For Molly Cantillon, living in a hacker house isn't just a dream, it's a necessity.
“I've been in a few hacker houses before and wanted to replicate that energy,” said Cantillon, 20, co-founder of HackHer House and founder of startup NOX. “It's a place where vibrant, hardcore people come together to solve problems. But every house I've ever lived in has been predominantly male. It was obvious to me that I wanted to do the opposite and build an all-female house. House of Hackers, creating the same energy but for women.
Cantillon had lived in several hacker houses over the years, and she saw the need for a space specifically for women. That's why she co-founded HackHer House, the Bay Area's first all-female hacker house.
“A Hacker House is a shared living space where builders and innovators work on their own projects while collaborating with others,” said Jennifer Li, general partner at Andreessen Horowitz and HackHer House sponsor. “It’s a place that relies on creativity. Communities that thrive on shared strengths and resources are a cost-effective solution for people in high-rent areas like Silicon Valley, where talented founders and engineers can easily connect and support each other.”
The company was founded by Cantillon, Zoya Garg, Anna Monaco and Anne Brandes to empower women in the traditionally male-dominated world of tech.
“We’re trying to break stereotypes here,” said Garg, a 21-year-old senior at Stanford University. “This house is about more than just living together; it's about creating a community where women can thrive in technology.”
This summer, HackHer House is located in North Beach, home to seven women who all share a common goal: to build successful businesses in the tech space.
Venture capital played a key role in the birth of HackHer House. With financial backing, the house offers subsidized rent, allowing the women to focus on their projects rather than struggling with the Bay Area's notoriously high cost of living.
“Recent graduates face daunting costs of living, with campus fees ranging from hundreds to more than a thousand dollars per month,” Lee said. “In the Bay Area, finding a comfortable room typically starts at $2,000, although prices can That’s down slightly, but still significantly higher than in other parts of the country, a reality that forces many people, including founders, to share rooms or sleep on friends’ couches just to make ends meet.
hacker house Not new to the Bay Area or cities like New York and London. These residential incubators serve as home and work spaces, providing a collaborative environment where technology founders and innovators can share ideas and resources. In a city renowned for technological advancement, hacker houses are seen as key to driving the next wave of innovation. By providing affordable housing and vibrant communities, these spaces enable entrepreneurs to thrive in a competitive and expensive market.
watch this video Learn how Hacker House is shaping the future of women in tech.