Tucked into a corner of the Delta Innovation Hub, the University of Georgia’s grand presentation and office space for startups, is the tinkering studio of the newly headquartered CREATE Labs.
CREATE—short for the Center for Research, Engineering, And Technological Exploration—started as an idea of UGA engineering student Marcus DiBattista and his advisor, Professor Jaime Camelio, former associate dean for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the College of Engineering. Initially a pilot project, CREATE has become an established service center within the Office of Research.
“CREATE brings together the best engineering talent at UGA and offers students the opportunity to engage in engineering design work and gain valuable working experience as they complete their studies,” said Kevin Wu, engineering catalyst in Innovation Gateway and leader of CREATE. “For the UGA community, we now have a local engineering design firm that can help anyone with an idea transform that thought into a working, functional prototype that can help accelerate innovation and the launching of new startups.”
Students can apply each semester for a spot in CREATE, where they complete basic training before joining any projects. The lab draws members from various disciplines in engineering and computer science. Alongside hands-on technical work, students gain experience meeting client expectations and delivering results.
CREATE projects focus on early-stage, proof-of-concept work. The lab has supported UGA researchers by fabricating specialized tools, assisted startups by helping them refine prototypes, and worked with small businesses to create proofs of concept for new products. The lab’s technologies are capable of additive and subtractive manufacturing, mechanical and electrical design, and embedded system and software solutions.
The CREATE team relies on a range of rapid prototyping and fabrication tools across two facilities. The Delta Innovation Hub houses a laser cutter, resin printer, soldering station, vinyl printer, and other various high-tech instruments. The other facility, located in UGA’s I-STEM Research Building, is outfitted with more industrial tools like a 3-axis computer numerical control (CNC) mill and more precise 3D printers.
The program’s impact reaches well beyond student participants. For faculty, CREATE offers a partner that can translate ideas into functional prototypes. For entrepreneurs, it provides critical support to move innovations from ideas to product.
By blending practical experience with client-driven problem solving, CREATE has become more than a learning opportunity. It is a resource for the university and the broader community, where students and clients work together to bring new ideas off the page and into reality.
