TechHub Riga lets you put your name in the history of Latvian startup scene


    Riga startup scene is booming and demand for co-working spaces is on the rise. As a result, Latvia’s oldest and most established co-working space, TechHub Riga is moving to a new building, which we have covered here. To fund the expansion TechHub has launched a fundraising campaign in collaboration with one of their startups, Funderful, with the goal of making TechHub a better place.

    Taking part in the campaign lets anyone have their short message and name written on a desk or a mug at the new TechHub Riga. You can also contribute any smaller amount just to support the cause. The campaign went live on October 27th and has so far successfully funded 2 desks and 8 mugs for the new TechHub. The first desk was funded by Latvia’s earliest-stage investment fund Imprimatur. Additionally, investors, startup founders and completely anonymous contributors have raised EUR 1452 to date.

    “We chose mugs and desks because these are the two most essential tools for our tenants. We teach them to start with a minimum viable product and we do the same ourselves,” explains the CEO of TechHub Alise Lezdina. “However, we also welcome additional practical contribution suggestions from everyone willing to support the cause.”

    Funderful is one of the startups inhabiting TechHub Riga. We have covered them earlier, when they were known as Alumniplus. To date Funderful has implemented fundraising campaigns for universities in The Netherlands, Germany and Sweden for causes as diverse as renewing auditoriums, fundraising student scholarships or helping fund new buildings. At this moment, the company is rapidly expanding to the United Kingdom with their first co-operation with University College London and gaining international traction at mayor fundraising conferences like CASE Europe. Funderful does not derive any profit from the campaign.

    “We ourselves greatly benefit from having a better co-working space and being part of the community,” says Raimonds Kulbergs, the founder of Funderful. “Creating something Funderful for Techhub was like ‘’practicing what we preach’’ in giving back and making a difference.”

    On campaign webpage you can see quotes of prominent Latvian startup founders explaining why TechHub Riga is valuable to them. Additionally, Funderful has created a set of dreadful images about home entrepreneurship that you can see below. They clearly look like taken from Russia of the swashbuckling 90’s and are meant to encourage support of a neatly organized co-working space idea.

    The campaign is planned to finish as soon as all desks and mugs are funded. Anyone who considers leaving a footprint in Riga’s biggest startup hub can join the movement here. You can also spread the word on Twitter by using hashtag #GrowTechHubRiga.