Waiwai Collective

What Waiwai Collective does

Waiwai Collective, legally WAIWAI COLLECTIVE, is a privately held for-profit founded in 2016 and headquartered in Honolulu, Hawai'i, founded by Mahinapoepoe Duarte, Keoni Lee, and Jamie Makasobe, with Mahina Paishon-Duarte serving as CEO and Co-Founder. The company operates as a community-rooted coworking and cultural hub for Native Hawaiian entrepreneurs, creatives, and nonprofit leaders, operating three physical sites on Oahu: Ka Waiwai ma Mōʻiliʻili (1110 University Avenue, ~4,000 sq ft, 150-person capacity, closing June 2025), Ka Waiwai ma Nuʻuanu (1164 Nuuanu Avenue, dedicated desks only), and Ka Waiwai ma Koʻolau in Kaneohe (45-550 Kionaole Rd). Membership tiers range from $5 day passes to a $300/month dedicated desk at Nuʻuanu, with intermediate tiers at $15 (Kupuna), $30 (student), $45 (part-time), and $125 (unlimited). The company offers event space rentals ($100+ equivalent), a Shopify storefront for 'Awa (kava) beverages ($7-$45) and branded apparel, a members-only digital course library on Hawaiian culture, clean energy, and traditional practices hosted via Vimeo, and a Waipuna corporate membership tier (Kamehameha Schools is a named anchor).

The business model is multi-stream and community-led: recurring membership subscriptions, one-time event rentals, transactional e-commerce, and customized corporate partnerships. Go-to-market is driven by community-led growth through in-person programming, organic social media (Facebook, Instagram), an email newsletter, and the Nexudus-powered members portal. Technology is non-proprietary: the stack relies on Shopify for commerce, Nexudus for coworking scheduling/memberships, Vimeo for video, and standard email tooling. There are no patents, no proprietary data assets, no mobile app, and no disclosed AI capabilities. The company has 1-10 employees and no disclosed outside funding, suggesting an operationally lean, founder-led, grant- and member-supported model rather than a venture-backed one.

The most material development in the company's recent history is the June 2025 closure of the Mōʻiliʻili flagship, accompanied by a promise of a "next chapter in 2026." Combined with the small headcount, lack of disclosed funding, and dependence on a culturally specific niche, this signals a near-term contraction as the largest physical footprint is wound down and a strategic repositioning is planned. Customer/bookings momentum beyond Oahu is not observable in the sources.

Name

Waiwai Collective

Legal name

WAIWAI COLLECTIVE

Website

https://waiwaicollective.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Waiwai Collective is a Native Hawaiian entrepreneur-led coworking and cultural hub operating three Oahu locations, offering memberships, event rentals, digital courses, and Hawaiian products to entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and corporate members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Coworking Memberships: Monthly and day-pass memberships providing access to co-working spaces with various amenities including desks, lounges, WiFi, printing, monitors, and kitchen facilities. Month-to-month flexibility with dedicated desk options at Nu'uanu location.
2. Space Rentals: Event and workspace rentals for conferences, fundraisers, board meetings, classes, workshops, parties, retreats, dinners, film recordings, live streams, and virtual programming. Rental includes AV equipment, event staff, and reusable dining ware.
3. Product Sales: Sale of Hawaiian products including Awa (kava) beverages in various sizes (9oz, 16oz, 24oz, half gallon) and branded merchandise such as t-shirts.
4. Online Courses and Digital Content: Members-only access to digital courses including 'Empowered: Hawaii's Clean Energy Future', 'Kona Moku Series', cultural education content ('Aiahualama', 'Kalo', 'Limu', 'Ocean Resources'), and cooking/massage therapy videos. Virtual co-work membership provides access to Waiwai Digital Courses.
5. Corporate Memberships (Waipuna): Customizable corporate member benefits including team co-work memberships, space rental credit, studio space for digital programming/events, company sponsorship of curated events, workshops, community dialogue forums, and opportunities for cultural and educational programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Waiwai Collective operates three coworking spaces across Oahu (Mōʻiliʻili, Nuʻuanu, and Koʻolau) and sells individual memberships, day passes, event space rentals, corporate membership packages, and members-only digital cultural courses. The company also sells Hawaiian Awa (kava) beverages and branded apparel through an online Shopify storefront, and produces video content covering cultural programming and traditional Hawaiian practices.

