Welcome To Chinatown

What Welcome To Chinatown does

Welcome to Chinatown is a New York City-based grassroots nonprofit (501(c)(3) public charity, Federal Tax ID 88-1524156) founded in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 economic decline and rising xenophobia affecting Manhattan's Chinatown. The organization supports Chinatown's small businesses and residents through three intertwined activities: small business services, advocacy, and cultural programming. It serves two primary constituencies — legacy businesses and new entrepreneurs (restaurants, retail, food businesses, creative studios) seeking coaching, capital access, and marketing visibility, and Chinatown residents and visitors who benefit from cultural and community programming. A dedicated AAPI Women Incubator (launched August 2025) targets women founders as a secondary segment.

The organization's operational anchor is The Hub (Small Business Innovation Hub), a 2,500-square-foot ground-floor space at 115 Bowery opened in 2024 that functions as headquarters, coworking facility, event venue, and programming center. Programming is organized around four pillars — Coach (mentorship, workshops, technical assistance), Connect (market opportunities), Invest (capital access), and Innovate (modern tools). Additional offerings include Longevity Fund and Sik Faan Fund grants, Test Thursday pop-up programs, Artist Alley gallery exhibitions, the annual Lunar New Year Fair, a Business Spotlight editorial series, and digital properties (MEET Chinatown directory and Shop Made in Chinatown). It is not a technology company and operates no proprietary software platform or API.

As a nonprofit, its revenue model rests on donations from individuals and corporations, foundation and government grants, and earned income from coworking and event rentals at The Hub (bookings managed via a Spacebring portal). Most services — coaching, workshops, mentorship, community programming — are provided free to qualifying businesses. Go-to-market is community-led and grassroots: direct engagement at The Hub, word-of-mouth referrals, partnerships with local organizations and cultural institutions, and earned media. The organization served 450+ businesses in 2024 with projections of 1,300+ in 2025, drew 24,000+ event attendees in 2024, and reports having helped businesses secure over $2 million in financing.

Name

Welcome To Chinatown

Legal name

Welcome to Chinatown Inc.

Website

https://welcometochinatown.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Welcome to Chinatown is a New York grassroots 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2020, that supports Manhattan Chinatown's small businesses and residents through free coaching, capital-access programs, a Bowery coworking hub, advocacy, and cultural programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Community Development Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD)

Keywords

• Small business support
• Community advocacy
• Coworking space
• Cultural programming
• Nonprofit services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Welcome to Chinatown operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity (Federal Tax ID: 88-1524156) relying on donations from individuals, corporations, and grants from foundations and government entities to fund operations and programming.
2. Coworking and Event Rental Revenue: The Hub at 115 Bowery offers co-working space and event rentals, generating revenue to offset operating costs of the Hub and keep the space accessible for small business services and community programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Welcome to Chinatown is a nonprofit organization that supports Manhattan's Chinatown small businesses and residents through free coaching, mentorship, workshops, technical assistance, capital connections, and cultural programming. Its centerpiece is the Small Business Innovation Hub (The Hub), a 2,500 sq. ft. physical coworking and event space at 115 Bowery. Revenue is generated through donations, grants, and coworking/event rental fees.

Product overview

Welcome to Chinatown is a nonprofit organization operating as a community-focused platform rather than a traditional technology product. Its core offerings center on the Small Business Innovation Hub (The Hub), a 2,500 sq. ft. physical coworking and event space on Bowery Street. The organization provides small business support through four program pillars: Coach (mentorship and workshops), Connect (market opportunities), Invest (capital assistance), and Innovate (modern tools). Additional offerings include Test Thursday pop-up programs, the AAPI Women Incubator, Artist Alley gallery exhibitions, the annual Lunar New Year Fair, Business Spotlight editorial series, and digital directories (MEET Chinatown, Shop Made in Chinatown). These programs work together to bolster small businesses, foster economic resilience, and drive community-led placemaking in Manhattan's Chinatown.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Hub: Small Business Innovation Hub - a 2,500 square foot coworking and programming space at 115 Bowery, Ground Floor, New York, NY 10002, serving as a gathering place for community, culture, and collaboration.
• Longevity Fund
• Sik Faan Fund
• Artist Alley
• Test Thursday

