MakerSpace NYC celebrated as New York SBDC Family of the Year
Scott Van Campen and DB Lampman treat everyone who visits MakerSpace NYC like family. Whether they’re a tradesperson or a student, anyone who enters the community-based advanced manufacturing facility with state-of-the-art equipment is welcomed and trained with open arms.
It seems only fitting, then, that the husband-and-wife duo was celebrated last week as the New York Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Family of the Year at a ceremony in their 6,000-square-foot industrial fabrication Stapleton facility.
“When people talk about the role of family, one of the things they talk about is the word support. And here at MakerSpace with Scott and DB, that's one of the things that they have done at this Staten Island location since opening 13 years ago,” said Staten Island SBDC Regional Director Michael Anderson.
The Staten Island SBDC, hosted by the College of Staten Island, has worked with Scott and DB from the very beginning of their journey. The organization worked with the duo on their business plan, financials, and other questions and needs to assist them with that initial Request for Proposal (RFP) for the MakerSpace idea. More than 13 years later, the Staten Island SBDC continues that relationship today, providing support, advice, and other no-fee services.
Sticking with the support theme, Anderson highlighted the support MakerSpace has provided local tradespeople to hone their craft, artists who can highlight and showcase their work in neighboring Maker Park, youth who learn real-world applications through school tours and the STEAM wagon, and college students after opening a MakerSpace facility at the College of Staten Island.
“When you really look at it, nominating MakerSpace and then having them win Family of the Year, it makes sense because family is all about support and they have done that for our local community,” said Anderson. “When (Staten Island SBDC) Senior Certified Business Advisor Joe Bottega looked at the application for Family of the Year, we thought it was a no-brainer to nominate the husband-and-wife team of Scott and DB.”
The Stapleton facility was just the beginning of Scott and DB’s vision. In addition to creating Maker Park – a 27,000-square-foot outdoor space for public art, events, and workshop – in 2018, MakerSpace expanded into Brooklyn that same year with a 15,000-square-foot state-of-the-art indoor fabrication facility with emphasis on advanced manufacturing equipment, and a 20,000-square-foot studio space facility with its own woodshop and metalshop for studio members, and a 5,000-square-foot storage facility with rentable lockers and walk in storage units.
The latest venture came in 2015 with the CSI MakerSpace Innovation Suite, which provides students another avenue to access state-of-the-art equipment to design, create, fabricate, and present their projects.
“Makerspace NYC is a wonderful example of what can happen when creativity, drive, and Community come together,” said CSI President Dr. Timothy G. Lynch, who attended the event, along with Robert Wallace (Executive Legal Counsel and Chief Administrator in Charge of Community Partnerships and Government Relationships) and Jasmine Cardona (Executive Director of Economic Development and Community Partnerships) from CSI. “At the College of Staten Island, we are especially proud that Makerspace is now part of our campus community. Since opening at CSI last year, it is giving our students new opportunities to learn, experiment, create, and turn ideas into something tangible. That kind of Hands-On learning is at the heart of what a college should do – connect education to the real world and give people the tools, spaces, and relationships to imagine what comes next.”
“It's been an absolute pleasure working with Scott and DB, specifically for our shielded metal arc welding program,” echoed Gabriella Quinones, Program Manager for the trades and unions program at CSI. “We have now been training our third cohort of students, and the feedback that we've received from them about the experience of training and welding, making connections, building community relationships, and learning this trade has been overwhelming. And it's all thanks to these two wonderful people.”
With so much on their plates, Scott and DB also made sure to utilize other business organizations willing to assist, like the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce and Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC).
“I remember many years ago when the RFP went out and they responded to it, and to see it come to fruition and to see how much you’ve grown has been great,” said Linda Baran, President and CEO of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce. “I just want to acknowledge, as the Family of the Year, the sense of community that you have brought to Stapleton. … What you’ve done with MakerSpace and just the way you gather and bring people together, I want you to know how appreciative that is because it’s admirable.”