Product overview

Waiwai Collective is a group of Native Hawaiian entrepreneurs operating a network of coworking spaces in Honolulu and Kaneohe, Hawaii. The company offers physical coworking memberships at three locations (Mōʻiliʻili, Nuʻuanu, and Koʻolau), event space rentals, video content resources, and digital courses. Their membership tiers range from day passes ($5-$45) to monthly plans ($15-$300/month) and include access to workspaces, WiFi, printing, and kitchen facilities. Physical products sold include Awa beverages (9 oz to half gallon, $7-$45) and branded apparel. The collective also provides corporate membership programs and space rentals for various events. The Mōʻiliʻili location is scheduled to close in June 2025, with a new chapter planned for 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Waiulu Unlimited Membership
• Waiulu Dedicated Desk Membership
• Waiwai Part Time Work Membership
• Wai'apo Kupuna Membership
• Wai'apo Student Membership
• Day Passes
• Event Space Rentals
• Waipuna Corporate Membership
• Waiwai Digital Courses
• Waiwai Video Resources
• 9 oz Awa (APU)
• 16 oz Awa
• 24 oz Awa
• Half Gallon Awa
• Ka Waiwai Ma Mōʻiliʻili T-Shirt (Black)
• Ka Waiwai Ma Mōʻiliʻili T-Shirt (White)
• Ka Waiwai Ma Mōʻiliʻili (Coworking Location)
• Ka Waiwai Ma Nuʻuanu (Coworking Location)
• Ka Waiwai Ma Koʻolau (Coworking Location)

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kamehameha SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate member supporting Waiwai Collective's mission to uplift the lāhui through community, culture, and commerce. Part of the Waipuna Corporate Members program.
• Blue Planet FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer of 'Empowered: Hawaii's Clean Energy Future' digital course series available as members-only content. Partnership for environmental education content.
• Hawai'i State Commission on the Status of WomenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on 'Bridges Not Backs' virtual event programming.
• Meet Need Hawai'iminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on 'Innovation Agents' programming series available as members-only content.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Spaces (by IWG): IWG's design-forward coworking and flexible office brand offering memberships and meeting rooms globally. Comparable in product mix though broader and less community-anchored than Waiwai.
• WeWork: Largest coworking operator globally with broad membership tiers, event space, and enterprise offerings. Comparable core product (coworking + events) but operates at vastly larger scale and lacks cultural-community specificity.
• Servcorp: Premium serviced and virtual office provider with memberships, dedicated desks, and meeting rooms across global cities. Comparable subscription-based coworking model, though targeting enterprise more than community.

Direct peers

• Common Desk: Community-oriented coworking operator with multiple U.S. locations, mixing workspace memberships with curated events and member programming. Comparable hybrid community/event/coworking model at similar scale.
• Make Office: Smaller coworking operator offering memberships and event spaces with a hospitality-driven experience focus. Comparable in size, multi-location structure, and event-rental mix.
• Industrious: Premium flexible workspace provider offering coworking memberships and event spaces to professionals and enterprises. Comparable subscription-based membership tiers and amenity-driven positioning, though without Waiwai's cultural-community angle.
• Impact Hub: Global network of mission-driven coworking spaces focused on social entrepreneurs and impact-oriented communities. Closest analog to Waiwai's values-based, community-led model and emphasis on collective abundance over individual gain.
• Convene: Premium coworking and meeting/event space operator combining workspace memberships with full-service event venues. Highly comparable to Waiwai's dual coworking-plus-event-rental model, though at much larger scale and in major mainland markets.

Emerging players

• NeueHouse: Members-only creative workspace and cultural programming hub for artists, entrepreneurs, and creatives. Comparable positioning around creative community, curated membership, and programming-driven value rather than pure office utility.

Others

• Kamehameha Schools: Major Native Hawaiian educational institution and Waiwai's anchor corporate partner via the Waipuna program. Relevant as the strategic ecosystem participant that underwrites much of Waiwai's institutional legitimacy in the lāhui.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/waiwaicollective
• Instagraminstagram.com/waiwaicollective

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Waiwai Collective