London Hackspace
A nonprofit hackerspace in London providing shared workshops, tools, equipment, events, and a community for practical experimentation.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
London Hackspace, commonly abbreviated as LHS, is a nonprofit hackerspace and member-oriented community workshop in London, United Kingdom. It was established in 2009 by people interested in electronics, engineering, computing, fabrication, amateur radio, and related forms of practical experimentation. The group held its first meeting at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on 10 February 2009, before establishing a physical site in Islington. In July 2010 it moved to Hoxton and later relocated to Park Royal. The organization is structured around shared access to specialist equipment, communal work areas, peer learning, and member-led projects rather than the sale of conventional consumer products. Its facilities have included areas and tools for electronics, three-dimensional printing, craft, laser cutting, woodworking, metalworking, textile arts, amateur radio, robotics, and other technical or creative activities. Equipment availability and operating details have historically been documented through the organization’s own wiki, while activities have included regular open evenings, workshops, and informal collaboration among members. London Hackspace became notable within the United Kingdom’s maker and hackerspace movement because of its scale and organizational experimentation. In 2012 it was described as the largest hackerspace in the United Kingdom by membership, with more than 1,000 paying members. On 27 July 2011, members voting at the annual general meeting approved the use of the OneClickOrgs platform for board and organizational procedures. This was described as making London Hackspace the world’s first virtualized nonprofit corporation, reflecting the group’s interest in using online tools to administer a distributed membership organization. The space has supported projects that combine software, electronics, mechanical systems, communications, and artistic experimentation. Examples mentioned in reference material include an Evil Genius Simulator presented at Maker Faire 2011, combining an Xbox Kinect with Tesla coils; HackSat One, a femtosatellite project developed in 2013 for the KickSat dispenser; and the Nanode, a networked Arduino-compatible board developed at the space. These projects illustrate the organization’s role as an enabling environment for member innovation rather than as a single-product manufacturer. London Hackspace has also hosted recurring or occasional workshops covering subjects such as biohacking, lockpicking, amateur radio, OneClickOrgs, woodturning, machining, 3D printing, textile arts, and welding. Its regular Wednesday open evening has provided a public-facing entry point for prospective members and visitors. The group’s identity is consequently based on access, collaboration, self-directed learning, and hands-on making. Public reference material does not establish a conventional commercial parent company, publicly traded status, founder, or current executive roster.
History
London Hackspace emerged in 2009 as part of the growing hackerspace and maker movement in the United Kingdom. Its first meeting took place at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on 10 February 2009. The group initially operated in Islington, where it began forming a community around shared tools, practical experimentation, electronics, computing, fabrication, and technical education. In July 2010, London Hackspace moved to Hoxton. The relocation accompanied the development of a more substantial physical workshop and a broader range of community activities. Rather than functioning as a conventional retail brand, the organization grew through membership, volunteer participation, shared infrastructure, and member-generated projects. Its facilities developed into multiple areas supporting electronics, three-dimensional printing, craft, laser cutting, woodworking, metalworking, textiles, amateur radio, robotics, and other forms of making. The organization also experimented with online administration. At its annual general meeting on 27 July 2011, members voted to use OneClickOrgs to carry out board and other organizational procedures. This model was characterized in reference material as making London Hackspace the world’s first virtualized nonprofit corporation. The decision reflected an attempt to use internet-based tools to coordinate governance within a large, technically oriented membership community. London Hackspace’s public profile was strengthened by projects shown at events and by the technical work carried out by members. At Maker Faire 2011, participants exhibited an Evil Genius Simulator that combined an Xbox Kinect with Tesla coils. The space was also associated with the development of the Nanode, a networked Arduino clone, and with HackSat One, a femtosatellite Sprite developed in 2013 for the KickSat dispenser. These projects demonstrate the range of activity supported by the space, spanning physical computing, interactive installations, open hardware, and amateur space technology. By 2012, London Hackspace was described as the largest hackerspace in the United Kingdom by membership, with more than 1,000 paying members. Its growth made it a significant example of a large-scale community workshop, while its emphasis remained on member access and collaboration rather than centralized product development. The organization later moved from Hoxton to Park Royal. Public descriptions identify a continuing mixture of shared facilities, workshops, project work, and community events, including a regular Wednesday open evening and occasional sessions on biohacking, lockpicking, amateur radio, woodturning, machining, 3D printing, textile arts, welding, and other subjects. Available reference material does not identify a founder, parent company, commercial owner, public listing, or a complete current leadership roster. London Hackspace is best understood as a nonprofit community organization whose name functions as the identity for a physical and digital maker community.
