📍 Hacker Dojo · Mountain View, CA

Build with people you can actually meet.

CoCreate OS is the operating system of the Hacker Dojo community. See what fellow builders are working on, team up on real projects, sell your expertise — and shake hands in person, not on another Zoom call.

Free to join · You can add the other role anytime
🏠 Hacker Dojo IN PERSON · MOUNTAIN VIEW 🛠️ Builders 🚀 Startups Micro-Contracts 🎓 Expert Sessions 🤝 Partnerships Launch Funds
📍 In-person community, Mountain View
🆓 Free to join & browse
🥋 Belt ranks earned by shipping
🏛️ Run by Hacker Dojo, a 501(c)(3)
Why CoCreate

Not another freelance platform.

On Upwork or Fiverr, you work with strangers ten time zones away and compete on price with the whole planet. CoCreate is the opposite: a local trust network.

🌐 Global gig platforms

  • Collaborators you'll never meet, in another country or state
  • Race-to-the-bottom bidding against thousands
  • Trust built on star ratings from strangers
  • Every relationship lives and dies on Zoom
  • 📍 CoCreate OS

  • People you can grab coffee with at the Dojo this week
  • A community where reputation compounds — everyone knows everyone
  • Trust built on verified shipped work + face-to-face relationships
  • Pitch Nights, workshops, and demo days — in the same room
  • What you can do here

    One community. Many ways to build.

    👀

    See what people are building

    Browse the live directory of Dojo startups and builder projects. Know who's working on what — and where you could plug in.

    🧑‍🤝‍🧑

    Find your people

    Connect with like-minded builders by skill and interest. Form pods, find co-founders, or just find someone to think out loud with.

    🤝

    Discover partnerships

    The Connector board surfaces collaboration openings: co-founder searches, pilot partners, cross-promotions, and joint builds.

    Sell your skills via Micro-Contracts

    Claim scoped, paid tasks from Dojo startups. Start with free Portfolio MCs to build your verified track record, then move up to paid work.

    🎓

    Get hired as an expert, by the hour

    Blue and Black Belts unlock Expert Mode — sell consulting sessions at your own hourly rate: code reviews, pitch teardowns, strategy calls.

    Support community startups

    Back a Launch Fund and get founding perks and lifetime deals — from teams whose work you've seen with your own eyes.

    How it works

    Claim work. Get reviewed. Rank up.

    No bidding wars. No race to the bottom. A trust ladder where shipped work is the only currency.

    1

    Claim real work

    Start with free Portfolio Micro-Contracts from verified Dojo startups. Real problems, real founders, real deadlines — not sample projects.

    2

    Founders review your output

    Every contract ends with a founder rating. Your ratings build a Living Resume — a verified track record that updates as you ship.

    3

    Belt rank unlocks access

    Blue Belt opens paid contracts. Black Belt unlocks Expert Mode — sell your expertise by the hour at your own rates.

    The Belt System

    Trust you can see.

    Belts turn vague resumes into visible trust signals. They can't be bought — only earned by shipping.

    🤍

    White Belt

    Everyone starts here. Claim free Portfolio MCs, build your first verified work, and earn founder reviews.

    🔵

    Blue Belt

    Unlocked by shipped MCs and strong ratings. Opens paid contracts and Expert Mode eligibility.

    Black Belt

    The community's verified experts. Sell Micro-Consulting at your rates, get priority routing, mentor the next wave.

    Launch Funds

    Community-powered fundraising.

    Dojo startups raise rewards-based funds from the people who already know their work. Supporters get founding perks and lifetime deals — and a slice of every raise funds the builders shipping the product. No equity changes hands.

    ◷ MedFlow Analytics · Launch Fund
    $9,300 of $15,00047 supporters · 18 days left
    🤝 20% of this raise funds CoCreate builders

    Come build with us — in person.

    Join the Hacker Dojo community where shipped work and real handshakes beat polished resumes.

    ← Home

    The community

    CoCreate is the operating system of Hacker Dojo — a living directory of who's building what, who's open to collaborate, and what's happening in the space this week.

    What's inside

    Five ways to plug in.

    🚀

    Startup Directory

    Browse every startup building at the Dojo — their stage, what they're working on, milestones shipped, and where they need help. Know the room before you walk into it.

