Hula

What Hula does

Hula is a privately held coworking campus and innovation hub located on a 14-acre site with 150,000+ sq ft of interior space on the shores of Lake Champlain in Burlington, Vermont's South End Innovation District. Founded in 2014 by Russ and Roxanne Scully on the site of the former Blodgett oven factory and opened in 2020, the campus functions as Vermont's largest coworking space, serving entrepreneurs, startups, remote workers, students, corporate teams, and event organizers through a tiered product set that includes day passes ($35), multi-tier memberships (Young Professionals $125/month, Air Desk $200/month, Designated Desk $465/month), scalable private offices for 2-70 people on multi-year leases, and four event/conference venues with capacities ranging from 5 to 250 guests.

Revenue is generated through six primary streams: subscription coworking memberships, one-time day passes, hourly and daily event venue and conference room rentals, corporate team pass packages, on-campus food and beverage operations (Preppi Eatery and Brio Coffeeworks operate as tenants with revenue-sharing arrangements), and management fees and carried interest from the $10M Hula Community Partners Fund — a venture investment vehicle established in 2024 in partnership with the Vermont Economic Development Authority through the US Treasury's SSBCI Program. Go-to-market is community-led and direct-to-consumer, with self-serve online booking complemented by an on-site front desk, a dedicated events sales team, and a Venture Roundtable ecosystem of 11+ regional VC funds.

The technology stack is operational rather than productized: Nexudus for member management, Kisi for physical access control, and Google Analytics for web tracking. Differentiators are physical and ecosystem-based rather than software-based — a 100% renewable energy campus (geothermal HVAC, 1 MW solar, 12 EV chargers), 33 privacy pods, an on-site fitness center, sister businesses Burlington Surf Club and Savu Sauna, the LaunchVT accelerator, and a curated network of VC, university, and government partners. The company is independently owned by the Scullys with no institutional venture capital backing of the operating company itself.

Name

Hula

Legal name

Hula

Website

https://hulalakeside.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Hula is a privately held coworking campus and innovation hub on a 14-acre, 150,000+ sq ft site in Burlington, Vermont, serving entrepreneurs, startups, remote workers, students, corporate teams, and event organizers through memberships, day passes, private offices, event venues, and a $10M venture capital fund.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Coworking and Flexible Workspace

akta.pro primary industry

Student-Focused Co-Living (Flexible, Community-Led) (THAMAGAI)

Keywords

• Coworking spaces
• Flexible workspace
• Innovation hub
• Event venue rental
• Venture fund services

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Coworking Memberships: Monthly recurring revenue from flexible workspace memberships including Air Desks (hot desking), Designated Desks (permanent assigned desks), Private Offices (2-70 person scalable offices), and Young Professionals memberships. All memberships include amenities such as fitness center access, parking, conference room hours, and community events.
2. Day Passes: One-time day pass sales for visitors needing temporary workspace access. Options include single full-day passes ($35), 10-day passes ($315 valid for 6 months), and corporate team pass packages with volume discounts.
3. Event Venue Rental: Revenue from renting event spaces including The Reef (up to 200/250 capacity), Isthmus (20-56 capacity), Sunset (10-25 capacity), and Sunrise (5-12 capacity) rooms. Catering services are incremental to venue rental fees. Non-profit pricing available.
4. Conference Room Rental: Hourly and daily rental of meeting spaces for members and external clients. Pricing varies by room size and rental duration (2-hour minimums, full-day rates available).
5. Food & Beverage: On-campus food and beverage operations including Preppi Market & Eatery (farm-to-table cafe open M-F 11am-3:30pm) and Brio Coffeeworks (specialty coffee bar). Revenue shared with tenant operators.
6. Venture Capital Management: The Hula Community Partners Fund is a $10M venture investment fund investing in early-stage Vermont companies. Management fees and carried interest from fund operations represent revenue, though primary purpose is ecosystem development rather than profit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hula operates a 14-acre lakeside coworking campus in Burlington, Vermont, providing flexible workspace (day passes, hot desks, designated desks, private offices for 2-70 people, and a discounted young professionals tier), conference and event venues seating up to 250 guests, on-site food and beverage, a fitness center, and a venture capital ecosystem anchored by the $10M Hula Community Partners Fund and The Fund at Hula. The campus is designed for 100% renewable energy with geothermal HVAC, 1 MW rooftop solar, and EV charging, and supports programming such as the LaunchVT accelerator and peer leadership circles.

