The Network Hub
A Canadian coworking and entrepreneurship hub founded in Vancouver in 2006.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
The Network Hub is a Canadian coworking and business-support brand that originated in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 2006. It was founded by John Van, Jay Catalan, and Minna Van, three high school students with backgrounds in web design, programming, and entrepreneurship. The organization began with a 9,800-square-foot coworking facility in downtown Vancouver and has been described as Vancouver's longest-running coworking space. From the beginning, The Network Hub combined shared workspace with an incubator-like community for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Its early members were primarily young founders, and the first eight resident businesses were all led by entrepreneurs under 30. Membership grew to approximately 20 businesses in 2007 and 35 in 2009, with information-technology companies forming a significant part of the community. Over time, the tenant base expanded to include software developers, gaming companies, designers, consultants, marketing-service providers, freelancers, and other small enterprises. The brand's operating model centers on flexible access to professional workspace and a community-oriented set of services. Offerings have included drop-in desks, shared and private offices, meeting rooms, reception support, courier and mailbox services, mail forwarding, telephone answering, virtual-office services, and rental terms ranging from daily use to annual arrangements. These services are intended to help startups and small businesses operate with lower overhead while gaining access to facilities, peers, and business networks. Community programming is a major part of the brand's identity. The Network Hub has hosted recurring entrepreneur meetups and technology-focused events covering subjects such as WordPress, web design, Drupal, Joomla, blogging, social media, and entrepreneurship. Its Vancouver Entrepreneur Meetup was presented as one of Vancouver's largest monthly networking events and included speakers such as former Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson. The organization also hosted a WordPress theme hackathon and a 48-hour NASA Space Apps Challenge hackathon, giving members opportunities to collaborate on technical and creative projects. The Network Hub expanded beyond its original Vancouver facility during the 2010s. It opened a second location in New Westminster in 2011, established a ski-in, ski-out coworking location in Whistler in 2013, and opened a Nanaimo location in 2014. Later references identify locations or operations associated with Richmond, Calgary, and Toronto as well. The New Westminster location also supported an art-gallery initiative showcasing local Vancouver artists, with participating artists receiving all proceeds from their sales. The organization has also pursued partnerships with community, education, and workforce-development groups. In 2010 it sponsored the first annual Freelance Camp Vancouver conference, which provided freelancers with training and networking. In 2012, its New Westminster branch sponsored a fundraiser for Royal Columbian Hospital. In 2018, the organization's nonprofit entity was a founding member involved in creating a cultural community and coworking hub in Vancouver's Chinatown. In 2019, The Network Hub launched the Tech Training Hub with CodeCast and ComIT.org. The program offered free technology training, peer support, and workspace access to unemployed or underemployed youth, students, and career changers, with a planned hiring connection to technology employers. The program was nominated for a 2020 Untapped B.C. Workplace Inclusion Award. The Network Hub has received local recognition and external media coverage. It was nominated for a 2012 Small Business Influencer Award in the Corporations category and received Yelp's 2018 People Love Us On Yelp award. Its coworking model was covered or discussed by Get Connected magazine, CBC, Mashable, CNN, and Get Connected magazine. The available reference material does not establish current ownership, financial performance, a corporate legal structure, or the precise operating status of every listed location.
History
The Network Hub began in Vancouver in the summer of 2006, when John Van, Jay Catalan, and Minna Van created a coworking facility after gaining experience in web design, programming, and entrepreneurship. The original operation occupied approximately 9,800 square feet in downtown Vancouver. Its early community consisted of eight small businesses, each led by an entrepreneur under 30. The model offered a shared professional setting for founders who might otherwise have worked alone or borne the full cost of conventional office space. Membership grew during the first several years. The organization reported approximately 20 resident businesses in 2007 and 35 in 2009, with information technology represented strongly among the occupants. Its community subsequently broadened to include gaming companies, designers, consultants, marketing firms, freelancers, and other small businesses. The Network Hub presented itself not simply as a landlord, but as a startup incubator and networking environment. Its stated purpose was to help people with strong ideas launch businesses faster and with less overhead. The organization developed a broad service model around flexible workspace. Members could use drop-in desks, shared work areas, private offices, meeting rooms, reception facilities, courier support, mailboxes, mail forwarding, telephone answering, and virtual-office services. Rental arrangements ranged from daily access to longer annual commitments. Events and peer interaction were integrated into the offer, with recurring meetups and training sessions addressing entrepreneurship, technology, web development, blogging, social media, and related subjects. Public attention increased as coworking became more widely discussed in Canada and internationally. Get Connected magazine featured The Network Hub in 2009 as an example of a cost-conscious business model. CBC covered the organization in 2010 as part of reporting on the growing coworking movement. Mashable writer Sarah Kessler highlighted it as a coworking example in articles published in January 2011, and the organization was also mentioned by CNN and other media outlets. Physical expansion began in 2011 with a second location in New Westminster. That branch also supported an art-gallery project intended to showcase Vancouver artists, including Scott Sueme, Jonathan Taggart, and Jason Athens. The arrangement allowed participating artists to retain all sales proceeds. In 2013, The Network Hub opened what was described as the world's first ski-in, ski-out coworking space in Whistler. A Nanaimo location followed in 2014, extending the concept to Vancouver Island. Later descriptions list additional locations or operations in Richmond, Calgary, and Toronto, although the available material does not provide opening dates or confirm the current status of each site. Events and partnerships remained central to the organization's development. The Network Hub sponsored the inaugural Freelance Camp Vancouver conference in 2010, offering freelancers instruction in areas such as web design, invoicing, and social-media networking. It organized the Vancouver Entrepreneur Meetup and other specialist meetups, and hosted a WordPress theme hackathon. In 2012 it hosted a NASA Space Apps Challenge hackathon, a 48-hour event in which participants developed software responding to space-related challenges. The New Westminster branch also sponsored a Royal Columbian Hospital fundraiser that year. The Network Hub's community role expanded further through nonprofit and workforce initiatives. In 2018, its nonprofit entity was identified as a founding member involved in creating a cultural community and coworking hub in Vancouver's Chinatown. In 2019, it partnered with CodeCast and ComIT.org to launch the Tech Training Hub. The program was designed for unemployed or underemployed people, including youth, students, and career changers. It provided free IT-focused instruction, peer support, and coworking access in Vancouver and Nanaimo, with a planned hiring event involving technology employers. The initiative was nominated for a 2020 Untapped B.C. Workplace Inclusion Award. The organization has received recognition including a 2012 Small Business Influencer Award nomination in the Corporations category and Yelp's 2018 People Love Us On Yelp award. The supplied sources do not document a sale, merger, public listing, financial results, current executive roster beyond the named founders, or the precise legal relationship between The Network Hub's commercial and nonprofit activities.
