Hex House, a cooperative co-founded two years ago by Future Sketches researcher Char Stiles, received a $2,500 finalist prize at the 2024 MIT Arts Startup Incubator.

Hex House provides affordable studio spaces, performance spaces, and creates a vibrant artist community that enlivens its Brooklyn neighborhood. Stiles and her team would like to scale the Hex House initiative, beginning with a second space in Boston.

Formerly known as the Creative Arts Competition, the MIT Arts Startup Incubator was established in 2013 to foster arts-focused ventures at the Institute. Taking place October 2023 – May 2024, this year’s competition featured supporting events and workshops before and during the program period to help students build out their teams and define and refine their business concepts. Semifinalists, chosen by application in November, were part of a cohort program designed to accelerate arts-focused ventures. Teams received mentorship from past prize winners, distinguished faculty, MIT alumni, local creative entrepreneurs, and access to exclusive workshops to help them hone their business models, connect to resources, and prepare to pitch.

Finalists pitched their ventures to a live panel of judges and competed for the $15,000 grand prize. All finalist teams received $2,500 towards their venture.