Challenge House Business Centre is located in the heart of London, just a short walk from Oxford Circus station. Founded in 2010, Challenge House aims to support entrepreneurs and small business owners by providing affordable office space and a collaborative community.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to grow your business, Challenge House offers everything you need all under one roof. Our centre provides high-quality office spaces complete with superfast internet, meeting rooms, and business amenities. More importantly, we facilitate connections and foster an environment where entrepreneurs can learn from each other.
At Challenge House, we believe that small businesses are the backbone of the economy. Our mission is to help entrepreneurs overcome the challenges that often come with starting and running an independent business. We aim to provide our members with the resources, knowledge, and community required to start strong, scale intelligently, and make a lasting impact.
Facilities
Challenge House Business Centre offers a wide range of facilities to support entrepreneurs and small businesses. With flexible office spaces, state-of-the-art conference rooms, and useful amenities, it provides an ideal environment for companies to grow and thrive.
The centre has private offices available for rent on flexible terms, from single person offices to spaces accommodating teams of up to 10. Offices come fully furnished and equipped with high-speed internet, telephones, and other essentials. They can be rented on a month-to-month basis, with all utilities and cleaning services included.
For client meetings, events, and conferences, Challenge House has meeting rooms of varying sizes. The rooms can accommodate groups from 5 to 100 people. They are equipped with presentation equipment, whiteboards, fast WiFi, and video conferencing capabilities. Catering can be arranged as needed.
The business centre aims to provide a comprehensive set of amenities to maximize convenience and productivity. There is a shared kitchen area with complimentary tea and coffee. The lobby has comfortable seating, vending machines, and newspapers. Printing, copying and mail handling services are available. There are also shower facilities for those who bike or exercise during the workday.
With its flexible, well-equipped spaces and amenities, Challenge House offers an ideal launchpad for businesses to get started and grow successfully.
Community
Challenge House Business Centre fosters a strong sense of community among its tenants through various initiatives that promote networking, collaboration, and support.
As a tenant, you become part of a diverse community of like-minded entrepreneurs, freelancers, remote workers, and small business owners. There are frequent opportunities to connect with your fellow tenants through networking events, peer mentoring programs, social gatherings, and more.
Many tenants find that the connections they make within the Challenge House community become invaluable sources of support, inspiration, partnership, and friendship. There’s a shared understanding that everyone is on their own entrepreneurial journey, which creates a supportive and empowering atmosphere.
Challenge House facilitates community building in a variety of ways:
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Monthly “Lunch and Learn” events featuring guest speakers, workshops, and discussions relevant to small business owners and entrepreneurs. This is a great way to learn new skills and strategies while meeting other tenants.
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Regular social events like happy hours, game nights, coffee meetups, and more, that allow for relaxed networking and relationship building.
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Slack channels and social media groups to allow for connection and conversation outside of in-person events.
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Peer mentoring programs that pair new tenants with more established tenants for advice and support.
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Discounts and partnerships with local businesses and services valuable to small business owners.
The leadership at Challenge House is deeply committed to cultivating this spirit of community and sees it as a core part of their mission. Many tenants say the connections they’ve made at Challenge House are the reason they’ve stayed for many years, even as their businesses have grown. It’s a special place that feels like home.
Events
Challenge House Business Centre hosts a variety of events throughout the year aimed at fostering community, collaboration, and growth among members and partners.
Some of the major events include:
Quarterly Conferences
Challenge House holds a major conference each quarter, bringing in expert speakers, panel discussions, and workshops over 2-3 days. Topics have ranged from leadership and management to marketing and technology. These large-scale conferences attract hundreds of attendees.
Monthly Workshops
On a monthly basis, Challenge House hosts more intimate workshop events focused on professional development and skill building. Recent workshops have covered presentation skills, time management, negotiation tactics, and more. Local experts are brought in to lead these interactive sessions.
Weekly Seminars
Every week, Challenge House offers free seminars over lunch open to all members. These focus on business topics like social media strategy, accounting, recruiting, and other relevant issues entrepreneurs face. The seminars allow members to learn from and connect with each other.
By hosting regular conferences, workshops, and seminars, Challenge House provides valuable skill-building and networking opportunities to support the growth and success of its members and partners. The events calendar has something to offer entrepreneurs at every stage.
Membership
Challenge House Business Centre offers a range of membership plans to suit different business needs and budgets.
Plans
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Basic Membership – This plan provides access to all shared facilities like meeting rooms, event spaces, and communal areas. It’s ideal for solopreneurs, freelancers, and small teams who need a professional space to work and collaborate. Pricing starts at $XX/month.
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Dedicated Desk Membership – This plan includes a dedicated desk in the open coworking area. It provides the reliability of having your own assigned workspace with the community benefits of a shared office. Pricing starts at $XX/month.
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Private Office Membership – For businesses that need their own enclosed office space, this plan provides a private office of your chosen size. It offers the privacy and security needed for sensitive work. Offices accommodate teams of 1-10 people. Pricing starts at $XXX/month.
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Custom Membership – For unique business needs, we offer custom memberships tailored to your requirements. Get in touch to discuss building a plan that’s right for your team.
Benefits
All memberships include:
- 24/7 building access
- High-speed WiFi
- Free parking
- Discounted meeting room credits
- Networking events and programming
- Business support services
- Coffee, tea, and snacks
- And more!
Membership at Challenge House grants access to a vibrant community and space designed to help businesses thrive. Our plans provide the ideal environment for productivity, professional growth, and making valuable connections.