- 2013
HackSat One development
[1]A femtosatellite Sprite known as HackSat One was developed at the space for the KickSat dispenser project.
- 2012
Membership exceeds 1,000 paying members
[1]London Hackspace was described as the United Kingdom’s largest hackerspace by membership.
- 2011
Virtualized nonprofit governance
[1]Members approved the use of OneClickOrgs for board and organizational procedures at the 27 July annual general meeting.
- 2011
Evil Genius Simulator shown at Maker Faire
[1]Members presented an interactive project combining an Xbox Kinect and Tesla coils at Maker Faire 2011.
- 2010
Move to Hoxton
[1]The organization moved from its original Islington location to Hoxton in July.
- 2009
First meeting
[1]The group held its first meeting at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on 10 February 2009.
- 2009
Hackspace established in London
[1]London Hackspace was established as a nonprofit hackerspace community.
Move to Park Royal
[1]After its Hoxton period, London Hackspace relocated to Park Royal.
Products and positioning
A large, community-run London hackerspace positioned as shared infrastructure for experimentation, fabrication, peer learning, and interdisciplinary maker projects.
Community workshop infrastructure · 2009
Shared workshop facilities
London Hackspace provides members with access to shared spaces and equipment for practical experimentation. Reference material identifies facilities for electronics, 3D printing, craft, laser cutting, woodworking, metalworking, textile arts, amateur radio, robotics, and related activities. The facilities are the organization’s central offering and support both individual work and collaborative projects.
Open hardware
Nanode
The Nanode was developed at London Hackspace as a networked Arduino clone. It represents the type of open, community-oriented electronics project enabled by the space, combining microcontroller experimentation with network connectivity. Available reference material identifies its development at the hackerspace but does not provide complete commercial, production, or current availability details.
Amateur space technology · 2013
HackSat One
HackSat One was a femtosatellite Sprite developed at London Hackspace in 2013. It was intended to be launched as part of the KickSat dispenser project. The project illustrates the space’s role in supporting technically ambitious member work that extends beyond conventional workshop fabrication.
Interactive installation · 2011
Evil Genius Simulator
The Evil Genius Simulator was a member project combining an Xbox Kinect with Tesla coils. It was presented at Maker Faire 2011 and demonstrates London Hackspace’s blend of electronics, sensing, physical effects, and playful public-facing experimentation.
Brand decisions
2011
Adoption of OneClickOrgs for governanceStrategyBackground
As the membership organization developed, its members considered how board and administrative procedures could be handled through online systems.
Action taken
At the 27 July annual general meeting, members voted to use the OneClickOrgs platform for board and organizational procedures.
Aftermath
The arrangement was described as making London Hackspace the world’s first virtualized nonprofit corporation and became a notable example of technology-assisted community governance.
Recent events
- 2013
HackSat One is developed at the space[1]
Product launch
Members developed HackSat One, a femtosatellite Sprite intended for launch through the KickSat dispenser project.
- 2012
London Hackspace reaches more than 1,000 paying members[1]
Other
Reference material described London Hackspace as the United Kingdom’s largest hackerspace by membership, with more than 1,000 paying members.
- 2011
Members approve virtualized nonprofit governance procedures[1]
Other
At its 27 July annual general meeting, members voted to use OneClickOrgs for board and organizational procedures, an arrangement described as the first virtualized nonprofit corporation of its kind.
- 2011
London Hackspace presents the Evil Genius Simulator[1]
Product launch
Members combined an Xbox Kinect with Tesla coils to create an interactive project presented at Maker Faire 2011.
- 2010
London Hackspace moves to Hoxton[1]
Other
After beginning in Islington, the hackerspace relocated to Hoxton in July 2010 as its community and activities developed.
- 2009
London Hackspace is established[1]
Other
The London Hackspace group held its first meeting on 10 February 2009 and subsequently developed into a nonprofit hackerspace in London.
Sources2 sources
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