Product overview

Hula is a 14-acre coworking campus, innovation hub, and venture ecosystem located on the shores of Lake Champlain in Burlington's South End Innovation District. The offering is a unified campus with multiple workspace and service products: flexible coworking passes (Full Day Pass, BIPOC Day Pass Program, 10 Day Pass), membership tiers (Air Desk, Designated Desk, Young Professionals Membership, Private Offices), event venues (The Reef event space, Conference Rooms including Isthmus, Sunset, Sunrise), and campus amenities (Fitness Center, Preppi Market & Eatery, Brio Coffeeworks, The Patio). The ecosystem is supported by capital resources including the Hula Community Partners Fund ($10M venture fund) and Venture Roundtable investor network. Hula serves entrepreneurs, remote workers, teams, and hosts events ranging from intimate meetings to 200+ person conferences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hula Community Partners Fund: A $10M venture investment fund that invests in early-stage Vermont companies, established in partnership with Vermont Economic Development Authority through US Treasury's SSBCI Program.
• The Fund at Hula

Products and services

• Full Day Pass Day pass offering access to Hula's coworking space weekdays 8AM-5PM. Includes high-speed Wi-Fi, free coffee, communal kitchens, showers, privacy pods, bike storage, and access to Brio Coffeeworks and Preppi Eatery. Priced at $35/day for individual visitors and temporary workspace users.
• 10 Day Pass Ten full-day passes usable within 6 months, weekdays only 8AM-5PM. Designed as a trial option for individuals testing Hula before committing to a monthly membership. Priced at $315 for 10 days with the same amenities as the Full Day Pass.
• BIPOC Day Pass Program Free day pass program offering members of the BIPOC community two complimentary day passes per month with access to Wi-Fi, communal spaces, coffee, tea, and bike storage. Valid Monday through Friday 8AM-5PM.
• Air Desk Membership Flexible hot-desk membership with 24/7 access to Hula's coworking space. Includes complimentary parking, 10 hours of conference room bookings per month, and 24/7 fitness center access. Priced at $200/month with prorated first month, targeting freelancers and remote workers who need a flexible daily workspace.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6 entrepreneurs selected for 2026 LaunchVT Accelerator cohort
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LaunchVT AcceleratorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Annual accelerator program hosted at Hula selecting 6 entrepreneurs per cohort. Features rigorous curriculum for investor engagement, mentorship, peer collaboration. Culminates in Demo Night with $15,000 prize. Noragh Devlin serves as executive director.
• UVM (University of Vermont)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025Research partnership with UVM Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships. Four UVM students conducted summer research on rural coworking and innovation hubs, interviewing 26 community members across 4 Vermont hubs including Hula. Professor Erik Monsen leads research.
• Champlain CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2025Educational partner and member of Hula community. Co-developer of South End Innovation District. Grand opening of NuHarbor Security Operations Center and Leahy Center for Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity at Miller Center on Lakeside Ave. Goal to graduate 1,000 students into Vermont workforce annually.
• NuHarbor SecurityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2025Vermont-based cybersecurity company opening Security Operations Center at Champlain College Miller Center. CEO Justin Fimlaid leads company defending over 40% of country's data infrastructure.
• Burlington Surf ClubcoreOthersSister business located on Hula campus offering lakefront recreation including private beach, SUP, e-foils, kite surfing, locker rooms. Hula members have easy access to the surf club property, creating unique work-life blend. Both operated by shared founder Russ Scully.
• Savu SaunacoreOthersNordic-style lakeside retreat located steps from Hula campus offering wood-fired sauna experience. Many Hula members use Savu as part of weekly routine - starting the day with clarity, breaking up the day, or winding down after work.
• Preppi Market & EaterycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOn-campus farm-to-table eatery founded by chef Clarina Cravins, launched out of Hula as a grab-and-go concept and grew into full-service cafe. Open M-F 11am-3:30pm with locally sourced food, hot bar, daily specials, and grab-and-go options.
• Brio CoffeeworkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal specialty coffee bar and roastery founded by Magda Van Dusen, part of South End Innovation District since 2014. Located at Hula entrance serving espresso drinks and breakfast baked goods. Complimentary drip coffee provided at some networking events.
• Jonathan Rose CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner for Ride Your Bike project - a $100M+ housing development in Burlington's South End Innovation District. Hula's role is strategic partner and advocate, aligning housing with innovation and economic development goals.
• Champlain Housing TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner for Ride Your Bike/SECORD project.
• Aplomb ConsultingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrings Aplomb Circle program to Hula - monthly peer circle for values-driven CEOs and executive leaders. Facilitated by Jason Lorber, President. Supported by Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR). $1,250/program (Hula/VBSR member discount: $1,000).
• Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit supporting Aplomb Circle program at Hula. Co-sponsor providing member discounts for peer leadership development program.
• Network of WomenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosts monthly networking events at Hula including Coffee for Women and Networking Lunches. Co-led by Sarah O'Brien Hammond and Beth Kruger.
• Black River Innovation CampusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont innovation hub partner in UVM research project studying rural coworking and innovation hubs.
• Hub CoWorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont innovation hub partner in UVM research project studying rural coworking and innovation hubs.
• Do North CoworkingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVermont innovation hub partner in UVM research project studying rural coworking and innovation hubs.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• 1871: Chicago-based nonprofit technology innovation hub combining coworking, events, programming, and a venture network for early-stage startups. Operates a similar innovation-hub-plus-coworking model to Hula but serves the Chicago metro rather than Vermont.
• The Yard: New York City-based coworking and private office operator with a community-focused brand across multiple Manhattan and Brooklyn locations. Comparable product offering and community-led positioning to Hula, but serves NYC rather than Burlington.
• Workbar: Massachusetts-based coworking operator with multiple locations offering hot desks, dedicated desks, private offices, and event space. Comparable product set to Hula but concentrated in the Boston metro rather than Vermont.