    Live profilesVerified milestonesOpen roles & contracts
    🧑‍🤝‍🧑

    Builder Directory

    Find fellow builders by skill, interest, and Belt rank. See their Living Resume of verified shipped work. Form a pod, find a thinking partner, or assemble a team.

    Skill searchLiving ResumeBelt ranks
    🤝

    The Connector

    The collaboration board: co-founder searches, pilot partnerships, cross-promotions, and joint builds. Post what you're looking for, or answer someone else's call.

    Co-founder matchingPartnershipsPilot swaps
    💡

    Idea Lab

    Float a half-formed idea and let the community sharpen it. Comment, support, and find collaborators who want to build it with you before it's even a startup.

    FeedbackCo-build signupsValidation
    🎤

    Pitch Night & Events

    The in-person heartbeat. Founders pitch live, builders demo what they shipped, and everyone hangs out after. This is where online profiles become real relationships.

    In personMonthlyMountain View
    🏆

    Leaderboard

    See who's shipping, who's earning, and who's backing the community. Friendly competition that surfaces the most active builders and supporters.

    Top EarnersCapital InjectedMost Shipped
    Coming up

    Where the community meets in person

    Jun19
    Pitch Night
    4 startups · open demos · 6:00 PM
    Jun26
    AI Builder Workshop
    Hands-on · build an agent · 2:00 PM
    Jul03
    Co-Founder Mixer
    Speed-meet collaborators · 5:30 PM

    Example events — connects to the live calendar in the app.

    ← Home

    Launch Funds

    Community-powered, rewards-based fundraising. Dojo startups raise from the people who already know their work — supporters get founding perks and lifetime deals, and a slice of every raise funds the builders shipping the product. No equity changes hands.

    Active raises

    Back a startup you believe in.

    MedFlow Analytics
    HealthTech · SaaS
    Raising $15,000 to ship our mobile app and onboard 10 pilot clinics by March.
    $9,300 raised62% of $15,000
    47 supporters18 days left20% funds builders
    FinBot AI
    FinTech · SaaS
    $25k to build our compliance engine and reach SOC 2 before enterprise launch.
    $27,400 raised110% of $25,000
    112 supporters✓ Funded15% funds builders
    CuraSync
    HealthTech · SaaS
    $8,000 to migrate to HIPAA-compliant infrastructure and add 3 EHR integrations.
    $2,720 raised34% of $8,000
    19 supporters26 days left
    EduPlay
    EdTech · SaaS
    $12k to launch our adaptive-learning engine and pilot in 5 local schools.
    $5,760 raised48% of $12,000
    33 supporters11 days left25% funds builders

    Example campaigns — connects to live raises in the app.

    How it works

    Rewards, not equity.

    For supporters

    Get perks for backing

    Founding-member pricing, lifetime deals, early access — from teams whose work you've seen in person. Payments go directly to the startup via Stripe.

    For startups

    Raise without giving up equity

    Set a goal, offer reward tiers, keep 100% ownership. You collect funds through your own Stripe account; CoCreate provides the audience and trust signals.

    For the community

    Money flows to builders

    Startups can earmark a % of every raise to fund Micro-Contracts — so community money pays community builders to help ship the product.

    ← Home

    The Belt System

    Resumes are claims. Belts are proof. Your rank is earned only by shipping verified work and earning founder reviews — it can't be bought, padded, or faked.

    🤍
    Level 1 · Start here

    White Belt

    Where everyone begins. You can browse the whole community, claim free Portfolio Micro-Contracts, and start building a verified track record. No experience required — just a willingness to ship.

    👀 Browse everything⚡ Claim Portfolio MCs🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Builder profile
    🔵
    Level 2 · Earn paid work

    Blue Belt

    The trust threshold. Unlocked by shipping Portfolio MCs with strong founder ratings — or via Fast-Track if your GitHub track record qualifies. Opens up paid contracts and the ability to sell your expertise.

    💰 Paid Starter & Pro contracts🎓 Expert Mode eligibility🚀 Apply to startup roles
    How to reach Blue
  • Ship 2+ Portfolio MCs with 4.0+ founder ratings
  • Or Fast-Track via verified GitHub track record
  • Level 3 · Become an expert

    Black Belt

    The community's verified experts. Black Belts have a deep track record of shipped work and high ratings. You can sell Micro-Consulting at your own hourly rates, get priority routing on contracts, and mentor the next wave.

