The Heurich Urban Manufacturing Incubator is excited to launch a pilot Maker Fellowship. The goal of this program is to help makers evolve out of their beginner phases. Makers will “graduate” with a free booth at the 13th annual Heurich Christmas Markt in early December 2025!
Selected Fellows Receive:
Business Growth:
- Monthly 1:1 coaching sessions covering a variety of topics
- Review of business filings
- Assistance in identifying future funding opportunities
- Introduction to a network of makers, professionals, and customers
- Assistance in developing and refining business messaging and branding
Public Engagement & Sales:
- Opportunities to test market booth layout, products, and messaging with guaranteed spaces at three free Mini Markts in the museum’s biergarten
- Development of replicable workshop facilitation guide and opportunity to lead one public Maker-Led Workshop at the museum
- Free Booth at Heurich Christmas Markt in early December
- Inclusion in the museum's social media and website campaigns about fellowship.
- Products featured at museum’s new online and in-person maker store
Become a Fellow
Ideal Fellowship Candidate:
- Identifies as a “Beginner” business and is looking to grow. (See Business Life Cycle Levels here)
- Has availability to participate in ten (10) two (2) hour coaching sessions from April - December 2025
- Has led less than five (5) workshops with the public
- Has not participated or only participated in Christmas Markt at the Heurich House Museum for one day in the past two years
- Willing to share sales data with the Incubator team for 2024 and throughout 2025
Fellowship Candidate Requirements:
- Hold an active business license
- Make non-edible products
- Report a minimum of $600 worth of sales to the IRS per year
- Products are made in DC - or in MD or VA within 40 miles of DC
- Consider DC your primary sales market
Timeline:
- Tuesday, February 11th: Applications Open
- Sunday, March 9th: Applications Close
- End of March: Applicants notified of decision
- Tuesday, April 1st: Fellowship Begins
- April - November: Fellow participants in coaching, Mini Markts, workshop etc.
- Thursday, December 4th - Sunday, December 7th: Participation in Heurich Christmas Markt
Pilot Program:
For the last three years, the Heurich Urban Manufacturing Incubator has built a series of programs to support makers’ growth and help them achieve their goals. This year we are launching this pilot program to help two makers and hope we can expand in 2026 to a larger group!
Please email Alex Fraioli, Director of Heurich Urban Manufaturing Incubator, with any questions.