Success Stories
Challenge House Business Centre is home to many inspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners. Here are some of their success stories:
Sarah’s Bakery
Sarah started her home-based bakery business 5 years ago. After outgrowing her home kitchen, she moved into a unit at Challenge House last year. Since joining the centre, her business has thrived thanks to the foot traffic from other tenants, networking opportunities, and bakery-friendly facilities. Sarah now employs 2 part-time staff and has plans to open a retail bakery storefront soon.
John’s Accounting Firm
John is a qualified accountant who opened his own accounting firm at Challenge House 2 years ago. He struggled at first as a solo operator but soon started collaborating with other members on cross-referrals. Now John has a team of 5 accountants serving over 100 small business clients. He attributes his rapid growth to the community spirit and peer support at Challenge House.
Mary’s Social Media Agency
Mary runs a social media marketing agency that manages campaigns for local businesses. Since moving into Challenge House 6 months ago, Mary has already expanded her team to 6 people. The trendy co-working spaces and business amenities make her agency more attractive to talented candidates. Mary also credits the centre’s networking events for connecting her with new clients. She now plans to upgrade to a larger office space.
Leadership
Challenge House is led by a diverse and experienced leadership team. The directors and board members come from various backgrounds and bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise.
The current Managing Director is John Smith, who previously worked in the tech industry. John’s vision is to create an inclusive community and help businesses thrive. He leads the day-to-day operations and strategy for Challenge House.
The board is comprised of 10 members who provide governance and oversight. They include entrepreneurs, investors, and community leaders. The board helps guide the direction and growth of Challenge House.
The wider leadership team includes department heads for community, events, facilities, and partnerships. This passionate team works hard to serve members and create a welcoming environment. They are dedicated to empowering businesses and bringing people together.
With its knowledgeable leadership, Challenge House is well-positioned to continue its positive impact on the region. The directors, board, and team are committed to innovation, excellence and driving the organization forward.
Partners
Challenge House Business Centre has built strong partnerships over the years with organizations that support our mission and vision. Our key partners include:
Sponsors
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Acme Corp – As a founding sponsor, Acme Corp has provided crucial funding and resources since our inception. Their generous support has allowed us to expand our facilities and programming.
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XYZ Foundation – The XYZ Foundation has sponsored our annual entrepreneurship boot camp for the past 5 years. This boot camp has been instrumental in helping new entrepreneurs launch their ventures.
Supporters
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Local University – Our local university has been an invaluable supporter by providing mentors, interns, and expertise. We’ve partnered on research projects and their students regularly volunteer with us.
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Chamber of Commerce – As a non-profit chamber member, we’ve received advocacy, training, and networking opportunities to connect with the local business community.
Collaborators
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Coworking Alliance – We partner with the Coworking Alliance to share best practices and coordinate events and networking across our spaces. This amplifies our reach and impact.
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SCORE – We frequently collaborate with SCORE to offer free mentoring sessions and workshops for our members, leveraging their network of expert mentors.
By cultivating strong partnerships, we are able to expand our resources and opportunities for our members and better equip entrepreneurs and small businesses to thrive. Our partners are invaluable in helping us work towards our goal of supporting economic growth in our community.
Impact
Challenge House Business Centre has made a tremendous impact on the local community over the years. It has supported hundreds of entrepreneurs and small business owners by providing affordable office space, training, mentoring, and networking opportunities.
Some of the key contributions and achievements of Challenge House include:
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Supporting over 500 new startups and small businesses since opening in 2010. Many of these businesses have gone on to become successful companies generating jobs and economic growth in the region.
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Receiving the “Outstanding Contribution to Enterprise” award from the city council in 2018, recognizing Challenge House’s work in nurturing entrepreneurs.
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Winning the Regional Business Centre of the Year award in 2020. This recognized Challenge House’s facilities, business support services, and role in the community.
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Generating over £2 million in revenue for resident businesses last year. By providing affordable space and support, Challenge House helps businesses grow and thrive.
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Training over 100 people per year through workshops and courses on topics like marketing, finance, and business planning. This upskilling helps entrepreneurs succeed.
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Hosting a monthly Entrepreneurship Meetup attended by over 60 business owners. This networking event creates connections and inspires innovation.
Through dedicated staff, top-class facilities, and a commitment to supporting entrepreneurs, Challenge House Business Centre has made a real difference, enabling business creation and economic growth. It continues to nurture startups and empower business owners to achieve their potential.
Contact
Get involved, visit, join, apply! Challenge House Business Centre is always looking for talented individuals and organizations to partner with.
Visit Us
Our center is open Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm. Stop by any time to take a tour of our state-of-the-art facilities, meet our community, and learn more about our programs. Our address is 123 Main Street, Anytown.
Join Our Community
Become a member of Challenge House to access our co-working spaces, events, mentorship opportunities, and more. Membership options range from day passes to dedicated desks. Learn more about membership here.
Apply to Our Programs
We offer a variety of programs to support entrepreneurs, including incubators, accelerators, training, and funding opportunities. If you’re interested in applying, visit our programs page here to learn more and begin the application process.
Get Involved
In addition to membership and programs, there are many ways to get involved with Challenge House. Attend one of our many free events, volunteer to mentor aspiring entrepreneurs, or sponsor an event or program. Contact us here to discuss partnership opportunities.
We’d love to hear from you! Please don’t hesitate to get in touch via phone, email, or by visiting us in person.
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