SOFT OPENING ANNOUNCEMENT

The Design Lab & Small Business Incubator at Hawaii TechWorksTM

We are delighted to welcome you to Hawaii TechWorks’ Design Lab, in Hilo, Hawaii, the computing center and coworking space component of our Community Workshop. Participation in the Hawaii TechWorks program is membership-based, and open to all members of the community. Membership comes with many valuable benefits, and we invite you to visit the Design Lab to explore new ways to innovate, prototype, cowork, and create a sustainable, local business.

The challenges we are facing in our community at the economic, environmental, and social levels are making innovation in all that we do more necessary than ever before.

WHAT IF:

• You had a place you could go to get the help you needed to launch a business? Take your current business online? Build a website or design a product? Learn how to take your idea, master the skills you need, and turn it all into a business? Try out different business ideas without having to capitalize every venture? Had a place to connect with aspiring or accomplished entrepreneurs in an informal and productive environment?
• You had a place to share the skills that you do have? To pass on valuable crafts and ideas to the next generation?
• You had access to the latest design processes, software, and equipment to be competitive in the global market?

You may sign up for a Hawaii TechWorks membership in person, or the membership form may be downloaded here: Hawaii TechWorks Membership Packet

Business innovation and entrepreneurship today, be it around products, services, processes, or business models, is being driven by the new industrial economy of distributed manufacturing, personalized design, and locally-sourced materials and talent. Hawaii TechWorks is responding to that shift, right here in Hilo. We believe community investment and development will come from aligning East Hawaii’s rich cultural heritage with the latest tools and means of innovation.

With this mission in mind, Hawaii TechWorks membership will include access to valuable business infrastructure services, such as:

• Cloud Business Account:
  • Email Account (@HawaiiTechWorks.org or @YourDomain.com)
  • Cloud Storage Drive (5 GB, access from anywhere!)
  • Cloud Office Suite
• A Place to Host and Launch Your Business Website
• Business Database
• Meeting Space
• Technical Assistance for your Business
• Access to Product Design & Development & Fabrication Tools
• Prototyping Services
• Coworking Space

We will also have services available to the public (for non-members) including, but not limited to:

• Specialized Classes (further information below)
• Signage – Design & Fabrication
• Customized Products, Made in Hilo
• Service Custom Goods
• Computer Repair / IT Assistance

Hawaii TechWorks’ Design Lab will also host and conduct classes and seminars, which are as of now being developed and taking shape. Please join us on this exciting and necessary community development journey, and work with us to help shape the Lab workshops that you would like to see us host. Potential workshops, classes, events, and seminars for members and the local public could include:

• Makers: The Next Industrial Revolution
• Laser Intro 101
• Film Events
• Business Basics (for new and small business owners)
• Cloud Computing and What It Means For Your Business
• Computer Essentials
• Social Networking and Your Business
• Hosted Events (by appointment)

We envisage that our Lab events will be hosted by local business leaders, students, and entrepreneurs, as well as current and future Hawaii TechWorks members, volunteers, and staff -some teachers and business leaders in the area have already expressed an interest. Please let us know if you or your organization would like to host a workshop or other teaching events with us: community@easthawaii.org

We look forward to hearing from you, and invite you to contact us at community@easthawaii.org.