    🎓 Sell consulting at your rate⚡ Priority contract routing🏆 Mentor & teach
    How to reach Black
  • Sustained record of Pro contracts shipped
  • Consistently high founder ratings
  • Community endorsements
  • ← Home

    Frequently asked questions

    Everything you need to know about how CoCreate works. Can't find your answer? Reach out to the Hacker Dojo team.

    Getting started
    What is CoCreate OS?
    CoCreate OS is the community platform of Hacker Dojo, a 501(c)(3) makerspace in Mountain View. It's where builders and startups in the Dojo ecosystem find each other, collaborate on real projects, sell expertise through Micro-Contracts, and raise community funds — all anchored to a local, in-person community rather than anonymous remote gig work.
    Is it free to join?
    Yes. Creating an account, browsing the community, and claiming free Portfolio Micro-Contracts are all free. Some advanced features tie into Hacker Dojo membership, but you can get real value without paying anything.
    Do I have to be in the Bay Area?
    CoCreate is built around the in-person Hacker Dojo community in Mountain View — that's the whole point. You can use it remotely, but the biggest value comes from meeting collaborators face to face at the space, at Pitch Nights, and at workshops.
    Should I join as a Builder or a Startup?
    Join as a Builder if you want to find collaborators, claim contracts, or sell your expertise. Join as a Startup if you're a founder who wants to post contracts, find partners, or raise a Launch Fund. You can add the other role anytime from settings — they're not mutually exclusive.
    The Belt System
    What are Belts and how do I rank up?
    Belts are visible trust signals earned by shipping verified work. Everyone starts at White Belt. Shipping Portfolio Micro-Contracts with strong founder ratings unlocks Blue Belt (paid contracts + Expert Mode). A sustained record of high-rated Pro work unlocks Black Belt (sell consulting, priority routing, mentorship). Belts can't be bought — only earned.
    Can I skip ahead with my existing experience?
    Yes. Connect your GitHub after signup and the AI Evaluator can Fast-Track you to Blue Belt if your track record qualifies — skipping the Portfolio MC requirement. Your existing shipped work counts.
    Contracts & earning
    What are Micro-Contracts?
    Scoped, claimable tasks posted by Dojo startups. Portfolio MCs are free and build your track record. Once you reach Blue Belt, paid Starter and Pro contracts open up. They replace resume guessing with paid auditions — founders see your actual work before committing.
    How does Expert Mode work?
    Blue and Black Belts can activate Expert Mode to sell consulting by the hour at their own rates — code reviews, pitch teardowns, strategy calls. You productize your expertise and the community books you directly.
    How do payments work?
    For paid contracts and Expert sessions, payment flows between you and the startup or client. CoCreate facilitates the connection and tracks your verified work history. Some payment features are rolling out gradually during beta.
    Launch Funds
    What's a Launch Fund?
    A rewards-based crowdfunding campaign for Dojo startups. Supporters back a startup and receive perks — founding pricing, lifetime deals, early access — not equity. A startup can also earmark a percentage of the raise to fund Micro-Contracts for community builders.
    Is this equity investment?
    No. Launch Funds are strictly rewards-based — supporters get products, perks, and access, never shares or financial returns. This keeps both startups and CoCreate clear of securities regulations. Startups collect payments through their own Stripe accounts; CoCreate never holds funds.
    How do I start a raise for my startup?
    Verified startups with a track record can start a Launch Fund from the founder dashboard. You set a goal, create reward tiers linked to your Stripe, and submit for a quick Hacker Dojo review before going live. The review keeps the community safe from fraud.
    Beta & trust
    CoCreate is in beta — what does that mean?
    We're early. Portfolio MCs and applications are live; some features like membership payments and paid contract escrow are rolling out gradually. You may hit rough edges — tell us when you do. Early members shape what this becomes.
    How do you keep the community trustworthy?
    Startups are verified (domain + website) before earning the Auto-Verified badge. Work is rated by founders. Belts are earned only through shipped work. Launch Funds are human-reviewed before going live. And because this is a local community, reputation is real — people meet in person.

    Still have questions?

    The Hacker Dojo team is happy to help.