Polifactory is the makerspace – Fab Lab of Politecnico di Milano. It is a multidisciplinary research laboratory created in 2015 through collaboration between the Department of Design and the Departments of Electronics, Information, and Bioengineering, and Mechanical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano. Polifactory explores the relationship between design and new models of production, distribution, and utilization of product systems and services from the perspectives of open innovation, circular innovation, user innovation, and digital transformation.

Polifactory experiments with new design and digital manufacturing processes and conducts research on technologies and production/distribution models for the circular transition in contemporary product-service systems. It is involved in competitive research at the national and European levels, developing consultancy projects with institutions and companies.

Polifactory is an open place for investigating future scenarios of advanced manufacturing, ranging from distributed production to open hardware and the design of circular and digital product-service systems.

Polifactory serves as a container of services and activities to support the young talents of Politecnico and enhance their ability to design and materialize innovative product-service solutions that integrate design and technology. It represents a cutting-edge experience of Politecnico di Milano in experimental training.

From a scientific perspective, Polifactory operates in the disciplinary field of design, with a focus on open innovation, user innovation, and circular innovation. Polifactory develops projects in product-service, process, and system innovation, moving along two lines:
"from idea to market," through the design, prototyping, and (pre)incubation of product-services, experimenting with co-creation paths and the experimental use of digital technologies.
"from product to policy," through the design, prototyping, and testing of pilot projects and demonstrators on an urban scale, to stimulate and enable inclusive and sustainable social initiatives.

COMPETITIVE RESEARCH AND CONSULTANCY (polifactory.polimi.it/en/research)
Polifactory proposes and participates in research and consultancy activities with enterprises and institutions at various scales (e.g., regional, national, and international). It operates as a coordinator/partner in technological and scientific projects dedicated to competitive and pre-competitive development. It works as a provider for public and private entities interested in its spaces, technologies, or research competences.
Polifactory develops competitive research projects at the local, national, and international levels. It collaborates with both public institutions (e.g., municipalities, regional governments) and private institutions (e.g., large companies, SMEs Networks, and artisans). Polifactory conducts scientific studies and inquiries (e.g., surveys) on different aspects related to the relationship between new models of production, based on various situations and contexts. Polifactory offers services of applied research for enterprises in the fields of design, digital fabrication technologies (within craftsmanship or industrial processes), and new models of distribution.
Polifactory offers consultancy services related to:
Strategic consultancy on how to start and develop makerspaces/fablabs or other similar facilities, on a local or regional scale.
Consultancy for enterprises to develop platforms related to personal/digital fabrication or to create digital services connected to new production/fabrication processes.
Technical and design consultancy for enterprises and professionals on digital fabrication within R&D, prototyping, and fabrication processes.

PRE-INCUBATION OF TALENTS AND IDEAS (polifactory.polimi.it/en/talent-in-residence)
Polifactory organizes activities to explore new scenarios for different sectors of manufacturing and services, addressing various challenges related to the integration of design, manufacturing, and innovative technologies. These activities include planning and organizing hackathons/workshops, scenario building, engagement through open calls, and support for concept development and prototyping.
Polifactory promotes the "Talents in Residence" Program to support young talents in improving their autonomous learning paths. Polifactory offers various coaching activities since makerspaces, by definition, are spaces that stimulate social and collaborative learning (in a peer-to-peer approach). Polifactory believes in and follows this philosophy by offering coaching services that help individuals and groups develop strategic, design, technical, and technological competences, as well as self-entrepreneurship. You can find more information about this branch of activities on this page.

CULTURAL INITIATIVES (polifactory.polimi.it/en/open-polifactory)
Polifactory organizes various cultural initiatives, including seminars, lectures, workshops, meetings, and exhibitions. In addition to offering its spaces, Polifactory can support the engagement of interesting subjects in relation to its main topics.