Development of efficient and reliable germplasm repositories is critical for preservation of genetic resources of aquatic model organisms that are vital to advancing biomedical research. However, the most significant problem in repository development is the lack of reproducibility, posing great risks of losing valuable lines developed from billions of dollars research investment. Open hardware allows users to gain access to technologies through open-sharing mechanisms and enable individual contributions for improvement to facilitate community-scale standardization that would rarely be achieved through proprietary technologies. Our work recognized 14 categories of open hardware for a cryopreservation production pathway, and 6 categories for a corresponding quality management pathway to address impediments to establishing repositories among resource centers and research communities. Through open hardware, individuals can fabricate standardized devices in-house with low cost, offering opportunities to begin or improve germplasm preservation, and facilitate repository development with community efforts through aggregated high throughput. To assist utilization of these new technologies to support aquaculture and aquatic sciences, the Aquatic Germplasm and Genetic Resources Center (AGGRC, www.aggrc.com) is hosting a ‘3-D Printing and Open Hardware Workshop’ at the 2023 Aquaculture America Conference, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The workshop will include an introduction to 3-D printing applications in germplasm cryopreservation and repository development, and provide user interaction (Figure 1) with various cryopreservation devices, 3-D printing process, and outreach kits. Attendees will have the opportunity to receive 3-D printed souvenirs.