Fab Lab in Europe: diffusion, characteristics and local externality

Abstract

The work examines "Fab Lab in Europe: diffusion, characteristics and local externalities", bringing in relation the territorial dimension with the relevant economic and institutional aspects. The Fab Lab phenomenon, despite the global diffusion, is a rather concentrated phenomenon from the territorial point of view. Since the first laboratory was founded in Boston in 2003, they had an exponential expansion but rather slow to reach in 2018 the figure of 1.728. In Europe the spread of the Fab Lab is quite varied and influenced by the demographic dimension of the regions; their level and model of development; and finally by their competitiveness and dynamism. Although widespread, the Fab Lab phenomenon in Italy is characterized by a greater “voluntaryism” and a certain fragility. Within the laboratories of both countries we find small groups of people who aim to learn, disseminate and develop digital manufacturing. On the other hand, an emerging literature (Armondi 2009) analyses how these spaces contribute to an urban “new layout” in the neighbourhoods where they are based, and the emergence of new dedicated local policies.

Keywords

Europe; innovation; urban economy; governance; human capital; Italy

JEL codes

R11; R58; O31