Hawai‘i has all the ingredients to become the next global tech hub
Mission
ThriveHI is on a mission to make Hawai‘i a globally competitive, entrepreneurial tech epicenter.
We pursue this objective through our growing membership network, premier events, newsletter, and partnerships.
Our Why
For too long, Hawai‘i has been dependent on tourism, an extractive and unsustainable industry that forces local people to struggle to make ends meet. The impacts of this are evident in the lived experience of local people, who are being priced out of the islands. Most importantly, this problem disproportionately impacts kānaka maoli.
44%
of Hawaii’s population earn below the ALICE (asset-low, income-constrained, employed) threshold
6.5K
of Hawaii’s population experiences homelessness, the second highest rate in the nation
370K
Kānaka Maoli have left Hawai‘i for the mainland, outnumbering the remaining population on-island
Our Strategy
Building Hawaii’s tech scene is no small task. ThriveHI was founded to bring strategic focus to the already existent movement of organizations trying to catalyze Hawaii’s startup and tech ecosystem. Through a data-driven approach, ThriveHI works alongside partners across sectors to design programs that build community, talent, access to capital, government support, and Hawaii’s innovation pipeline.
Our Process
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1. Analyze the data and engage the community
How you can help: Provide us with data and share your insights.
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2. Identify barriers for inclusive growth
How you can help: Share your pain points and needs.
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3. Co-design projects with partners
How you can help: Brainstorm solutions with us and build initiatives.
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4. Launch projects for economic mobility
How you can help: Provide support to various initiatives.
Our Focus Areas
Based on a variety of research that indicates what it takes to build a tech ecosystem, we determined that ThriveHI needs to pursue projects that fall within the following five focus areas.
Community
Hawaii’s local tech community should be a connected network of people working on solving problems with access to mentorship, cross-functional meetups and shared physical spaces.
Workforce
Hawai‘i needs access to a strong pipeline of talent designed in coordination with educational institutions and employers to support the skills needed by companies comprising the local economy.
Capital
Hawai‘i requires a portfolio of public, private, local, and national sources of capital available for research and startups.
Innovation Pipeline
Hawai‘i should have a portfolio of research across multiple verticals coming from universities and both the public and private sector, allowing the ecosystem to constantly evolve.
Government Support
Hawaii’s government should create policies and monetary incentives to support the local tech scene.
Impact So Far
400+
Students have learned about potential tech career paths through our Talk Story with Tech program
22
Founders have received funding for their innovative pitches through our Next Round program
1000+
Techies and entrepreneurs have attended our monthly pau hanas, making invaluable professional connections
Our Donors
We are deeply grateful for the support of our donors. We could not do this important work without them.
ThriveHI is a proud winner of the US Economic Development Administrations 2023 Venture Ignite Challenge.
Meet the Team
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Sonia Romero
Executive Director
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Trung Lam
Head of Ecosystem Development
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Johnny Chankhamanny
Head of Capital and Innovation
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Rich Matsui
Head of Policy
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Brody Uehara
Head of Talent
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Morgan Cheung
Communications Specialist
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Dante McGee
Business Development Intern
Let’s stay in touch
Building Hawaii’s startup and tech ecosystem is no small task. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay up to date on the various opportunities to get involved.