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Key people at Hacker Dojo.
Hacker Dojo was founded in 2009 by David E. Weekly (Founder & Chairman).
Hacker Dojo, a 501(c)(3) non-profit community center and hackerspace, was founded in 2009 by David Weekly, Jeff Lindsey, Brian Klug, and Kitt Hodsden. Based in Mountain View, California, at its 855 Maude Avenue location since 2022, it provides affordable space for entrepreneurs, programmers, and technology enthusiasts to learn, collaborate, and innovate. This 6,000-square-foot facility supports over 300 active members with 24/7 access to workspace. It hosts a diverse range of technology classes, workshops, and events, spanning software development, computer hardware, biology, and manufacturing, including hackathons and DevHouses. Primarily financed through $150/month membership dues, Hacker Dojo also secures corporate sponsorships from major entities like Microsoft, Google, Twilio, and Palantir Technologies. It serves as a vital hub for creative professionals in Silicon Valley, fostering innovation and community engagement.
Hacker Dojo was founded in 2009 by David E. Weekly (Founder & Chairman).
Key people at Hacker Dojo.
Hacker Dojo is not a company but a 501(c)(3) non-profit hackerspace founded in 2009 in Mountain View, California. It provides affordable physical space for entrepreneurs, programmers, creators, and "hackers" (in the positive sense of innovators who build and tinker) to learn, collaborate, and innovate, fostering a community where anyone can pursue ideas regardless of background.[1][3][4] Its mission emphasizes spreading entrepreneurial vision, nurturing disruption, serving as a gathering spot for tech leaders, and enabling educational and social activities that build skills and connections.[1]
The space offers 24/7 access via digital keys, shared and quiet workspaces, meeting rooms, maker labs, hackathons, workshops, and spontaneous talks, creating a vibrant ecosystem for pushing boundaries in tech and creativity.[4]
Hacker Dojo emerged from the grassroots hacker culture of Silicon Valley in 2009, sparked by David Weekly's long-held vision of a community center for teaching programming—he even had a wooden sign made in 2002.[1][2] It grew out of informal gatherings like Super Happy Dev House (SHDH), started by Weekly, Tom Harrison, and Jeff Lindsay in a living room with just 12 attendees, where ideas like PBwiki were born.[2] A core group of 10-30 enthusiasts, including founding directors Dean Mao, Nathan Schmidt, Zonker, and others, met regularly at PBworks HQ in San Mateo, debating structures (LLC vs. corporation, eventually choosing 501(c)(3)) and scouting spaces.[1]
Early operations kicked off in a series of four warehouses (dubbed 140 A/B/C/D), volunteer-run with rapid growth to over 120 members by election time and 500 soon after, fueled by high energy from events like SHDH.[2] Notable early members included Chris Messina (inventor of the #hashtag) and Max Hodak (co-founder of Neuralink).[2]
Hacker Dojo rides the wave of decentralized, community-fueled innovation in Silicon Valley, evolving from 2000s hacker meetups into a fixed hub amid rising demand for collaborative spaces post-remote work shifts.[2][4] Its timing capitalized on the startup boom, providing a counterpoint to corporate offices by enabling serendipitous connections that birthed companies and tools.[1][2] Market forces like talent concentration in the Bay Area and non-profit models favor it, as seen in ongoing fundraising (e.g., recent campaigns toward $40K goals).[5] It influences the ecosystem by nurturing disruption, spreading entrepreneurial skills, and producing alumni like Neuralink co-founders, amplifying Silicon Valley's hacker roots.[1][2]
Hacker Dojo's trajectory points to expanded impact through sustained fundraising and potential space upgrades, adapting to hybrid work by blending physical tinkering with digital communities.[5] Trends like AI-driven maker tools, open-source collaboration, and inclusive tech education will shape it, possibly growing memberships and satellite dojos. Its influence may evolve from a local haven to a model for global hackerspaces, empowering the next wave of boundary-pushers—just as it did for today's tech giants from a simple living room gathering.[2][4]
