BCIT Applied Research and Innovation is proud to bring the MAKE+ Solutions Lounge to the 2025 Hardware Unconference on Saturday, September 27, 2025 at BCIT’s Burnaby Campus. This unique event, brought to you by the Hardware Unconference Team, will bring together innovators, makers, and entrepreneurs from across the region to share knowledge, solve problems, and advance the development of hardware technologies. This daylong conference will include over 20 sessions led by industry experts.
What is an “Unconference”?
An unconference is a participant-driven event where the agenda is created on the spot by attendees. Instead of scheduled sessions, participants propose topics based on their expertise and lead interactive discussions, workshops, or demos. YOU, the attendees, get to set the scene for the day choosing what topics interest you most, and what you want to learn more about. The emphasis is on spontaneous learning, peer-to-peer sharing, and real-time problem solving. This format makes for an exhilarating and relevant experience.
Hardware at the centre
At its core, the Hardware Unconference is about turning concepts into tangible products such as wearables, industrial sensors, and advanced machinery. Technical leaders from across Vancouver’s hardware community come together to run sessions that span every stage of product development from industrial design and prototyping to project management and venture funding. Last year, participants explored topics ranging from waterproofing electronics and applying Bayesian statistics to model failure probabilities, to reverse engineering with 3D scanning, pitching to venture capitalists as a hardware startup, and manufacturing using etching and diffusion bonding.
The BCIT MAKE+ Solutions Lounge
New to this year’s Hardware Unconference, BCIT Applied Research is presenting a dedicated Solutions Lounge, hosted by our award-winning MAKE+ applied research team. This space will give participants the chance to connect directly with BCIT engineers, technologists, industrial designers, and project leaders to help work through technical and product development challenges. With over 35 years of experience, the MAKE+ team has supported hundreds of companies in developing and bringing products to market. From 3D-printed prototypes to medical devices and advanced manufacturing, MAKE+ applies industry-leading standards, including ISO 13485 certification for medical devices, to ensure safe, effective, and market-ready results. Visit the MAKE+ Solutions Lounge to spark ideas, troubleshoot challenges, and tap into BCIT’s applied research expertise.
The Hardware Unconference team
Now in its second year, the Hardware Unconference is a grassroots, community-driven gathering organized by a team of passionate hardware innovators. Co-founder Tony Jackson brings extensive experience taking medical devices and advanced technologies from concept to market, and the team as a whole offers deep expertise in prototyping, electronics, and manufacturing. Together, they’ve built an open, welcoming community where innovators can share ideas, learn from one another, and tackle challenges side by side. Check out their bios on the registration page.
Join us
We invite innovators, builders, techies and problem solvers to take part in this exciting event. The 2025 Hardware Unconference is your chance to connect with BCIT’s applied research experts and Vancouver’s broader hardware community.
Date: September 27, 2025
Time: 9AM – 5PM
Location: BCIT Burnaby Campus