What ThriveHI does

ThriveHI is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2022 in Honolulu, Hawaii, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a stated mission to build Hawaii's startup and tech economy and create higher-quality jobs for local residents. The organization operates as a community-building and economic development entity rather than a software product company, with no proprietary technology disclosed. Its core programs include monthly community events hosted in Honolulu, the quarterly 'Pitch Karaoke' low-stakes pitch competition for idea- to pre-seed-stage entrepreneurs, a bi-weekly curated newsletter covering Hawaii's startup and tech scene (~1,500+ subscribers), a Notion-based Resource Center of research and strategic reports on growing Hawaii's startup economy, an interactive Ecosystem Map (hisignal.netlify.app) cataloguing regional tech stakeholders, and a Partnership Program co-developing events with organizations such as Hub Coworking, Box Jelly, Builders VC, Hawai'i Angels, Elemental, Sandbox, HTDC, and Blue Startups. Recent additions under a Hawaii Workforce Development initiative feature partner platforms Talent Hui (an AI-powered talent platform) and AEP Hawaii (an AI-native recruiting firm).

The organization's revenue model is characteristic of an early-stage nonprofit rather than a commercial business. Confirmed revenue streams include a $300,000 federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant awarded in November 2023, tax-deductible donations processed via PayPal through its fiscal sponsor Pacific American Foundation (PAF), modest ticket sales from Pitch Karaoke events (pitchers pay $15), and corporate sponsorships structured into Thriving, Sustaining, and Supporting tiers. Customer/member engagement is strong on engagement metrics — 2,000+ active community members, approximately 70 attendees per event with ~40% first-timers, an event NPS of ~60, and newsletter open and click-through rates roughly 3x industry averages.

ThriveHI is led by Executive Director Zack Hernandez (inaugural full-time hire in 2023), Program Director Gigi Dawn, Head of Capital Partnerships Johnny Chankhamany, Founder & Board Member Sonia Romero, and Board Member Rich Matsui. The team totals approximately 8 volunteers plus 1 paid staff. Its legal mailing address is in Kailua, HI, while its general operating presence is in Honolulu. The organization explicitly positions itself as a coordinator of Hawaii's existing tech ecosystem rather than a duplicator of existing services, anchoring its value proposition in strategic alignment, data-driven research, and inclusive, low-stakes community programming.

Name

ThriveHI

Legal name

ThriveHI

Website

https://thrivehi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ThriveHI is a 501c(3) nonprofit founded in 2022 in Honolulu, Hawaii, that builds the state's startup and tech economy through monthly events, the quarterly Pitch Karaoke competition, a bi-weekly newsletter, and partnerships with regional ecosystem organizations, primarily serving techies, entrepreneurs, investors, and early-stage founders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Development and Community Building Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

Keywords

• Tech ecosystem development
• Startup community building
• Entrepreneur advocacy services
• Nonprofit pitch competitions
• Economic diversification programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Grants: ThriveHI receives federal grant funding, notably a $300,000 EDA grant awarded in November 2023 to build the network of organizations working to diversify Hawaii's economy.
2. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted via PayPal, processed through fiscal sponsor Pacific American Foundation (PAF).
3. Event Tickets: Ticket sales for Pitch Karaoke events. Pitchers pay discounted rate of $15, general admission tickets available. Events include bento dinner and drinks.
4. Sponsorships: Corporate and organizational sponsorships for events and newsletter. Multiple sponsor tiers: Thriving, Sustaining, and Supporting levels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ThriveHI is a 501c(3) nonprofit that builds Hawaii's startup and tech economy through community programs including monthly networking events, quarterly Pitch Karaoke competitions for early-stage founders, a bi-weekly newsletter, and a resource center with research on ecosystem growth. The organization coordinates existing ecosystem stakeholders, advocates for tech-friendly policies, and runs workforce development programs such as Talent Hui and AEP Hawaii partnerships. Operations are funded through federal grants, corporate sponsorships, donations, and event ticket sales.

Product overview

ThriveHI is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization that serves as a community-building and economic development entity rather than a software product company. Its offerings consist of programs and services designed to build Hawaii's startup and tech economy: Pitch Karaoke (a low-stakes quarterly pitch competition for early-stage entrepreneurs), a monthly newsletter delivering updates on Hawaii's tech scene, monthly community events for networking and learning, a resource center with research and strategic reports, and partnership programs for ecosystem collaboration. The organization also promotes affiliated programs like Talent Hui (AI-powered talent platform) and AEP Hawaii (AI-native recruiting), along with an Ecosystem Map tool. ThriveHI does not offer a unified software platform with modular components—its offerings are distinct programmatic initiatives unified by its mission to create higher-quality jobs for local residents and strengthen economic resilience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pitch Karaoke
• ThriveHI Newsletter

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,000+ active community members including techies, entrepreneurs, and investors
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic, minor and supporting.

