Coworking Space Social Design | Impact Hub Philadelphia

Challenge

Impact Hub, a global coworking association serving cause-oriented organizations, sought its first U.S. East Coast expansion from San Francisco. The effort required building systems, community, partnerships, and programming from the ground up.

Approach

Four people were relocated to operationalize the expansion, focusing on two priorities:

Community Building

Using co-design and roundtables, the team engaged existing connections to assess strengths, weaknesses, and unmet needs. Events were observed and iterated upon. A standout initiative, Pitch and Brew, launched with a nonprofit partner, used an informal participatory action research method -- adjusting timing, format, and focus based on participant feedback. Within its first year, it engaged 375+ entrepreneurs, start-ups, and organizations in Philadelphia.

Membership Onboarding

The process unfolded in two phases: prototyping and iteration. Target customers were identified via competitor analysis and community observation. Interviews informed four customer journeys mapped on a large analog blueprint, where business or membership cards physically tracked users and highlighted pain points. This paper prototype served as a live tracking tool for early sign-ups, with journey iterations tested through A/B methods.

Result

A diverse community and strong partnerships emerged. However, a co-location with the 3rdWard makerspace proved problematic when that partner liquidated, leaving an oversized facility. The Philadelphia location ultimately closed.