Launch Fishers

What Launch Fishers does

Launch Fishers is a nonprofit entrepreneurial coworking hub founded in 2012 by John Wechsler in conjunction with the City of Fishers, Indiana, operating from a 52,000 square-foot facility at 12175 Visionary Way. It serves a community of 600+ members across 300+ companies — primarily early-stage entrepreneurs, startup founders, remote workers, consultants, and corporate innovation teams — with flexible workspace access, meeting rooms, on-site printing, phone booths, mail services, and community programming. The business is community-led and event-driven in its go-to-market: members are acquired through word-of-mouth, monthly Learn at Launch workshops, the annual FailFest conference, podcast programming, Free Cowork Friday trial days, and partnerships with local schools and organizations.

The operating model is anchored by four revenue streams: subscription coworking memberships (the core), one-time event space rentals, corporate sponsorships (most prominently AT&T's combined $50,000+ contributions in 2016 for programming and the High School Fellowship), and transactional revenue from the on-site RISE Coffee Shop. Pricing for memberships is not publicly disclosed; the value proposition rests on the integrated ecosystem rather than price — resident partners include Ball State University's Entrepreneurship Center, Eleven Fifty Coding Academy, Inside Indiana Business (which operates an on-site bureau and studio), and AT&T's first-in-U.S. coworking Engagement Center. The technology stack is facility-oriented: AT&T gigabit fiber (Fiber Ready Building certified), an on-site podcast and recording studio (sponsored by Share Your Genius), the RISE Coffee Shop, and a Nexudus-powered member management platform (sign-in directs to a Nexudus spaces portal).

Launch Fishers has expanded through both organic buildout and partnered replication. Organic moves include the 2016 move to the current 52,000 sq ft facility (tripling the original footprint) and the 2017 launch of Launch Indy, a 10,000 sq ft companion site in downtown Indianapolis under Union 525. Partnered replication includes The Refinery Business Center in Marion (established with Indiana Wesleyan University in 2018), the Indiana IoT Lab – Fishers (2018), and the Plug and Play Indiana partnership announced in March 2025. External funding has been modest and grant/sponsorship-style rather than venture capital: a $25,000 AT&T Aspire contribution, $25,000 AT&T programming sponsorship (2016), and a $40,000 Indiana Economic Development Corporation Community Collaboration Fund grant (August 2024). The organization carries no app product, no public API, and no proprietary AI capability.

Name

Launch Fishers

Legal name

Launch Fishers

Website

https://launchfishers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Launch Fishers is a nonprofit coworking hub in Fishers, Indiana, operating a 52,000-square-foot facility that serves 600+ members across startups, remote workers, corporations, and students via memberships, event rentals, and educational programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Coworking and Entrepreneurial Hub Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sponsorship, Exhibitor & Partnership Management Services (THAHACAK)

Keywords

• Coworking space services
• Entrepreneurial community support
• Flexible workspace memberships
• Business event rentals
• Startup incubation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Fishers

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Coworking Memberships: Flexible coworking memberships providing workspace access, meeting rooms, phone booths, printing credits, and community access. Multiple membership tiers available for entrepreneurs, remote workers, and businesses.
2. Event Rentals: Rental of event spaces, theater, and meeting rooms for corporate events, workshops, and private gatherings. Includes custom beverage service from RISE Coffee Shop.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship arrangements with corporate partners including AT&T, with contributions directed toward programs, events, and facility amenities.
4. Food and Beverage Sales: RISE Coffee Shop generates revenue through coffee drinks, teas, cold beverages, snacks, and hot food items.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Launch Fishers operates a 52,000-square-foot nonprofit coworking and entrepreneurial hub in Fishers, Indiana, providing flexible workspace memberships, meeting and conference rooms, event rental spaces, and an on-site podcast/recording studio. The organization complements physical workspace with educational programming (Learn at Launch workshops, High School Fellowship, FailFest conference) and community-building services (mentorship, networking, sponsor-driven events) for entrepreneurs, startups, remote workers, and students.

Product overview

Launch Fishers is a 52,000 square foot coworking and entrepreneurial hub in Fishers, Indiana offering a comprehensive suite of services for entrepreneurs and startups. The core offering includes flexible coworking memberships with access to workspaces, meeting rooms, and business amenities. Supporting services include an on-site podcast and recording studio, RISE Coffee Shop, and professional event rental spaces. Educational programming is anchored by the monthly Learn at Launch workshop series and the High School Fellowship bootcamp program. The organization also produces FailFest, an annual innovation conference focused on learning from failure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RISE Coffee Shop: On-site coffee shop at Launch Fishers serving beverages including coffee from Julian Coffee Roasters, espresso drinks, hot/cold drinks, snacks, and hot items. Also provides custom beverage service for events and meetings.
• Learn at Launch
• Launch Fishers High School Fellowship
• FailFest

