Impact Hub
Creating a positive impact on Kypseli’s community
Have you ever heard about butterfly effect? The theory that a small change in one state of a deterministic non-linear system can cause big differences in a later state? I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. Every change, however small it may seem, has an impact, either positive or negative. Every decision and every action we make has an impact in the world. That idea has inspired many people worldwide. In Athens, there’s a community of people who are interested in bringing a positive social change through their actions.
Impact Hub Athens was founded in 2013 from Dimitris Kokkinakis and Sophie Lamprou as part of a global network in order to bring about positive social impact. Through collaboration, education and consulting it creates a net of intercultural, high impact community with local and international activity. Impact Hub offers work spaces for businesses and creative industry professionals, organizes various events, presentations and programs and provides access to entrepreneurial tools and methodologies. It is a center for entrepreneurship and creative ideas and an important stakeholder of Athens. Based on the ideas of hosting and design thinking, Impact Hub suggests alternatives rather than offering a final, readymade solution. Its reference points are its community, its meeting space and its content. All of them are really important and present in every aspect of the organization.
In the context of Athens Co Creation City Branding Project we had the chance to visit Impact Hub Athens, meet Μr Dimitris Kokkinakis and talk about Impact Hub and its projects. A new project caught our attention; the renovation of Kypseli’s Municipal Market. This project achieves to connect two important stakeholders of Athens; Impact Hub and the Municipality of Athens. Kypseli’s Municipal Market, a typical example of the Athenian modernism era, was built in 1935 and got out of demolition many times. It was renovated from the Municipality of Athens so as to be a useful place for the community. For this purpose, a public consultation and an open call for creative suggestions took place. Impact Hub took charge of Kypseli’s Municipal Market revival. The Market will host events and businesses that relate to three categories; culture, education and entrepreneurship. Social innovation and reinforcement of the local community are also project goals. Impact Hub aspire to make Kyspeli’s Municipal Market a place where different stakeholders will co-create an active community that will innovate and revive the cityscape. There is going to be the first market of social businesses in Greece, while modern events that will empower social coherence and collaboration will take place. Civilians are encouraged to participate as well as gather and propose ideas for their neighborhood and their city.
It is a big change both for the residents of Kypseli and Athens and for entrepreneurs, as there will be a place which combines culture, innovation and collaboration. The Kypseli’s Municipal Market hasn’t opened yet, apart from some events that were held there. The question is if the whole project will be able to ensure that Market’s function will be sustainable for many years without further funding. Time has proved that many creative ideas declined as soon as funding stopped. It needs attention and good planning to avoid decline and commercialization, especially in Athens, where many problems such as instability, bureaucracy and crisis dominate. Kypseli’s Municipal Market must remain a social market, not a commercial one. Also, the residents are crucial to the Market’s success. If the hosted businesses and the events fail to engage the local community, the whole attempt will fail. Until now, Impact Hub and the Municipality of Athens seem to give attention to community’s needs and that’s a good start. We will support that change and try to make a positive impact for all of us.
This research and article are part of Athens Co creation City Banding Project in the context of MA in Cultural Management in Panteion University under the lead of Mrs Betty Tsakarestou as professor and project initiator.
Eirini Nikolaou Betty Tsakarestou
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