Products and services

• The Hub (Small Business Innovation Hub) A 2,500 square foot physical space on Bowery Street serving as the organization's headquarters, providing coworking facilities, event rentals, business consultations, and programming for small businesses and entrepreneurs in Chinatown. Open Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM for coworking and drop-in consultations; events include evenings and weekends.
• Small Business Support Programs (Coach, Connect, Invest, Innovate) Four-pillar programming providing mentorship, workshops, technical assistance, market connections, capital access assistance, and modern business tools to legacy businesses and new entrepreneurs in Manhattan's Chinatown.
• Longevity Fund Grants Financial grants awarded to small businesses, including designated vending areas at fairs, furniture rentals, fabricated design assets, and marketing support through the organization's platform. Featured at the 2024 'Reimagining a Thriving Chinatown' Gala where four businesses received $5,000 grants.
• Test Thursday Pop-up Program An ongoing opportunity for entrepreneurs to test new ideas or products by popping up at The Hub, connecting with the Chinatown community.
• AAPI Women Incubator A 9-week incubator program for women entrepreneurs launched in August 2025, bringing together 12 founders across hospitality, technology, consumer goods, and creative services industries.
• Artist Alley A gallery space within The Hub dedicated to emerging AAPI creatives, providing a platform to explore identity, heritage, and community through visual art exhibitions, in partnership with Poster House and Carnaby Fair.
• Lunar New Year Fair Annual outdoor market and fair celebrating Lunar New Year, partnering with external organizations to bring vendors, food, and cultural programming to Lower Manhattan's public spaces. The 2023 fair had 3,000+ visitors and reached a 200+ million audience through media coverage.
• MEET Chinatown Digital Directory Digital directory connecting visitors and community members to Chinatown businesses.
• Shop Made in Chinatown E-commerce platform for purchasing products from Chinatown businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $2 million secured in financing for small businesses
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Green Tile Social ClubminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 April 2026Green Tile Social Club hosted a Hong Kong mahjong introductory event in NYC on April 28, 2026, with 30% of ticket sales donated to Welcome to Chinatown's Small Business Innovation Hub as a fundraiser.
• Gotham ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGotham Park is a New York State not-for-profit founded in 2021 to establish a hyper-urban public park at the Brooklyn Bridge landing. WtC partnered with Gotham Park for the Lunar New Year Fair 2025, bringing the fair to Gotham Park's newly reopened public space. The partnership aims to drive economic activity and visibility for Chinatown businesses.
• Poster HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPoster House is a museum dedicated to posters and visual culture. WtC partnered with Poster House for the Artist Alley exhibition program, featuring AAPI artists including Christina Young and Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya through their Artist in Residence program. The partnership showcases AAPI creative talent at The Hub.
• Carnaby FaircoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarnaby Fair is a cutting-edge art and design organization based in Hong Kong that has collaborated with 200+ Hong Kong artists. WtC partnered with Carnaby Fair for the NYC x Hong Kong Artist Exchange, strengthening cultural bonds between Manhattan Chinatown and Hong Kong through art exhibitions and cultural programming.
• Neighbors United Below CanalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeighborhood coalition working on advocacy issues affecting Chinatown. WtC partners with NUBC on the Manhattan Borough Based Jail opposition campaign, joint press conferences, and alternative planning proposals. This is WtC's primary advocacy partner on land use and community impact issues.
• Counterspell GamesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCounterspell Games is a pop-up TTRPG (tabletop roleplaying game) company that runs beginner-friendly events at The Hub. Their events bring new foot traffic to Chinatown and the Featured Makers program spotlights AAPI small business owners during game nights.
• AlcoveminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAlcove is a curated, community-first company and 'community builder in residence' at The Hub. They connect Counterspell Games with AAPI food and beverage makers for the Featured Makers program at the Hub's events.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/welcometochinatown.nyc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/welcometochinatown
• Instagraminstagram.com/welcome.to.chinatown/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@welcome.to.chinatown?lang=en
• Xx.com/WtChinatown

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 Welcome To Chinatown