Hi all, I’m new here 
I’m trying to find an interesting forum for discussing our up and coming maker space at the office. I’m looking for ideas to convince the management board of interesting ideas that can inspire colleagues and clients.
What kind of project(s) would you recommend, sort of a “must have” or “must try” to promote a maker space culture?
Greetings Rachelle and welcome to the forum. Do you have an idea of the type of equipment you would like to have in your maker space?
We found +/- 10 raspi zeros in a closet the other day. We also have a few regular 3b+ 's and an ultimaker 2+. Other than that I think we should have some budget for new equipment. I think IoT and 3d printing are the main areas we’ll focus on for now (feel free to correct me or suggest something else) since we’re an IT firm.
One of the managers said that anything below 5k wouldn’t be a problem. Currently I’m at +/- 700 for some basic parts, learning kits and tools like screwdrivers, soldering equipment, calipers, etc. I doubt I’ll even reach 1k haha
heavy machinery will most likely not be an option since location A (where the printer is right now) is in a room that we use for presentations, and location B (the middle of the office) is…well…the middle of the office 
we do plan on putting in some cheap storage closets though. We also have plenty of power outlets.
I would suggest home automation systems/devices using these technologies, pi, Arduino, mqtt, Google home, Alexa, esp, sonoff etc.
Build endpoints and hubs which require packaging, electronics and software.
The Arduino for sure (definitely an Uno, and maybe a Mega, Due, and Nano as well). An ESP32 might be useful, too. I’d be willing to bet you’ll want another 3D printer, too (once you get bitten by that bug, it will be infectious), but maybe wait until you feel like you’ve got the hang of the Ultimaker first (if you haven’t already). There are cheaper options than the pricey (but good) Ultimaker.