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Repair Café: Fix, Explore & Learn

Ideal audience: The target group that would benefit most from this activity. Include any prerequisites if applicable.

Resource Links: Useful references, tools, or materials related to the activity. Include both preparation and follow-up resources.

Category: Tech, Community Building, Open Hardware

Type: Hands-on Meetup, Repair & Tinkering Session

Summary - One-liner: An event where people bring their gadgets, open them up, explore how they work, and learn the mindset of repair and making, rather than just fixing.

Purpose:

This event is inspired by the Repair Café movement (https://www.repaircafe.org/), but with a different focus. Here, we are not guaranteeing that your device will be repaired. Instead, we aim to revive curiosity—the same curiosity that leads many makers to open up their first RC car, radio, or broken gadget just to see what’s inside.

Over time, many of us lose that curiosity to explore and experiment. This event is about reigniting that mindset by creating a space where people feel comfortable opening up their devices, understanding their components, and learning how they work.The goal is to create a space where people feel comfortable opening up their devices, exploring their components, and understanding how they work. Even if the gadget isn’t fixed, participants will walk away with a better understanding of electronics, repairability, and open hardware. It’s about learning, experimenting, and thinking about how things can be improved.

Who Can Join?

This event is open to two types of participants:

  1. People who bring gadgets to explore or repair: Those who have broken or old gadgets they want to open up and understand.

  2. People interested in hardware and making: Those who may not have a gadget to fix but are curious about hardware, electronics, and repair culture.

Both groups can learn from each other, share tools, and collaborate.

How the Activity Will Happen:

Step 1: Welcome & Introduction (10:00 AM - 10:30 AM)

  • Introduction to the mindset of repair—why it’s important to explore and understand how things work

  • Discussion on how many makers start by opening up machines out of curiosity

  • Participants introduce their gadgets and what they hope to explore

Step 2: Hands-on Repair & Tinkering (10:30 AM - 1:30 PM)

  • Participants open up their gadgets to see what’s inside

  • Guidance from knowledgeable attendees on basic troubleshooting and repair techniques

  • Conversations on why products fail, how they can be improved, and how repairable they are

  • Collaboration with others to exchange ideas and tools

Step 3: Lunch Break (1:30 PM - 2:00 PM) (Bring your own lunch; refreshments provided)

Step 4: Learning & Sharing (2:00 PM - 4:00 PM)

  • Short Talks (15-20 minutes each):

    • Why Repairing Matters: Right to Repair and Sustainability

    • How Curiosity Leads to Innovation: The Maker Journey

    • Open Hardware: How Open-Source Electronics and DIY Communities Are Changing Tech

    • Basic Fixing Skills: Soldering, Circuit Checking, Component Replacement

  • Show & Tell: Participants share what they discovered, whether or not their device was fixed

Step 5: Wrap-Up & Networking (4:00 PM - 5:00 PM)

  • Reflection on what participants learned and what surprised them

  • Exchange of contacts for future collaboration

  • Discussion on how to continue learning and applying repair skills

What Participants Will Gain:

  • A shift in mindset—seeing technology as something that can be opened, explored, and modified

  • A better understanding of how electronics work

  • Hands-on experience with tools and basic troubleshooting

  • Awareness of open hardware and how communities around the world are working towards repair-friendly tech

  • Connections with fellow tinkerers who share a curiosity for exploring and improving devices

  • Inspiration to continue learning and experimenting with hardware, even if their device wasn’t fully repaired

How We’ll Measure Impact:

Quantitative Measures:

  • Number of participants who actively opened their devices

  • Number of people who attended for the first time

  • Number of participants who expressed interest in future repair or maker events

Qualitative Measures:

  • Feedback from participants on what they learned

  • Stories of discoveries—what participants found inside their gadgets

  • Observations of collaboration and problem-solving moments

  • Interest in open hardware and repair culture after the event

Pre-Event Checklist:

  • Secure a venue with tables, chairs, and power outlets

  • Promote the event and manage registrations (maximum 50 participants, invite-only)

  • Set up a community tool station (screwdrivers, pliers, soldering kits, etc.)

  • Arrange short talks or invite speakers

  • Organize refreshments for attendees

Post-Event Checklist:

  • Collect participant feedback

  • Share photos, key takeaways, and participant experiences with the community

  • Create a simple repair guide or key learnings document for attendees

  • Plan future meetups or an online space for discussions

Who Should Join:

  • People who enjoy tinkering with hardware and electronics

  • Students, hobbyists, and anyone curious about how gadgets work

  • Those interested in sustainability, repair culture, and open hardware

  • Anyone with a broken device and a willingness to explore

No prior experience needed—just bring a device and an open mind.

Curated by: Kurian Jacob

Useful Links:

Final Thoughts

This event is about reviving the natural curiosity that leads to making, repairing, and innovating. Whether participants successfully fix their device or not, they will leave with a deeper understanding of technology, repair culture, and open hardware.

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