• Pacific American Foundation (PAF)coreOthers · 1 November 2023PAF serves as ThriveHI's fiscal sponsor, enabling the organization to receive tax-deductible donations and operate as a 501c(3) nonprofit. This relationship provides administrative infrastructure and financial oversight.
• Hawai'i AngelscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Hawai'i Angels partners with ThriveHI for Pitch Karaoke events, providing judges, mentors, and investor connections for early-stage founders. Their representatives join each event to evaluate and support participants.
• Builders VCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Builders VC partners with ThriveHI for Pitch Karaoke events, sending representatives to judge, mentor, and connect with participants. They are a Sustaining sponsor of ThriveHI's programs.
• Talent HuistrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerAI-Powered Talent Platform featured as part of ThriveHI's Hawaii Workforce Development initiative to bring Kama'aina back home and create high-paying tech jobs.
• AEP HawaiistrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerHawaii's AI-Native Recruiting Firm, featured alongside Talent Hui as part of ThriveHI's workforce development focus to connect local talent with tech opportunities.
• Blue StartupsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMentioned as previous Pitch Karaoke participants who went on to join the Blue Startups accelerator program. No formal partnership structure disclosed.
• Hub CoworkingsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHub Coworking is a Thriving-level sponsor, providing venue support and community alignment for ThriveHI events in Honolulu.
• The Box JellysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Box Jelly is a Supporting-level sponsor contributing to ThriveHI's ecosystem building efforts.
• ElementalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerElemental is a Supporting-level sponsor contributing to ThriveHI's ecosystem building efforts.
• SandboxsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSandbox is a Supporting-level sponsor contributing to ThriveHI's ecosystem building efforts.
• HTDC (Hawaii Technology Development Corporation)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHTDC/Sultan Ventures is a Supporting-level sponsor contributing to ThriveHI's ecosystem building efforts through Hawaii's state technology development agency.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• MassChallenge: Global zero-equity nonprofit accelerator with industry- and geography-specific programs. Comparable as a nonprofit-driven, partnership-funded accelerator model focused on ecosystem-level outcomes rather than equity returns.
• Capital Factory: Austin-based tech hub and accelerator combining coworking, events, mentor networks, and government/corporate partnerships. Comparable as a regional ecosystem coordinator that monetizes via sponsorships and partnerships while serving founders across stages.
• 1871: Chicago-based nonprofit tech hub and incubator serving thousands of founders, corporates, and investors. Comparable as a more mature, larger-scale version of the same model: a non-equity-taking community hub that curates programming, sponsorships, and partnerships to grow a city-level tech ecosystem.

Emerging players

• gener8tor: Nationwide accelerator network running investment programs and ecosystem-building initiatives in multiple U.S. cities. Comparable as a nonprofit-aligned accelerator model that partners with local stakeholders to grow regional startup communities, including cohorts in emerging markets.

Direct peers

• Startup Junkie: Northwest Arkansas-based startup ecosystem builder offering consulting, programming, and community events. Comparable as a regionally-rooted nonprofit-style organization that coordinates founders, investors, and corporate partners to grow a regional tech economy.
• HTDC (Hawaii Technology Development Corporation): Hawaii's state economic development agency for the tech sector. Directly comparable in mission to diversify Hawaii's economy via tech; ThriveHI explicitly partners with HTDC as a Supporting sponsor and ecosystem stakeholder.
• Blue Startups: Hawaii-based seed accelerator that supports local founders through cohort programs. Highly comparable as a fellow Hawaii-located organization focused on growing the local startup pipeline; ThriveHI sends early Pitch Karaoke participants into Blue Startups programs.
• Hub Coworking Hawaii: Honolulu coworking space and community hub serving techies, entrepreneurs, and remote workers. Comparable as a Honolulu-based community/workspace anchor and ThriveHI's top-tier (Thriving) sponsor providing venues for monthly events.
• The Box Jelly: Honolulu coworking and event venue supporting local entrepreneurs and small businesses. Comparable as a Hawaii-located community space sponsor that co-hosts and amplifies ThriveHI programming.

Others

• Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE): National nonprofit delivering entrepreneurship education to youth and underrepresented founders. Comparable as a mission-aligned nonprofit that builds entrepreneurship pipeline through curriculum, events, and community programs — though focused on youth-stage founders rather than active ecosystem coordination.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thrivehi/posts/?feedView=all
• Instagraminstagram.com/jointhrivehi/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ThriveHI