the hub brussels /an incubator for social and environmental innovation

The Hub Brussels/an incubator for social and environmental innovation

http://www.the-hub.net/

Hubs in the WorldOur core product is flexible membership of inspirational and highly resourced habitats in the world’s major cities for social innovators to work, meet, learn, connect and realise progressive ideas. The Hub is currently located in London, Bristol and Johannesburg with affiliations in Toronto and Soweto and coming into being in Accra, Amsterdam, Berlin, Bombay, Brussels, Edinburgh, Halifax, Israel-Palestine, Madrid, Mexico City, New York, New Zealand (various potential locations), Rotterdam, Sao Paolo, Shanghai ...

The market need is expressed by social innovators whose ability to thrive requires access to highly resourced, flexible and safe spaces within which to scale up, change gear, take risks, make mistakes, learn and collaborate. Over time, social innovators need access to a range of just-in-time resources and market-facing opportunities to thrive: knowledge, capital and networks. The Hub provides channels to such resources and opportunities, without crushing the innovators initial spark and ingenuity.

The Hub enjoys unique market positioning as a synergy between three distinct offerings: workspace, incubation and consultancy ventures. Our core offering is flexible membership of inspirational work and meeting spaces with access to ‘just-in-time’ resources. Our value-added offering is twofold: incubation services to facilitate access to knowledge, capital and networks; and consultancy ventures that are attracted to the unusual inter-disciplinary talent of our membership.


our vision

» We see potential for diverse people and organizations to create imaginative initiatives that re-design the social and environmental fabric of our world.


our intent

» We attract, inspire and support social and environmental innovators to realize innovative initiatives for a radically better world through flexible access to business resources.


Why a Hub in Brussels?

Creating the buzz

There are many social innovators in Brussels, people with great ideas, who are doing great things. But it’s hard to fight your way through alone if you want to do something different, if you want to innovate.

Imagine you had the support of a community of people with a strong motivation to deliver blended value to the world, likeminded and yet diverse. Imagine you could benefit from their collective intelligence. Imagine you had an inspiring workspace with leading edge ICT infrastructure and user friendly interfaces, physical features that nourish the human spirit and respond to an expanded conception of work, including informal spaces to eat, meet, read and relax. Imagine there were ‘hosts’, who are accessible and characterized by an interest in ‘making things possible’ and facilitating connections.



Bridging cultural divides

Brussels is a very complex reality, with 19 municipalities. There is a divide between the Flemish and the French, but also the international communities.

Further segregation manifests itself between European and non-European immigrant groups. As an open platform for dialogue and action, The Hub will set an example, as a bridge of those divides, by simply being open to all and actively inviting members from these diverse communities.



Also Belgium has many social and environmental issues that need innovation.

To name just a few: Structural unemployment in Wallonia Lack of space in retirement communities Overcrowded kindergarten and primary schools High unemployment and homelessness in Brussels Accessibility for disabled people Crime Lack of integration of immigrants

Flanders

Wallonia

Brussels



Innovation on policy makingBrussels is the political centre of Europe. Many social innovators are supporting the EU institutions to respond to today's complex challenges. The Hub Brussels can be a platform to connect, share practices, create synergies and develop a common vision for a better Europe.

Through its close affiliation with the Action & Innovation Lab and the Hub World Network, the Hub Brussels can offer to the European Commission, but also to the Belgian governments, to be a testing ground for policy regulation and provide access to social innovators in various European countries.


» It’s time for thinking the unlikely and doing the unreasonable

The health of our souls, our communities and the planet is calling on us to break with convention.

We are attracted to systemic initiatives that challenge and re-imagine the ideas and certainties of our modern age.

our beliefs


our beliefs

» Social innovation is not a lonely process

It is itself a network- endeavor. Innovation relies on having visibility of and access to the right mix of people, talents and resources.

Good ideas are dependent on an environment that is supportive of collaboration.


our beliefs

» Networks are increasingly organizing and defining our experience of the world

The social capital embodied in our networks and connections is frequently our biggest asset in an ever more fluid, complex and inter-dependent world.

