Microsoft Closes The Garage: End of an Era for Hackathons and Maker Spaces

After a 17-year run, Microsoft is ending The Garage program, which provided employees with space and tools for side projects and ran the company’s Global Hackathon. This decision, detailed in an internal FAQ seen by GeekWire, marks the conclusion of an initiative that aimed to foster innovation and a more experimental culture within Microsoft.

Under the leadership of Satya Nadella, who became CEO in 2014, The Garage program became integral to Microsoft’s push for innovation. However, the company now believes that experimentation has become ingrained in the daily work of its teams, rendering the centralized Garage program redundant.

Microsoft is undergoing significant shifts, with a focus on investing heavily in AI while trimming costs and jobs in certain areas of the business. The decision to wind down The Garage is part of the company’s ongoing evaluation of its physical spaces and how they best support employees, customers, and partners.

While the future of The Garage locations remains uncertain, with some spaces potentially being restricted as early as October 23, Microsoft is clear that innovation and a builder mindset will continue to be core principles of its operations.

The Global Hackathon, a key component of The Garage program, is also undergoing changes, with the hackathon team working on reimagining the event. Microsoft has not provided further details on how the program will evolve.

From Office Labs to companywide: The Garage program, which originated in Microsoft’s Office Labs group in 2009, has evolved over the years to become a companywide initiative. It started with a focus on supporting employees who were actively working on their own projects.

Under Nadella’s leadership, The Garage gained prominence, culminating in Microsoft’s first companywide hackathon in 2014, which attracted participants from around the globe. The program also released experimental apps to the public, showcasing Microsoft’s commitment to innovation.

As of this year, The Garage had locations in 15 regions, including Redmond, Vancouver, B.C., the Bay Area, New York City, Ireland, Israel, India, and Beijing.

Employee reaction: The decision to end The Garage program has elicited mixed reactions from employees. Some see it as a cost-cutting measure, while others lament the loss of a space where they built connections and pursued their passion projects.

One commenter on the Blind app, known for its workplace discussions, referred to the closure as “Amy kills the Garage,” attributing the move to Microsoft CFO Amy Hood. The sentiment among employees reflects a sense of loss for a unique and innovative aspect of Microsoft’s culture.