The Hope Institute

What The Hope Institute does

The Hope Institute (희망제작소) is a private non-profit independent civil research institute (독립 민간연구소 / 재단법인) founded in Seoul on March 27, 2006, and headquartered at World Cup Buk-ro 92, Mapo-gu, Seoul. It operates three interlocking program pillars: (1) social innovation through the Social Designer program, the Social Designer Club (소셜디자이너클럽), and the annual Social Investors Relations (SIR) competition — a citizen participatory mock-investment event where 500M KRW was directed to two field innovators in 2025; (2) regional innovation through the Mokmin-gwan Club (목민관클럽), a 15-year research association of Korean local government mayors, governors, and district chiefs, alongside publication of the bimonthly Mokmin-gwang (목민광장) magazine since 2010 (30 issues to date); and (3) research and knowledge production through Korean-contextualized frameworks, notably Community Wealth Building (CWB) co-developed with the US-based Democracy Collaborative under an August 2025 MoU, and a Social Designer Activity Diagnostic Framework. It also operates the Prime Minister's Office Civil Society Overseas Policy Training program.

The organization's revenue is overwhelmingly citizen donations, drawn from four giving programs (regular sponsorship, Hope Makers Club, Change Makers Fund, 1004 Club), making it eligible for income tax deductions under Korean tax law as a designated donation organization. Secondary revenue includes publication sales (목민광장 15K KRW/issue, board game 40K KRW), Hax Space venue rental at 50K KRW/hour, and conference/event-related sponsorship. The Hope Institute serves multiple stakeholder segments — primary segments are local government leaders and youth social innovators (소셜디자이너); the secondary segment is individual donors, with newsletter reach of 16,000+ subscribers and a 20-year cumulative network of 327 researchers. Notable partnerships include Kakao as primary co-host of the 2026 Social Innovation Conference, alongside Beautiful Foundation, Asan Nunmul Foundation, Hankyoreh Economic and Social Research Institute, and Buyeo-gun government on local circular economy pilots (Goodttare Pay). Technology infrastructure is purely SaaS-mediated (Stibee for newsletter, payment gateways for donations, Human Software for member management); no proprietary software platform is disclosed.

Name

The Hope Institute

Legal name

희망제작소

Website

https://makehope.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Hope Institute (희망제작소) is a Seoul-based non-profit independent civil research institute founded in 2006 that funds itself through citizen donations and operates programs in social innovation (Social Designer ecosystem, SIR competition), regional innovation (Mokmin-gwan Club of local-government leaders), and policy research (Community Wealth Building).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Innovation Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

Keywords

• Social innovation research
• Regional economic development
• Community wealth building
• Nonprofit think tank
• Citizen participation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Mapo

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations and Sponsorships (시민 후원): The primary revenue source is donations from individual citizens. The organization runs multiple donation programs: regular one-time sponsorship (정기/일시후원), Hope Makers Club (호프메이커스클럽) for opinion leaders, Change Makers Fund (체인지메이커스펀드) for micro-foundation communities, and 1004 Club for customized giving. Donations are eligible for income tax deductions as a designated donation organization under Korean tax law.
2. Event and Conference Revenue: Revenue generated through major annual events such as the Republic of Korea Social Innovation Conference (대한민국 사회혁신 컨퍼런스), SIR competition, forums, and educational programs. Some events may include sponsorship fees from partner organizations.
3. Space Rental (헉스페이스 대관): Rental income from 'Hax Space' (헉스페이스), a 156㎡ community meeting and event space on the 3rd floor of the Seoul headquarters. Available for workshops, education, and community events at 50,000 KRW per hour.
4. Publication and Product Sales: Sales of published materials including 목민광장 magazine (15,000 KRW per issue), 목민관총서 books, and board games such as '좋은 일을 찾아라' (40,000 KRW).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Hope Institute is a non-profit independent civil research organization that conducts policy research and field-based programs on social innovation, regional revitalization, and Community Wealth Building (CWB) in Korea. It supports youth social innovators through the Social Designer program and SIR participatory investment competition, operates a network of Korean local government leaders (Mokmin-gwan Club), and publishes periodicals, books, research reports, and educational board games.