When people can see themselves in the context of their social networks, they will be able to assess the choices available to them, make better decisions and affect more substantial change in the world.


our beliefs » Connecting the dots.

Our experience is that the whole adds up to more as the sum of its parts.


our guiding principles

» Everyone a social innovator.

» The need for enabling spaces.

» The mystery of connections.

» Just in time tools & resources.

» The richness in learning by doing.



» Everyone a social innovator.We create a context in which anyone is encouraged to realize the social innovator in themselves: realizing imaginative initiatives full-time, part-time, flexi-time



» The need for enabling spaces.We believe in the necessity and the power of working in spaces which nourish the human spirit, allow individuals to bring all of themselves to their work, and enable new questions and difficult answers to be given due attention



» The mystery of connections.We believe that the most meaningful connections and some of the most powerful outcomes happen without being planned. We are interested in what complexity scientists understand as `emergence´ within our inter-disciplinary practice.



» Just in time tools & resources.We know social innovators need access, over time, to a wide range of `just in time´ resources to thrive: money, creativity, leading edge IT, management advice - so we attempt to provide channels to such resources and to support the pioneer‘s initial spark and ingenuity.


» The richness in learning by doingWe have come to understand the importance of continuous learning by doing and the value of codifying and sharing this. Contrary to the usual tendency of a pioneer to move on to the next thing, without fully internalizing or valuing the lessons of the immediate experience.



our enablers

» Courage. A culture that supports the risk-taking involved in learning by doing

» Conviviality. An enabling organization that thrives on generosity of spirit and interdependence

» Imagination. Seeing things as they could be


our business model

Infrastructure Value Proposition Customers

Uplifting, energetic spaces for working, meeting, learning and connecting

Access to The Hub Network; an affiliation of likeminded people and enterprises around the globe, including London, Bristol, Sao Paolo, Johannesburg, Bombay, Toronto, Rotterdam…

An online content platform for sharing knowledge across the Hub Network

Uplifting, energetic spaces for working, meeting, learning and connecting

Access to The Hub Network; an affiliation of likeminded people and enterprises around the globe, including London, Bristol, Sao Paolo, Johannesburg, Bombay, Toronto, Rotterdam…

An online content platform for sharing knowledge across the Hub Network

We attract, inspire and support social and

environmental innovators to realize

innovative initiatives for a radically better world through flexible access to business resources.

We attract, inspire and support social and

environmental innovators to realize

innovative initiatives for a radically better world through flexible access to business resources.

Our members will range from small business startups to teams from large corporations

We will reach our customers though targeted networking and word-of-mouth advertising

The customer segment will be focused on social innovation

Our members will range from small business startups to teams from large corporations

We will reach our customers though targeted networking and word-of-mouth advertising

The customer segment will be focused on social innovation


our financial model

Cost Structure Revenue Streams

Operational CostsOperational Costs

The Hub Brussels facility

The Hub Brussels Staff

Office equipment

Hub Network Fees

External Cash OutflowsExternal Cash Outflows

Business Case Competition

Enterprise Grants

Operational CostsOperational Costs

The Hub Brussels facility

The Hub Brussels Staff

Office equipment

Hub Network Fees

External Cash OutflowsExternal Cash Outflows

Business Case Competition

Enterprise Grants

External FinancingExternal Financing

i-propeller, The Hub London

Sponsors

Foundation Grants

Internal FinancingInternal Financing

Member Subscriptions

Meeting Facilities

Seminar Fees

Consulting Fees

External FinancingExternal Financing

i-propeller, The Hub London

Sponsors

Foundation Grants

Internal FinancingInternal Financing

Member Subscriptions

Meeting Facilities

Seminar Fees

Consulting Fees

Fully Operational

First Year

Fully Operational

First Year


our business model

© Alex Osterwalder / arvetica

Infrastructure Offer Customer

Finance

Core Capabilities

Partner Network

Value Configuration

Value Proposition

Customer Relationship

Distribution Channel

Target Customer


our value propositionWe attract, inspire and support social and environmental innovators to realize initiatives for a radically better world through flexible access to business resources: space, connections, knowledge, investment

http://business-model-design.blogspot.com/


Customer

our business model

our target customersOur customers are individuals and groups committed to creating impactful change in the world. They are innovators and entrepreneurs, artists and craftsman, facilitators and coaches, architects and change agents ...