Products and services

• Coworking Membership
• Event Rentals
• Meeting & Conference Rooms
• Podcast & Recording Studio
• Learn at Launch
• RISE Coffee Shop
• High School Fellowship Program
• FailFest

Quantifiable outcome

• Grew from original goal of 200 members to 600+ members within first few years of operation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Plug and Play IndianacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 March 2025Partnership announced during Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness's State of the City address, bringing Plug and Play's startup acceleration platform to Launch Fishers members and the Fishers entrepreneurial community.
• Ashley Bryan (Program Director)coreOthers · 12 March 2025New Program Director hired to build engaging and innovative programming for the Launch Fishers entrepreneurial community, a new position created to enhance member experience.
• Indiana Wesleyan UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 September 2016Partnership to establish The Refinery Business Center in Marion, Indiana - a 6,000 sf co-working space inspired by Launch Fishers model for entrepreneurs, students, and independent professionals.
• AT&TflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 April 2016AT&T established its first engagement center within a U.S. coworking space at Launch Fishers, modeled after Yankee Stadium and AT&T Park installations. AT&T serves as official fiber provider powering gigabit connectivity. Two $25,000 contributions: one for High School Fellowship program (AT&T Aspire) and one for events/programming sponsorship. The engagement center includes device charging stations, product showcases, collaborative spaces, and tech talks.
• Inside Indiana BusinesscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 March 2016Grow INdiana Media Ventures established bureau and studio production facilities at Launch Fishers, including branded office space and production capabilities for Inside Indiana Business platform.
• Ball State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2016Ball State University's Entrepreneurship Center located at Launch Fishers, offering students and members educational resources and entrepreneurial programming.
• Share Your GeniusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPodcast production company that sponsors the podcast and recording studio at Launch Fishers. Led the four-part Podcasting 101 workshop series and provides ongoing podcast production services.
• Julian Coffee RoastersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPurpose-driven coffee roaster located in nearby Zionsville, Indiana, providing coffee products for RISE Coffee Shop at Launch Fishers.
• Eleven Fifty Coding AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoding academy in residence at Launch Fishers, offering coding education and training programs for aspiring developers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Techstars: Techstars runs equity-based accelerator programs with associated coworking space in dozens of cities. Its programs target the same founders Launch Fishers serves and its accelerator model represents both a competing draw for early-stage companies and a possible partnership model.
• MassChallenge: MassChallenge is a global nonprofit startup accelerator offering mentorship, programming, and access to corporate partners, with physical hubs in multiple U.S. cities. It overlaps with Launch Fishers' mission and programming but competes primarily for accelerator cohort tenants rather than day-pass coworking.

Direct peers

• 1871: Chicago-based nonprofit technology and entrepreneurship hub founded in 2012 with municipal and corporate backing, offering coworking, programming, and mentorship. It is the closest functional analog to Launch Fishers as a city-partnered innovation center for early-stage companies.
• Galvanize: Galvanize runs tech-focused coworking and learning campuses that combine workspace with data science and software engineering education. It overlaps with Launch Fishers in pairing physical coworking with structured programming (Learn at Launch / Eleven Fifty Coding Academy).
• Plug and Play: Plug and Play runs global startup accelerator and innovation programs and has just formally partnered with Launch Fishers through Plug and Play Indiana. It is comparable as a community/accelerator operator that combines workspace with deal flow and corporate introductions.
• CIC (Cambridge Innovation Center): CIC operates large-scale innovation campuses offering coworking, lab, and event space to startups and corporates across multiple U.S. and international markets. It is directly comparable as a high-capacity, programming-rich coworking operator with a focus on venture and corporate clients.

Others

• Venture For America: Venture For America is a nonprofit fellowship placing early-career talent into startups, with presence in cities including Indianapolis. It is thematically adjacent to Launch Fishers' High School Fellowship and ecosystem-building mission, though it does not operate coworking space directly.

Broad incumbents

• WeWork: WeWork is the largest global flexible-workspace operator offering coworking, private offices, and event space. It is a broad incumbent competitor for any of Launch Fishers' hot-desk, dedicated-desk, or event rental customers, though it does not focus on the entrepreneur-ecosystem niche.
• Industrious: Industrious is a national premium flexible-office operator serving enterprise and mid-market tenants with suites, meeting rooms, and event space. It competes with Launch Fishers for corporate event rental and enterprise memberships but at significantly larger scale.

Regional players

• gener8tor: gener8tor is a Midwest-based accelerator and venture fund operating programs in Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and Detroit. It is a comparable community stakeholder in the Indiana/Midwest founder ecosystem and occasionally sources companies from Launch Fishers-style hubs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LaunchFishers
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_zQWB5Z91gRwhORCiUlIig
• Facebookfacebook.com/LaunchFishers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/launch-fishers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Launch Fishers