# Instructables

> Instructables is an Autodesk-owned community and publishing platform where people document, discover and discuss step-by-step DIY projects. It grew from Squid Labs' experimental kite-surfing documentation into a global archive of hundreds of thousands of projects spanning crafts, cooking, electronics, design and classroom work.

- **Founded:** 2005
- **Headquarters:** San Francisco, United States
- **Founders:** Eric Wilhelm (Co-founder and former CEO), Saul Griffith (Co-founder)
- **Products:** Instructables project publishing, Contests, Teachers, Classes and collections
- **Notable:** Grew from a 2005 Squid Labs documentation tool into a global archive of hundreds of thousands of projects., Acquired by Autodesk in 2011; a later Autodesk 10-K records $30.2 million in total cash consideration., Its 2026 Off the Grid contest recognized 23 winning entries, including student prizes.

## Products & services

- **Instructables project publishing** — Step-by-step tutorials with text, photos, video and files across DIY categories.
- **Contests** — Themed making challenges with judging, featured entries and prizes.
- **Teachers** — Classroom project discovery by grade, subject and tool, with teaching resources.
- **Classes and collections** — Structured lessons and curated groups of projects for skills such as woodworking, casting and rockets.

## Achievements

- Grew from a 2005 Squid Labs documentation tool into a global archive of hundreds of thousands of projects.
- Acquired by Autodesk in 2011; a later Autodesk 10-K records $30.2 million in total cash consideration.
- Its 2026 Off the Grid contest recognized 23 winning entries, including student prizes.

## Latest updates

- **2026-08** — The Off the Grid contest closed after receiving 66 entries and named 23 winning projects, including student prizes.
- **2026-08** — AquaCharge, a portable water turbine and hand-crank generator, was published and won a student prize in the Off the Grid contest.
- **2026-01** — A middle-school maker published a 3D printable bucket-wheel excavator project made with Fusion.

## Links

- Website: https://www.instructables.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/instructables-com
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/instructables
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJbYgMyjTBaeMtDsYtz2mFA
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/instructables/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/instructables

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/instructables
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-29