Infrastructure Offer

Finance

Core Capabilities

Partner Network

Value ConfigurationValue Proposition




Customer

Target Customer


Infrastructure Offer

Core Capabilities

Partner Network


Finance Revenue Streams

Customer

our business model

our customer relationshipPersonal: The Hub is staffed with a Host, the role of which is dedicated to enabling business resources as well as creating connections between members.Social: The Hub will promote special events that share our common vision, creating closer ties between The Hub, our members and the community


Cost Structure

Target Customer




Finance

Core Capabilities

Partner Network



Target Customer


our business model

our distribution channelWe communicate and get in touch with our customers by framing opportunities, connecting allies, leveraging resources, cultivating collaboration, project management support and prototyping innovations




Finance

Partner Network




Target Customer


our business model

our core capabilitiesSPACE: HUB WORKSPACE & BOARDROOM for meeting, learning and working, HUB LABS for highly resourced prototyping

and collaboration, HUB LOUNGE & BAR touch-down work and meeting spaceCONNECTIONS: HUB CAFÈS are inter-disciplinary meetings around cross-cutting practice, HUB PRODUCTIONS

imaginative public programming fusing films, exhibitions, and lectures, HUB+ online tools for collaborationKNOWLEDGE: HUB PROFESSIONALS a network of external professionals offering specialised expertise to members, HUB

TALENT an internally and externally facing network of consultancy talent, HUB MENTORING a peer-to-peer framework for learning and support

INVESTMENT: HUB CURRENCY an internal trading platform for time and knowledge, HUB FINANCE access to grant, debt and equity finance for business development and growth

Infrastructure

Core Capabilities


our business model

our partner networkThe Hub Network: London, Bristol, Johannesburg, Toronto, Soweto and soon: Accra, Amsterdam, Berlin, Bombay, Brussels, Edinburgh, Halifax, Israel-Palestine, Madrid, Mexico City, New York, New Zealand (various potential locations), Paris, Rotterdam, Sao Paolo, Shanghai i-propeller and the Innovation & Action LabLa Rouche, ParisLearning House, LondonFluid Minds, Sweden


Finance

Core Capabilities



Target Customer



Partner Network


our business model

our value configurationThe Hub network will be available 24/7 at www.the-hub.net allowing to connect and access all the benefits, all the time, in any place.The Hub in Brussels will be established in a facility, easily reached by public transport, remodeled using recycled materials as well as having a 0% emissions target.


Finance

Core Capabilities

Partner Network

Value Proposition


Target Customer


Distribution ChannelValue Configuration


our business model

our revenue streamsExternal Financing

i-propeller, The Hub LondonSponsorsFoundation Grants

Internal FinancingMember SubscriptionsMeeting FacilitiesSeminar FeesConsulting Fees


Finance

Core Capabilities

Partner Network

Value Proposition


Target Customer

Cost Structure


Revenue Streams


our business model

our cost structureOperating Expenses

Variable costsContribution to the Hub World NetworkEmployee(s)Promotional materials

Capital ExpensesThe Hub FacilityBuilding RenovationDesks/Chairs/Furnituretechnology infrastructure


Finance

Core Capabilities

Partner Network

Value Proposition


Target Customer


Revenue StreamsCost Structure


our team Ho

sts / curators /

facilitators

Social Archite

cts / human

interaction designers

Talent spotters /

attractors / match

makers / connectors /

communicators

Thou

ght l

eade

rs /

vis

iona

ries

/

prov

ocat

eurs

Strategists / innovators / designers / managers


The Hub Brussels/an incubator for social and environmental innovation

Our goal is to open a prototype space by December 2007. Do you want to help us making this possible?

If this presentation awakened your curiosity and you are interested to learn more, to support us or to know how to become a member of the founding team, please get in touch with [email protected]


the hub brussels /an incubator for social and environmental innovation

Documents

social innovators

hub brussels

flexible access

environmental innovators

time resources

environmental innovation

innovators initial spark

cultural divides brussels