Product overview

The Hope Institute operates as a research-driven civil society organization offering a portfolio of publications, programs, and facilities focused on social and regional innovation. Core offerings include: Mokmin Plaza (목민광장), a biannual social innovation newsletter for local governments published since 2010; Mokmin-gwan Series (목민관총서), a book collection on governance; and the 'Find Good Work' (좋은 일을 찾아라) board game exploring societal definitions of meaningful work. Programs include the Social Designer Program identifying youth innovators, the Social Designer Club community, and the annual Social Investors Relations (SIR) Competition where citizens vote on social investments. Research publications (Hope Issues/Briefs) cover topics like Community Wealth Building and social value measurement. The Institute also offers Heukspace venue rental and operates the Mokmin-gwan Club for local government leaders. Funding comes primarily through supporter donations with member benefits including newsletter access and event invitations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mokmin Plaza (목민광장) Biannual newsletter on social innovation in local government, covering urban policy, regional economy, AI transformation in local government, and youth policies. Sold at 15,000 KRW per issue; past issues available as free PDF downloads.
• Mokmin-gwan Series (목민관총서) Book series on local governance and social innovation topics. Available as individual volumes.
• Mokmin-gwan Series + Mokmin Plaza Bundle (목민관총서+목민광장 세트) Combined package of Mokmin-gwan Series books and Mokmin Plaza newsletters. Regular price 40,000 KRW; sale price 20,000 KRW.
• Find Good Work Board Game (좋은 일을 찾아라) Educational board game exploring individual and societal definitions of 'good work' and what kind of society promotes such work. Ages 15+, priced at 40,000 KRW per unit.
• Hope Issues / Hope Briefs (희망이슈 / 희망리포트) Research publications covering social innovation, regional economy, and policy analysis, including frameworks for measuring Social Designer activities and Community Wealth Building.
• Hax Space Venue Rental (흑스페이스 대관) 156㎡ community meeting and event space on the 3rd floor of the Seoul headquarters, available for workshops, education, and community events. Priced at 50,000 KRW per hour (excluding VAT); 10% discount for supporter members; available Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00 excluding public holidays.
• Sinduretei Newsletter (싱두레터) Monthly newsletter delivering research insights and field stories, distributed via the Stibee email platform to over 16,000 supporters and subscribers.
• Social Designer Program (소셜디자이너) Program identifying and supporting youth innovators who solve community problems through social ventures, social enterprises, cooperatives, and corporations. Includes the Social Designer Club community for ongoing networking and support.
• Social Designer Club (소셜디자이너클럽) Career community for local-youth-impact professionals. Provides networking events, exclusive interviews, and access to the Social Investors Relations (SIR) competition.
• Social Investors Relations (SIR) Competition (사회적가치투자대회) Annual competition connecting social innovators with investors; citizens participate as a jury panel to select investments, with actual funding provided to selected Social Designers. 500M KRW was directed to two Social Designers at the 2025 SIR competition.
• Mokmin-gwan Club (목민관클럽) Research association of Korean local government heads (시장, 군수, 구청장) operating since 2010, focusing on sustainable regional development and grassroots democracy. Organizes regular forums, special discussions, and overseas policy study programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 51 Social Designers supported; 37 currently active and mapped across Korea
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Kakao (카카오)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2026Kakao is the primary co-host (주최) of the Republic of Korea Social Innovation Conference 2026 (대한민국 사회혁신 컨퍼런스 2026), alongside The Hope Institute. The conference focuses on social innovation, regional circular economy, and public innovation, with Kakao providing platform and organizational support for the annual flagship event.
• Beautiful Foundation (아름다운재단)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2026Co-organizer of the Republic of Korea Social Innovation Conference 2026. Beautiful Foundation contributes social innovation expertise and network resources to the annual conference.
• Asan Nunmul Foundation (아산나눔재단)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2026Co-organizer of the Republic of Korea Social Innovation Conference 2026. Asan Nunmul Foundation supports social innovation research and practice through the conference partnership.
• Korea Social Value Alliance Fund (한국사회가치연대기금)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2026Co-organizer of the Republic of Korea Social Innovation Conference 2026.
• Korea Mayors, Governors, and Gu Heads Council (대한민국 시장·군수·구청장협회)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2026Co-organizer of the Republic of Korea Social Innovation Conference 2026. Represents local government heads in Korea and collaborates on public innovation agendas.
• Mokmin-gwan Club (목민관클럽)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2026The Mokmin-gwan Club is Hope Institute's internal program — a research association of Korean local government heads founded in 2010. The club organizes forums, research, and overseas training, and is both a core program and a strategic partner for local government innovation.
• Social Innovation Entrepreneurs Network (사회혁신기업가네트워크)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2026Co-organizer of the Republic of Korea Social Innovation Conference 2026.
