software for the Media and Entertainment industry, and a portfolio of award-winning products. It advances the art and technology of visual experience with creative leaders around the globe, including major feature film studios and post-production houses such as ILM, DNEG, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Wētā FX, Pixar, Marvel, Netflix, Framestore and Skydance Animation. In partnership with these companies, Foundry solves complex visualization challenges to turn incredible ideas into reality. Its products are used to create breathtaking visual effects and animation on a wide range of feature films, episodic content, and commercials. Foundry software was integral in the making of every VFX Academy Award-winning film since 2007. The company has been recognized and honored at the highest level in the industry, including four Academy Sci-Tech Awards for Mari, Katana, Nuke and Furnace, two HPA Engineering Excellence awards for Flix and Nuke respectively, and an Engineering Emmy for Nuke. Founded in 1996, Foundry is headquartered in London, with over 275 people worldwide and a presence in the US, Canada, China, Japan, Australia, and Ireland.

Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new, Maker Faire is an all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students, and commercial exhibitors. All of these “makers” come to Maker Faire to show what they have made and to share what they have learned. The launch of Maker Faire in the Bay Area in 2006 demonstrated the popularity of making and interest among legions of aspiring makers to participate in hands-on activities and learn new skills at the event. 200,000 people annually attend the two flagship Maker Faires in the Bay Area and New York, with an average of 44% of attendees first timers at the Bay Area event, and 61% in New York. In 2017, over 190 independently-produced “Mini Maker Faires” plus over 30 larger-scale Featured Maker Faires will have taken place around the world, including Tokyo, Rome, Shenzhen, Taipei, Seoul, Paris, Berlin, Barcelona, Detroit, San Diego, Milwaukee, and Kansas City. Maker Faire is primarily designed to be forward-looking, showcasing makers who are exploring new forms and new technologies. But it’s not just for the novel in technical fields; Maker Faire features innovation and experimentation across the spectrum of science, engineering, art, performance and craft. Maker Faire is a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. It’s a venue for makers to show examples of their work and interact with others about it. Many makers say they have no other place to share what they do. DIY (Do-It-Yourself) is often invisible in our communities, taking place in shops, garages and on kitchen tables. It’s typically out of the spotlight of traditional art or science or craft events. Maker Faire makes visible these projects and ideas that we don’t encounter every day.