Since 2008, the year of financial disaster, we asked ourselves: "How will the young ones cope with this economic situation?" The answer we have got, was amazing. 

From 2008 on, we had a gut feeling that creativity would be the key for the next generation. We saw a growing group of people ‘making stuff’. Youngsters are exchanging their academic books for chisel and hammer, creating websites and applications, making their own clothes, bikes and drones. All perfectly adapted to their own needs. And ‘doing-it-themselves’. This is a broader interpretation of our 'God is a designer' trend, where we talked about the impact of young designers. 

The Young Makers trend is more than just a hobbyist DIY-thing. Technical youngsters come together in maker spaces where they share 3D printers and laser cutters. Those more into craftmanship find each other on fairs and platforms - like the one we started up with Urban Crafts two years ago.

Those young makers share their knowledge in an open source atmosphere and gather because they know ‘together we are stronger’. That community feeling gives them the needed information, support, contacts and communication platforms, from Do It Yourself to Do It Together. Once they’ve found their own unique concept, they search at breakneck speed for commercial applications to make their product a worldwide success in no time. Due to the democratisation of information and technology everything seems possible. The internet is their everything. They find inspiration, education, funding and potential clients. Through the Kickstarters of this world they constantly refresh the market with new and innovative ideas. Those young makers show the world that making something - with or without commercial purpose - doesn’t have to be difficult and in this way they rebel against the complex international production chains. They build their own future. 

By now, ‘young makers’ has become a common understanding. It is mostly known from the tech education for kids. We look at the bigger picture. With ‘young makers’ we mean all youngsters who create something. Whatever their skill or field of interest may be. They will determine innovation and market evolutions for the next decennia. Better than any other generation, they know what we will need tomorrow. Hopefully society and education will realise soon that vocational education is important. Those young students, crafters and makers are our future rock stars and CEO's.