• Impact Alliance (임팩트얼라이언스)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2026Co-organizer of the Republic of Korea Social Innovation Conference 2026.
• National Local Government Council for Social Solidarity Economy (전국사회연대경제 지방정부협회)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2026Co-organizer of the Republic of Korea Social Innovation Conference 2026. Focuses on local government cooperation for social/solidarity economy.
• Korea Solidarity Economy (한국사회연대경제)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2026Co-organizer of the Republic of Korea Social Innovation Conference 2026.
• Korea Social Innovators Network (한국사회혁신가네트워크)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2026Co-organizer of the Republic of Korea Social Innovation Conference 2026.
• Hankyoreh Economic and Social Research Institute (한겨레경제사회연구원)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 July 2026Co-organizer of the Republic of Korea Social Innovation Conference 2026.
• Korea Federation of Legal Specialists Associations (대한법무사협회)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 September 2025The Hope Institute and the Korea Federation of Legal Specialists Associations signed an MoU to collaborate on addressing regional extinction issues and strengthening social services in vulnerable communities. The partnership includes resident-led problem-solving workshops, education program development, citizen forums, and local issue research, combining Hope Institute's civic innovation expertise with the legal expertise of legal specialists nationwide.
• The Democracy Collaborative (미국 '협력하는 민주주의')coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 August 2025The Hope Institute signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US-based Democracy Collaborative to jointly research and promote Community Wealth Building (CWB) in Korea. The partnership includes joint research, webinars, policy training program co-development, and a co-published report 'Why Korea Needs Community Wealth Building'. The Democracy Collaborative's CWB Global Leader Neil McInroy and Korea representative Joe Guinan are key counterparts.
• Prime Minister's Office — Civil Society Organizations Overseas Policy Training Program (국무총리실 시민사회단체 해외정책연수)coreOthers · 22 June 2025The Hope Institute operates the Prime Minister's Office Civil Society Organizations Overseas Policy Training Program. This includes a 1st track: 'Citizen Society-Led Regional Regeneration and Community Economic Model Research' in Italy (August-September 2026, 7 nights/9 days, 12 participants), and a 2nd track: self-proposed policy training programs. Hope Institute manages recruitment, selection, pre-training, and reporting for this government-sponsored program.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• National Solidarity Economy Council of Local Governments (전국사회연대경제 지방정부협회): Korean local government coalition promoting social and solidarity economy, directly aligned with The Hope Institute's regional circular economy and CWB focus. Co-organizer of the Social Innovation Conference 2026.
• Korea Social Value Alliance Fund (한국사회가치연대기금): Korean impact investing and social value coalition that co-organizes the Social Innovation Conference with The Hope Institute; both support social designers and connect them with capital and platforms.
• Beautiful Foundation (아름다운재단): Major Korean nonprofit foundation focused on social innovation, philanthropy, and citizen-led giving. Co-organizes the Republic of Korea Social Innovation Conference 2026 with The Hope Institute, indicating directly aligned mission and operating model.
• Korea Social Innovators Network (한국사회혁신가네트워크): Korean network of social innovators and entrepreneurs. Co-organizer of the Social Innovation Conference 2026; both organizations run discovery/support programs for early-stage social innovators in Korea.
• Impact Alliance (임팩트얼라이언스): Korean social innovation/impact ecosystem coalition. Co-organizes the Social Innovation Conference 2026 with The Hope Institute, suggesting highly overlapping programmatic scope in Korean social innovation.
• Korea Federation of Legal Specialists Associations (대한법무사협회): Korean professional association that signed a core MoU with The Hope Institute in 2025 to address regional extinction and social service gaps. Operates similar field-based, member-driven regional programs across Korea.
• Asan Nanum Foundation (아산나눔재단): Korean foundation supporting social innovation, research, and civic initiatives. Co-organizer of the Social Innovation Conference 2026 with The Hope Institute, operating comparable programs in social value creation and policy research.

Broad incumbents

• Korea Development Institute (KDI): Government-affiliated Korean policy research institute. Operates at much larger scale and budget than The Hope Institute but shares the Korean policy research/think tank role, especially on economic and regional policy.
• The Democracy Collaborative: US-based originator of the Community Wealth Building framework. The Hope Institute signed a core MoU with them in 2025 to adapt CWB to Korea, making them a natural partner-and-peer in CWB research and policy translation.

Regional players

• Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice (경제정의실천시민연합): Long-standing Korean civic advocacy organization focused on economic justice and citizen-led reform. Comparable as a Korean civil society organization pursuing policy influence via research, advocacy, and citizen engagement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hope_institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 The Hope Institute