Direct peers

• WeWork: Global coworking and flexible office operator serving entrepreneurs, freelancers, and enterprise teams with memberships, private offices, and event space. Directly competes in the same product category as Hula though at vastly greater scale and capital intensity.
• Convene: Workplace and meeting/event venue operator combining flexible offices with premium meeting and event spaces. Directly comparable to Hula's hybrid model of coworking plus premium event venues (The Reef, Isthmus, Sunset, Sunrise) with A/V and catering.
• Industrious: Premium flexible office and coworking operator offering private offices, suites, and enterprise workplace solutions. Comparable to Hula's premium positioning, private office tier, and enterprise team pass offerings.
• Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC): CIC operates innovation hubs that combine coworking, event venues, and venture programming across multiple US cities. Most directly comparable to Hula given its integrated startup ecosystem focus, scale (millions of sq ft), and venture-adjacent services.
• Galvanize: Tech-focused coworking and learning campus offering workspace, event venues, and programming for technology entrepreneurs. Comparable to Hula in combining coworking with structured programming (events, accelerator-style content) targeting tech founders.

Broad incumbents

• Spaces (IWG): Global flexible workspace brand owned by IWG, offering coworking, private offices, and meeting rooms across hundreds of locations. A broader incumbent in the same space; not community-led or venture-integrated like Hula, but directly comparable on workspace products.
• Techstars: Global accelerator network with physical programming spaces and a venture fund. Comparable to Hula's LaunchVT accelerator and Community Partners Fund as part of an integrated startup support offering, though at vastly greater scale and as a broader incumbent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hula-lakeside
• Instagraminstagram.com/hulalakeside
• Facebookfacebook.com/hulalakeside

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Hula