Impact Hub MSP, a co-working space and incubator for Twin Cities social impact startups, has named Ixchel McKinnie as its community innovation director, a new role created specifically for Impact Hub's collaboration with local brewery, Finnegans.
In early May, Impact Hub will move from its space in the North Loop to a new space above Finnegans House, a recently-opened brewery and taproom in Minneapolis' Elliot Park neighborhood. Finnegans donates its profits to hunger-fighting charities. Finnegans has been brewing beer in the Twin Cities for around 15 years, but didn't have its own facility until last month.
Impact Hub is partnering with the brewery to launch the FINNovation Lab, a collaboration between the two organizations that will include an accelerator, community workspace and social business incubator. The Lab will provide local impact entrepreneurs with connections to training, resources and capital.
In her new role, McKinnie will be responsible for implementing strategies to recruit new members and further develop the FINNovation Lab by cultivating new partnerships for both organizations and local impact initiatives.
Prior to heading the Impact Hub and FINNovation Lab collab, McKinnie led new business development at Memorial Blood Centers. Before that, she worked at Wells Fargo for 14 years, where she was vice president of market growth and development.
Impact Hub has a presence in more than 100 cities across the globe. The Minneapolis location opened its doors in the North Loop in January 2015. Impact Hub's founding community manager, Danielle Steer, left the team in January. Steer told Minne Inno that she plans to pursue new career opportunities, but declined to disclose what they were.
