Background: How Did This Come To Be?
Last Autumn, Harri and I were walking around Vallila, where Harri has some office space. The area inspired a conversation, where we came to an exciting conclusion. What is really needed in Helsinki is a place where to work, relax, invite guests and have fun. And, doing good things should be an essential part of it. We thought, perhaps naively, that people had had enough of slaving away to pay the mortgage. It had to be possible, we thought, to get by and still make sure that others get by too. We had lots of names for this ideology, ’Reilun Työn Fellowship’ was one, ’Venture Philanthropy for all’ was another.
Few months later, in January this year, I was taking some guests around London looking at different social enterprises and The Hub in Kings Cross was one of them. Guests and I were equally blown away. The place and the community was simply amazing. Few hours later I was on the phone to Harri and said that we had found what we were looking for.
We started emailing Jonathan Robinson, one of the founders of the global Hub community. Jonathan provided us with lots of background materials, business plans, presentations etc. And we studied. Harri visited the Hub in Berlin, we searched the web, read the forums. At the same time The Finnish Institute published the study on social entrepreneurship in the SME sector in Finland. The result confirmed that social entrepreneurship was bubbling under our Nordic Welfare state. Jonathan asked how he could help – and we invited him over to Helsinki.
Jonathan’s visit in June was well received, we met lots of entrepreneurs, British Council organised an evening with a room packed with excited people. We met some fellow minded individuals in a meeting organised by Sitra. Jonathan’s visit left a mark and the Hub community in Helsinki started forming itself.
Fast-forward the holidays and to a discussion in London a month ago. My colleague Hanna was looking for a space during the Helsinki Design Week to organise a workshop with Aalto University, Ideo and Yatta. At the same time Harri and others were discussing with Helsinki about potential spaces for the Hub. Hanna and I thought we could combine the two: get a space for the workshop and temporary Hub to try out the concept in Helsinki. The Pop Up Hub Helsinki was born. Hanna and I phoned everyone (Tuuli from Aalto, Ilkka from Yatta, Ant from Ideo) through and asked if they want to be involved. Everyone said ‘yes’ on the spot. We explained the plan to Helsinki and they liked it – we secured the temporary roof over our heads at Aleksanterinkatu 16-18.
In the story above people organised around a good idea. I am hoping that the Pop Up Hub week will expand and strengthen the community. The Hub is only as good as its community and the people that work there. I’m serious. Forget the walls and desks and lights, the community around the idea of entrepreneurs improving the lives of other people is what makes this work. The community owns the Hub and forms its member base. I invite all readers to be part of the Hub.
Antti
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