DIGIsheds Community Innovation Hub
IMPACT PROJECT
Our Missions Three Core Pillars
Our mission is ambitious yet achievable, anchored by three core pillars. Through these pillars, Digisheds is shaping the future of work, learning, and innovation—empowering individuals and communities to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital economy:
Engage 1 Million Innovators
Build the world’s largest immersive entrepreneurial learning environment, equipping both aspiring and experienced innovators with the skills, networks, and tools to succeed.
Drive Inclusive Growth
Champion social mobility by uplifting disadvantaged communities, enabling access to digital skills, entrepreneurship, and career pathways that enhance aspiration, boost productivity, and drive long-term economic impact.
Foster Collaboration
Develop vibrant innovation hubs where communities, industries, and academic institutions co-create solutions to real-world challenges, accelerating digital transformation and sustainable growth.
To create the world’s most inclusive and dynamic digital innovation ecosystem, where anyone, regardless of background, has the opportunity to thrive as an entrepreneur, innovator, or industry leader.
What the Hub Offers
Inclusive Sandbox Incubator Spaces
- Digital and Physical Access: Offering online tools and in-person facilities to experiment, collaborate, and innovate.
- Co-Created Environments: Designed alongside local communities to ensure relevance and accessibility.
- Dynamic Learning Labs: Providing practical training in digital skills, innovation methodologies, and entrepreneurial practices.
IINCOME Blueprint in Action
- Inclusive Innovation: Prioritizing access for marginalized and underserved groups, including NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) youth, disabled individuals, and long-term unemployed.
Integrated Business Support Ecosystem
- Mentorship and Training: Delivered in partnership with industry experts, educational institutions, and community organizations.
Blueprint for Inclusive Growth
Leveraging our IINCOME
The Digisheds Community Innovation Hub is a transformative place-based levelling-up initiative, offering inclusive access to both online and physical sandbox incubator spaces. Integrated with local innovation and business support ecosystems, the hub is designed to create equitable opportunities for digital skills development, innovation, and entrepreneurial learning through our IINCOME (Inclusive Innovation Community Exchange) Blueprint.
Each Digisheds location is co-created with and for innovators and entrepreneurs, ensuring tailored support that meets the specific needs of local communities. Our approach empowers individuals, particularly those from the most disadvantaged areas across the UK, to develop new skills, test ideas, and build sustainable businesses.
Blueprint for Inclusive Growth
Milton Keynes: A Flagship Hub
We are proud to be part of the Prototyping Community Innovation Hub project in Milton Keynes, funded by the Open Societal Challenges (OSC) grant and led by the MK Community Foundation, in collaboration with The Open University.
This hub will serve as a model for place-based innovation, showcasing how our IINCOME Blueprint can transform local economies and improve quality of life.
For more information, visit the official announcement from The Open University.
Join the Movement
We invite entrepreneurs, community groups, and stakeholders to get involved in building a more inclusive, innovative, and sustainable future.
Together, let’s create a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive in the digital and innovation-driven economy—regardless of their starting point.
DIGIsheds People
Alex Cole
CEO, TIN Ventures Ltd
Alex Cole is a natural-born problem solver and champion of big ideas—especially when it comes to using technology and innovation to create real-world impact. As CEO of TIN Ventures Ltd, he leads a venture builder and micro-investment business focused on social mobility, employability, and climate sustainability.
With 40 years of experience spanning publishing and media, FMCG, local government, and professional services, Alex has worn many hats—from tech enthusiast to corporate intrapreneur to full-fledged entrepreneur. His early years spent around the RAF instilled in him a love for resilience, structure, and the occasional daring leap into the unknown—qualities that have fueled his mission to tackle challenges like fuel poverty, skills inequality, and economic opportunity for underserved communities.
More about Alex
Beyond his work at TIN Ventures, Alex plays an active role in championing inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship. He is driven by a simple but powerful belief: talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Whether it’s helping a young innovator find their path, supporting entrepreneurs to scale, or working on game-changing solutions for a greener future, he’s all about turning bold ideas into action.
If you’re looking for someone who believes in people, challenges the status quo, and isn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves to make a difference, Alex is your guy..
Lets work together