SEBASTOPOL, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 01/24/13 -- O'Reilly Media today announced that it has spun out its MAKE division, which publishes MAKE Magazine and produces Maker Faire, into an independent company called Maker Media, Inc. The new company will be headed by Dale Dougherty, who founded both MAKE Magazine and Maker Faire, and has managed the MAKE division since its inception in 2005.

The newly independent company will continue its focus on and support of the Maker Movement through its core media properties and ecommerce business.

"This is truly an exciting time for us. The transition from a division to a separate company allows us to expand the ways we connect a growing community of makers who share a mindset that they can change the world around them," said Dale Dougherty, CEO and president of Maker Media. "Makers are eager to share projects and share their expertise with the community, and we want to become the platform to enable and nurture this spirit."

The Maker Movement
With the launch of MAKE Magazine in 2005, Dougherty and his team provided the catalyst for a tech-influenced DIY community that has come to be identified as the Maker Movement. As the movement has gathered increasing momentum, makers have created their own market ecosystem, developing new products and services. The combination of ingenious makers and innovative technologies such as the Arduino microcontroller and personal 3D printing are driving innovation in manufacturing, engineering, industrial design, hardware technology and education. Over the years, the MAKE division has become synonymous with the Maker Movement and is the recognized leader of this growing community of makers.

Over its history, O'Reilly Media has served as an incubator for a number of new businesses, tapping growth markets and emerging technologies. Many of these projects started within the company have been sold or spun out, such as GNN (Global Network Navigator), which Dougherty started in 1993 and O'Reilly sold to America Online in 1995.

"The Maker Movement is taking off," said Tim O'Reilly, founder and CEO of O'Reilly Media. "A movement that began with enthusiasts has turned into an entrepreneurial revolution. As an independent company, Maker Media will be able to accelerate its growth and develop new services for the maker community."

Dougherty will be the majority shareholder in the new company. Tim O'Reilly and the O'Reilly family will also be shareholders. Maker Media will continue to be located in Sebastopol, CA on the O'Reilly campus. All employees of the MAKE division of O'Reilly Media are now part of the new Maker Media, Inc.

More information about Maker Media, Inc. can be found at makermedia.com. Makezine.com, makerfaire.com and makershed.com will continue as popular destinations for the maker community. Books developed by Maker Media will be distributed by O'Reilly Media and available at shop.oreilly.com.

Maker Faire
The launch of Maker Faire in the Bay Area in 2006 demonstrated the popularity of making and interest among legions of aspiring makers to participate in hands-on activities and learn new skills at the event. A record 165,000 people attended the two flagship Maker Faires in the Bay Area and New York in 2012, with 44% of attendees being first timers at the Bay Area event, and 61% in New York. A family event, the vast majority attend with children. In 2013, over 60 community-driven Mini Maker Faires are expected around the world, including Tokyo and Rome.

MAKE Magazine
MAKE Magazine, a quarterly publication, has a paid circulation of 125,000 and is also available online through its website, makezine.com. MAKE also publishes a newsstand-only special issue twice a year that focuses on a new trend or hot technology in the maker arena. The MAKE Ultimate Guide to 3D Printing hit newsstands November 20 and has set new sales records for the media company on the newsstand as well as sales of personal 3D printers in Maker Shed.

Maker Shed
Maker Shed, the official online store for MAKE, opened its virtual doors in 2007 and has seen steady growth and demand for its DIY electronics, from components to kits to tools and development platforms such as Arduino and Raspberry Pi. Maker Shed also sells its popular line of technical and "Getting Started" books. Retail partners include RadioShack and Micro Center.

Read O'Reilly and Dougherty blogpost: http://radar.oreilly.com/2013/01/why-we-spun-out-maker-media.html

About O'Reilly Media
O'Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O'Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying "faint signals" from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.

About Maker Media
Maker Media is a global platform for connecting makers with each other, with products and services, and with our partners. Through media, events and ecommerce, Maker Media serves a growing community of makers who bring a DIY mindset to technology. Whether as hobbyists or professionals, makers are creative, resourceful and curious, developing projects that demonstrate how they can interact with the world around them. The launch of MAKE Magazine in 2005, followed by Maker Faire in 2006, jumpstarted a worldwide Maker Movement, which is transforming innovation, culture and education. Located in Sebastopol, CA, Maker Media is the publisher of MAKE Magazine and the producer of Maker Faire. It also develops "getting started" kits and books that are sold in its Maker Shed store as well as in retail channels.

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