- 2019
Tech Training Hub launches
[1]The Network Hub partners with CodeCast and ComIT.org to provide free technology training, peer support, and workspace access.
- 2018
Chinatown community hub initiative
[1]The organization's nonprofit entity participates as a founding member in the creation of a cultural community and coworking hub in Vancouver's Chinatown.
- 2014
Nanaimo location opens
[1]The Network Hub expands to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.
- 2013
Whistler coworking location opens
[1]The organization establishes a ski-in, ski-out coworking space in Whistler.
- 2012
Small Business Influencer Award nomination
[1]The Network Hub is nominated in the Corporations category and also hosts a NASA Space Apps Challenge hackathon.
- 2011
New Westminster expansion
[1]A second location opens in New Westminster, alongside an initiative to use workspace as a local art gallery.
- 2010
Freelance Camp Vancouver begins
[1]The organization sponsors the first annual Freelance Camp Vancouver conference for freelancers.
- 2009
Community reaches approximately 35 businesses
[1]The Network Hub reports hosting about 35 businesses and receives coverage as a cost-saving business model.
- 2007
Early membership expands
[1]The space grows to approximately 20 small businesses, primarily in information technology.
- 2006
The Network Hub launches in Vancouver
[1]John Van, Jay Catalan, and Minna Van launch a 9,800-square-foot coworking space in downtown Vancouver serving eight young entrepreneur-led businesses.
Products and positioning
A community-led coworking and entrepreneurship platform for startups, freelancers, technology professionals, and small businesses seeking flexible workspace, practical services, networking, and business-development support.
Coworking workspace · 2006
Flexible coworking memberships
The core offering provides access to drop-in desks, shared work areas, and flexible rental arrangements. Members can choose short-term or longer-term access according to their working pattern, making the service suitable for freelancers, startups, small businesses, and remote workers.
Workspace rental · 2006
Private offices and meeting rooms
The Network Hub provides enclosed offices and meeting facilities for businesses requiring privacy, client-facing space, or dedicated working areas while remaining within a shared entrepreneurial environment.
Business services · 2006
Virtual office and business support services
Supporting services have included shared reception, telephone answering, mailbox rental, mail forwarding, courier assistance, and virtual-office arrangements. These services allow small businesses to maintain a professional administrative presence without operating a fully independent office.
Workforce training · 2019
Tech Training Hub
Launched with CodeCast and ComIT.org in 2019, the Tech Training Hub offered free technology-focused instruction to unemployed or underemployed people, including youth, students, and career changers. Participants also received peer support and coworking access, with the program intended to connect successful trainees to employers.
Marketing campaigns
- 2019Tech Training Hub
Vancouver · Nanaimo
In partnership with CodeCast and ComIT.org, The Network Hub created a free training program for people seeking technology skills and employment.
Outcome. The program planned to serve up to 25 participants and was later nominated for a 2020 workplace-inclusion award.
- 2012NASA Space Apps Challenge Hackathon
Vancouver
The Network Hub hosted a 48-hour hackathon challenging participants to create software solutions for NASA-related space problems.
Outcome. The event provided a collaborative technology program for the local hacker and developer community.
- 2010Freelance Camp Vancouver
Vancouver · Canada
The Network Hub sponsored the first annual Freelance Camp Vancouver conference, a skills and networking program for freelancers. Topics included web design, invoicing, and social-media networking strategies.
Outcome. The conference became a recurring program, with a 2012 edition referenced in the source material.
Brand decisions
2019
Add employment-oriented technology trainingStrategyBackground
The organization expanded its community mission beyond workspace and networking to address technology-skills and employment needs.
Action taken
It partnered with CodeCast and ComIT.org to launch the Tech Training Hub in Vancouver and Nanaimo.
Aftermath
The program offered training, peer support, and workspace access and received a 2020 workplace-inclusion award nomination.
2013
Launch a ski-in, ski-out coworking locationProduct launchBackground
The brand sought to differentiate coworking through a distinctive location and lifestyle-oriented setting.
Action taken
The Network Hub established a coworking site in Whistler designed for entrepreneurs and small businesses wanting a mountain environment.
Aftermath
The site was described as the world's first ski-in, ski-out coworking space.
2011
Expand the coworking network beyond VancouverStrategyBackground
The original Vancouver facility had developed a community of startups and small businesses, creating a basis for geographic expansion.
Action taken
The Network Hub opened a second location in New Westminster and subsequently pursued additional locations in other British Columbia communities.
Aftermath
The network later included locations or operations associated with Whistler, Nanaimo, Richmond, Calgary, and Toronto.
Sources1 sources
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