Collaboration is the only way to tackle the complex challenges our world faces. All big ideas begin small. That was the case for the first Impact Hub, which began 15 years ago with a single community in a single city. It was a place for anyone with an idea for a more positive world to come together and collaborate. Impact Hubs are places where collaboration can happen. They connect entrepreneurs and innovative to large organizations, public sector and investors to enable inclusive and sustainable innovations at scale.
Impact Hub is now a global network of 24,250 change-makers, consisting of 100+ communities across 60+ countries on 5 continents. The award-winning Georgian Hub is one of them.
Keti Ebanoidze is the co-founder of Impact Hub Tbilisi.
“The inspiration for opening an Impact Hub comes from a desire support and drive social change through entrepreneurship, innovation and philanthropy.
“We, as the founders of Impact Hub Tbilisi believe that entrepreneurship and innovation are powerful tools to create change and have a positive effect.
“In 2016, when we opened an Impact Hub in Tbilisi there was a clear need to create a supportive community for individuals and organizations with a purpose,” she says.
What have you accomplished since first entering the scene? Tell us about your personal highlights since Impact Hub opened its doors.
Seven years of challenges and changes.
We can proudly say that Impact Hub Tbilisi offers much more than a flexible, highly functional co-working space. It is a place for people to be inspired, to connect, to support each other, and to develop themselves in order to take a step forward.
The community of 2000+ members and friends that we have created around us is the main achievement of the last 7 years. Our programs and projects have significantly increased interest in entrepreneurship, social enterprise, innovation, and technology across all generations and regions of Georgia.
During our journey, we hosted hundreds of educational events with thousands of guests, including workshops, trainings and lectures. Our educational programs have supported startups, have promoted entrepreneurship/social entrepreneurship, diversity and innovation, and have empowered women and inspired kids and youth.
What are the challenges you have faced and what is still a challenge for you?
The concept of coworking was new to Tbilisi at the time, so the biggest challenge we faced was promoting it. Georgians weren’t used to sharing spaces and didn’t know about the benefits of co-working, including increased productivity, creativity, and lower costs. In the beginning we had a lot more international members. Today, 60% of our members come from Georgia. We are proud of the fact that Impact Hub Tbilisi contributed so much in promoting co-working culture throughout Georgia.
The biggest challenge is to create and maintain interesting content for our programs and projects while maintaining the friendly, collaborative and vibrant atmosphere that makes Impact Hub Tbilisi special. All of this requires a lot of effort, and is linked to a continuous process of professional and personal self-development in order to stay up-to date and in the loop.
You were named “regional winner” for the Best Coworking Space in the EuroAsian Startup Awards and the Global Awards are coming up. What does it take to be a global success?
We were named Regional Winners in the EuroAsian Startup Award category for the Best Coworking space a few months back. It gave us the opportunity to participate in the Global Startup Awards, the largest independent startup competition, which aims to recognize and support players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem around the world. In March 2023 we will be representing Georgia at the Global Startup Awards, which will take place in Copenhagen. We hope to win the title of Best Coworking Space globally.
We, the founders at Impact Hub Tbilisi believe that entrepreneurship and innovation are powerful tools to create change and have a positive impact.
To win the Regional Award or Global Award, co-working spaces must demonstrate excellence in a number of key areas including:
* Community: The space should foster an inclusive and strong community of members by providing opportunities for networking, collaboration, and mentoring.
* Amenities: The coworking space should provide a wide range of amenities and services.
* Design and atmosphere – The co-working area should have an inviting and well-designed environment that promotes productivity, creativity, and well being.
* Sustainability and impact – The coworking space should show a commitment to social impact and sustainability, either through their operations or through their partnerships and initiatives.
* Innovation: The coworking space should embrace innovative technologies and coworking approaches, offering unique features that set it apart.
The co-working space must also have a good track record in terms of customer satisfaction, engagement and a positive reputation both locally and globally.
The best co-working spaces are those that provide a supportive, innovative environment for their members while also having a positive impact on the society and environment.
In addition to the main criteria, the jury takes into account the voting results, so we encourage our supporters to vote for us here: https://cutt.ly/89dSJ4k
What would you say about the startup scene in Georgia? What needs to be done now to strengthen it?
In the past few years, the Georgian startup scene has grown and developed rapidly. The business community is thriving and there are many talented entrepreneurs and developers. The country offers a favorable regulatory and tax environment for startups. There are also many initiatives and programs that promote entrepreneurship and innovation. Impact Hub Tbilisi also actively participates in the development of entrepreneurial scene through its programs and initiatives, such as Impact Hub Tbilisi Startup Pre Accelerator.
Georgia still has some areas to improve, including accessing enough capital for growth as the venture capital industry and private equity are still in their early stages of development. Another area is talent retention. Georgia has a large pool of talented people, but preventing a “brain-drain” remains a challenge.
The startup scene in Georgia is growing and has great potential, but there are still areas that could be improved. For example, startups still have difficulty accessing enough capital to grow, and the venture capital and the private equity industries are still in their early stages of development. Talent retention is another challenge. Georgia has a large pool of talented people, but retaining them and preventing a “brain-drain” is a major issue.
What is next for Impact Hub Tbilisi
We plan to continue and enrich our portfolio in the future, with a special focus on technology. We will continue to build a community of doers that will change the world tomorrow.
What will the Global Awards mean for Impact Hub Tbilisi, and the country in general?
Winning the Global Startup Awards boosts our reputation and recognition and will help us to support and drive growth of Georgia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. It will also help Georgia and Impact Hub Tbilisi to increase their visibility internationally. Georgia’s inclusion on the global map will help attract more entrepreneurs, investors and other stakeholders.
Interview by Katie Ruth Davies
Read More @ georgiatoday.ge