“We're just so happy that this space exists and that you've been working with and certifying people. Not only are you training people here, but these are people that are then working in the communities,” said Olivia Frasca, Director of Communications & External Affairs for SIEDC.
In addition to receiving citations from State Senator Andrew Lanza, Councilman David Carr, and Assemblyman Michael Reilly, representatives from State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton and Richmond County District Attorney Michael McMahon were present to present their citations.
“You've created not only a successful business but a site for people to come here and connect in real time, in real life, and work with their hands. And there’s also the amazing work that you're doing with the schools and giving them the skill set that they need to enter the real world and to still be authentic in themselves,” said Lisa Thomson, Director of Neighborhood Initiatives for Richmond County District Attorney Michael E. McMahon's Office, who recalled a personal connection in how she spent some time at MakerSpace NYC when she was a college student and didn’t know where her career path would take her.
“This is so amazing what you guys have here, and just hearing all the passion that you guys have for this space and your expansion, it was so inspiring listening to you. We really do need more people like you in our community that are so passionate about making a change and making all of us a better place for the future Generations,” said Vincent Lepani, Community Liaison with State Senator Scarcella-Spanton’s Office.
The ceremony was part of the New York SBDC’s 2026 Client Roadshow, a statewide celebration recognizing outstanding small businesses and entrepreneurs whose achievements reflect the resilience, innovation, and community impact of New York’s small business community.
“This category is one of my favorites because of the sake of not only what you do as a business, as a family, but how you are a family pillar in your community as well,” said NYSBDC State Director Sonya Smith, who added that this year’s award recipients were selected from among more than 27,000 small business clients served by the New York SBDC across the state this past year. So, it’s certainly no easy task to pour through the nominations and select 10 businesses this year in the various categories.
“The work that's done with the community partners and everyone else shows how everyone must come together. Whether it's your financing projections, your business plan, or the work you're trying to do in connection with workforce development in the trades, it's great,” said Smith. “In terms of what was said about our younger generation coming here, it's really important to give them an alternative route or a route they never thought of.”
In addition to the award, Smith also presented Scott and DB with a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in honor of their business, from Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee.
“DB and Scott are certainly the cultural anchor in the Staten Island small business community,” said Bottega. “Both DB and Scott are very passionate and very creative. They go the extra mile helping some of their creative tenants and entrepreneurs in their quest to really start their businesses.”
After receiving the accolades, the duo thanked all for attending and for the recognition.
“When we initially started with the Staten Island SBDC and met with previous Regional Director) Dean (Balsamini), we were like, ‘What's a pro forma? What are we doing? How do we do this?’ We had an idea and really a dream. Dean, Joe, and (former Certified Business Advisor) Ed (Piszko) really helped pull us together and actually keep us grounded,” said Van Campen. “They allowed us to visualize and put together what sort of seemed like a crazy idea, like, ‘Hey, we're going to get a bunch of people in the room, and we're going to give them industrial tools, and they're not going to hurt themselves, and they're going to learn from it, and then they're going to be able to make things from that and, you know, make their lives better.
And since then, we've also expanded from just that simple idea into education with the K through 12 school groups that we work closely with the (New York City) DOE. We've also expanded into workforce training programs and working with the College of Staten Island, which has been a great relationship,” he added. “We work closely with (the NYC Department of) Small Business Services, getting people into careers. Not just give them a job, not just give them the information to go out and get a job, but giving them the information to make their world better and give them that ability to make a career. Or they may decide that, ‘Hey, I can make this all my own and I can start a business around this.’ That's really where we are.”
“We had this idea that when we started this place, we were here when me, Scott, and our daughter at the time, thought it would be so cool if other people could do this and have the opportunity to do this,” said Lampman. “And that was sort of the gem, where it all started from. And the Staten Island SBDC has played a good role, and you continue to help not just us but our members.”
Comments