Draper Startup House

Learn how Faiā helped scale Draper Startup House's community across multiple countries, as well as help them during the COVID pandemic.

Draper Startup House (DSH) is a global network of hostels that support entrepreneurs by providing a community-centric environment for innovation. Following the acquisition by Tim Draper, the organization faced challenges in streamlining its operations, onboarding staff, and managing its expanding community, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Faiā was tasked with creating a structured community strategy and improving internal processes to drive engagement and scalability.

Team

Raised

$4.24M

Situation

Draper Startup House (DSH), formerly Tribe Theory, experienced rapid growth but a chaotic community-operations structure. Following its acquisition by Tim Draper, the company sought to better organize its global network of entrepreneur-focused hostels, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Task

The challenge was to streamline DSH’s community operations, improve staff onboarding, and create a global network that could thrive despite the constraints of a pandemic.

Action

Faiā implemented key strategies, including training programs for community managers, introducing Slack for global engagement, and creating operational playbooks. We also helped launch the Draper Entrepreneur Network (DEN) on Slack, for digital connectivity during COVID.

Results

These efforts resulted in a thriving online community with over 3,100 members, enhanced internal communication, and a stronger brand transition, solidifying DSH’s presence in the global startup ecosystem.

Conclusion

By implementing a blend of digital tools, operational guidelines, and community engagement strategies, Faiā transformed Draper Startup House into a globally connected, resilient startup ecosystem. With a structured approach to scaling community operations and improved staff communication, DSH was able to sustain its growth, even amid the challenges of a global pandemic. This empowered the organization to solidify its position as a premier hub for global entrepreneurs, with over 3,100 active members engaging through its newly launched Draper Entrepreneur Network.