Microsoft Closes The Garage Maker Spaces, Impacting Innovation Culture

• •Microsoft is closing The Garage, impacting its innovation and hackathon programs.
• •The closure affects multiple locations worldwide, including the main site in Redmond.
• •The decision aligns with Microsoft's shift towards integrating innovation into daily operations.

Microsoft is shutting down The Garage, a program that supported employee innovation through maker spaces and hackathons, after 17 years. The closure affects the flagship location in Redmond and over a dozen other sites globally. According to an internal FAQ, the company aims to foster innovation differently, integrating it into daily work rather than through centralized programs. The decision comes amid significant investments in AI and cost-cutting measures, including job reductions. The closure will also alter Microsoft's annual hackathon events, which have historically been platforms for employee creativity. Microsoft has not confirmed the specific impact on Garage employees or the timeline for all closures, with some spaces set to close as soon as October 23, 2026. The Garage has been instrumental in developing notable products like the Xbox Adaptive Controller and the Seeing AI app. Microsoft has removed the Garage's hall of fame website, erasing its history of projects.