Highlights and Hot Takes from Open Sauce 2025

I’m standing outside, waiting for the shuttle to take a few of us to Adam Savage’s cave (yes, the cave from Tested), when a tall, friendly gentleman with a British accent offers four of us a ride in his rental car. He’s clearly a creator, so we all pile in. As we drive, we introduce ourselves around the car. Our gracious driver’s name is Tom.

It’s not until later that night (after a fun-filled day seeing rockets, robots, electronics, and code) that I was told I had hitched a ride with none other than Tom Scott. I had no idea who Tom Scott was until then.

I feel incredibly out of the loop.

I technically have a YouTube channel and make videos. But I don’t really follow the “creator scene.” I’m not up-to-date on who’s collaborating with whom or what science explainer went viral last week. And at Open Sauce, that made me feel… a little ignorant.

Other attendees didn’t seem to share that problem. The moment high-profile YouTubers entered the event grounds, they were instantly swarmed by fans asking for autographs and selfies. And that set the tone for Open Sauce: one part Maker Faire and one part fan convention.

I want to specifically express my gratitude to my friend @odd_jayy for helping me navigate the processes and culture at Open Sauce.

What is Open Sauce?

For those who might not know, Open Sauce is a maker-focused event launched in 2023 by William Osman and Ian Dokie to showcase STEM and maker projects and people. Maker Faire’s parent company, Maker Media Inc., shut down in 2019 due to financial difficulties, leaving a void in the world of hands-on, grassroots innovation. For years, Maker Faire had brought together engineers, artists, crafters, and tinkerers to show off projects, share ideas, and inspire the next generation of inventors.

Osman and Dokie created Open Sauce to help fill this void: a hybrid between maker fair and creator convention. It brings together YouTubers, engineers, and fans for a weekend of demos, talks, workshops, and weird inventions. While it carries the spirit of Maker Faire, it’s very much a product of the social media era with a focus on content creators: YouTubers, influencers, and livestreamers take the stages in a series of panels.

Maker Faire Bay Area (and several regional Maker Faires) has returned under the new Make: Community, LLC company, which means DIY enthusiasts have the option of attending both. Maker Faire remains family‑centered and focuses on projects, with a decentralized, workshop-rich format. Open Sauce, on the other hand, blends hands‑on exhibits with live panels, meet‑and‑greets, and attention on STEM YouTubers. While projects are kept PG, you can expect some cursing from panelists (what would a Michael Reeves presentation be without some F-bombs?).

A Few of My Favorite Things

Even though I spend most of my energy on teaching intermediate to advanced firmware programming, I still love the maker movement. The creativity is always incredibly inspiring. There are more cool things to see at Open Sauce than I have time to write about, but here is a selection of some of my favorite projects.

Ciggy Shooter

This might have been my favorite project. The sheer absurd use of technology made me laugh, and I was delighted to try it out. The @unauthorizedengineering team made a face-tracking turret that shot cigarettes into the target’s mouth. You can see a video of it in action here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DMYMwmDvuy_/.

Claptrap

Mr. Volt’s lifesized Claptrap is truly impressive and beautifully detailed. I also just love Borderlands. He promised me it would be mobile in the near future. You can see the work in progress here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5UhycI-Bcw

Archimedes (Rebirth)

I’ve followed Alex Glow’s work for many years. Her signature owl made a surprise cameo this year. You can see Alex’s 2018 Supercon talk on Archimedes here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDvf1s2xFJI

Alphonse, the Animatronic Goat Head

The brainchild of @extrastellarentity, this robotic goat head was built as part of an exhibit for the Ceremony of the Faceless metal experience. I couldn’t help but laugh when it started lip syncing Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball.”.

IP Over Tin Can and String (IPoTCaS)

Yes, another absurd use of technology, and I’m here for it. SuperTails built this ridiculous contraption that transmitted full TCP/IP packets over two pieces of string (transmit and receive). The team boasted a full 6.9 kbps connection! You can see the full project here: https://github.com/SuperTails/ipotcas 

Some Criticism: The Fame Wall

One of the most noticeable dynamics at Open Sauce is the way YouTube celebrity shapes the flow of the event. To be fair, it’s also one of the reasons the event works so well: big-name creators draw big crowds, and those crowds bring energy, curiosity, and enthusiasm (and money). Wandering the grounds, I saw plenty of foot traffic from excited attendees who wanted to learn, ask questions, and try things out. That kind of engagement is exactly what you hope for at a maker event.

But there’s a flip side: the most prominent YouTubers often don’t get to participate in that same exchange. The moment someone like William Osman, ElectroBOOM, or NileRed steps out into the general crowd, they’re immediately surrounded by fans for autographs and selfies. As a result, these creators are often walled off from the very projects and people that make Open Sauce special. It creates a kind of soft aristocracy–not because anyone is acting superior, but because the structure of the event makes it almost impossible for the most recognized faces to just walk the floor and tinker like everyone else.

I overheard two of the big-name creators talk about how they were not able to easily enjoy the exhibits, so the “fame wall” worked both ways.

Compared to the more egalitarian spirit of the early Maker Faires, where creators and attendees freely mingled, it feels like a cultural shift. No one’s to blame; this is the natural consequence of platform fame meeting a physical space, but it’s worth noticing. The makers, engineers, and artists showing off their work are just as vital to this ecosystem as the creators who inspired many of them. The more we can blur the line between “featured guest” and “fellow tinkerer,” the stronger this community becomes.

Carrying the Torch

Open Sauce is one of the most promising and inspiring events in the STEAM world today. It’s messy, energetic, and full of curious people building strange, wonderful things. Especially for kids, it’s a place where technology and creativity collide in the most exciting ways, showing them that science and engineering are more than academic: they’re playful, hands-on, and often hilarious. Open Sauce is carrying the torch lit by Maker Faire, updating it for a new generation shaped by YouTube and online communities. If it can continue to bridge the gap between creators and makers, while staying true to its spirit of exploration and learning, I think the future of DIY looks pretty bright.