Hackhouse grew out of Startinev — five years of hackathons, innovation programs, and ecosystem building across Africa — into a physical space where founders, creatives, freelancers, and young people work, build, network, and access the resources they need.
For five years, Startinev has worked with corporates, run hackathons, and designed innovation programs across Africa. Through 400+ events and 5,450+ founders, one thing kept coming up: people needed more than a programme. They needed a place — a consistent, daily environment where the work actually happens.
Hackhouse is that place. A coworking studio, a community hub, and a launchpad for anyone building something — all under one roof at 124 Manyani East Road, Nairobi. It's where the networks, mentorship, and structured learning we built through Startinev come together in a physical home designed not just for founders, but for creatives, freelancers, and young people who want to be part of something bigger.
We believe the next generation of transformative African ventures will be built by people who are deeply rooted in their context, surrounded by others doing the same thing, and given the infrastructure to move fast. Hackhouse exists to make that possible.
Startinev launched in 2020 as an entrepreneurship ecosystem builder — organising hackathons, corporate innovation challenges, and startup programs across Africa. We partnered with 18+ organisations across insurance, education, energy, climate, AI, and the creative industries. We ran 400+ events and supported over 5,450 founders along the way.
But we kept seeing the same thing: builders would create promising products during a hackathon, then go back to working alone with no community, no mentorship, and no momentum. The gap between “great idea” and “real company” wasn't a lack of talent. It was a lack of infrastructure — a physical place to show up every day.
So we built Hackhouse — a permanent space where everything we learned running Startinev comes together: coworking, community, structured programs, and access to resources and networks. Not just for startup founders, but for creatives, freelancers, and young people who need somewhere to work, build from, and connect with others on the same journey.
Explore Our Programs
“We ran the hackathons. We supported 5,000+ founders. We saw what they needed next. Hackhouse is that next step.”
Every product, program, and policy starts with: does this serve the people building here?
No theory for theory's sake. Every session is battle-tested and actionable.
Access to networks, mentors, and resources shouldn't depend on who you know walking in.
We share what's working, what isn't, and what we're learning — with our community and the ecosystem.
We're not here for one cohort. We're compounding returns across years and generations.
Our programs are built for the continent — its infrastructure, markets, talent, and potential.
The team that built Startinev from the ground up — now channelling five years of ecosystem building into making Hackhouse the best place to build in Africa.
We work with leading organisations, corporates, and ecosystem partners who share our belief in the potential of African builders.
Whether you're a founder, a creative, a freelancer, or just someone who needs a space to do great work — there's a place for you at Hackhouse.