If you’ve been following us on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn, you’ve likely come across the term What’s Hub? But have you ever wondered what it actually is? And if you’ve visited our website, you might have noticed What’s Hub? mentioned under the What We Offer segment on the homepage. Even if you weren’t familiar with it before, now you know where to find it. 🙂
Our website states,
“What’s Hub is a monthly community event uniting changemakers for meaningful conversations, idea-sharing, and social impact.”
Quite a heavy definition, isn’t it? But at least now we know it’s a community event.
So, What is What’s Hub?
Does it have a deeper meaning? Or is it just a clever wordplay? Is it What’s up? But it says Hub, oh, Impact Hub, so it became what’s hub? Curious to know more, I reached out to our former colleague Samanata, who used to coordinate this event. I asked her, “Hi Sam, I wanted to know how you came up with the name, and what was the idea behind starting this?”
Very kindly, she shared: “Hey Roms, I did not come up with the name. It was Bahar who was very good at these things. However, the style of conducting it evolved over time when I took over. The idea was to host roundtables instead of sessions so that we could bring the community together to start a discourse on what mattered to them. And round tables allowed that space for experts and the community to whom the topics were relevant to come together so that they can take the conversation forward. One such example is when we hosted Transmen and Marie Stops, I and healthcare workers bringing them together and bridging the gap to understand the challenges for them to access Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights and the conversation went forward beyond Impact Hub later. Hence, trying to create a safe space to first empathize and then take impactful actions.”
Hearing this helped me better understand the essence of What’s Hub. The format may vary from session to session, but the ethos remains the same.
Why It Paused and Why It’s Back?
I joined Impact Hub Kathmandu as the Communications Officer in July 2024 shortly after the last What’s Hub session, which had taken place around April-May. With the reshuffling of staff and multiple programs in motion, What’s Hub naturally took a back seat. I kept hearing from team members that we should bring it back. At the time, I honestly wasn’t very familiar with how the event was usually conducted or what it involved. But with growing enthusiasm to bring it back, and after a month of thoughtful planning and coordination with the Roots of Circularity (RoC) team, especially Rohan Shrestha, we decided it was time to resume the sessions.
After a 10-month pause, we resumed What’s Hub on March 10, 2025, with our first event of the year focused on the Roots of Circularity (RoC) Incubator Program. Coordinated by me and facilitated by Rohan Shrestha, with support from Selisha Shrestha, the session aimed to introduce the concept of the circular economy, provide insights into the ongoing RoC project, outline the program’s objectives and expected outcomes, and share the benefits of applying to the RoC Incubator Program.
It served as a space to engage potential applicants and offer clarity on the goals, impact, and application process of the program. Participants also learned how to integrate circular practices into their enterprises. With an open call, we had a good turnout of 15 participants who actively engaged in the conversation. It was a meaningful start to the year.
The Year Compass Session
Following that, we hosted another What’s Hub session on the Year Compass. This two-hour reflection-based workshop was facilitated by Theresa Weippert. The session invited participants to reflect on the past year, plan ahead, and discover better ways to do so. Each participant received a Year Compass booklet filled with insightful questions, complemented by interactive exercises.
With 19 participants from diverse backgrounds, the feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive, with a strong request to host more such sessions in the future.
What’s Next?
Having coordinated two What’s Hub events this year, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the process of planning the sessions, reaching out to facilitators, and reconnecting with our vibrant community. Participants have come from all walks of life, each contributing unique perspectives.
This platform isn’t just for us to organize events, it’s a space for anyone looking for a voice, for connection, or for community.
We are set to host more of these events, with one scheduled for June under the Building Entrepreneurship Access Model (BEAM) program, where 11 women entrepreneurs with disabilities will be sharing their journeys and stories.
Stay tuned for more updates. And if you’re looking for a space to share, listen, and grow, What’s Hub is here for you.
