Marcus Webb founded Liberty Works in 2019 with a simple observation: Pittsburgh had world-class talent, venture capital, and university partnerships, but scattered startup ecosystems. The East Liberty co-working and tech hub was built on the premise that entrepreneurs succeed when they're physically near each other—sharing ideas, solving problems together, and building momentum collectively. Six years later, Webb is expanding that vision. Liberty Works today announced a 15,000 square foot expansion, doubling the hub's current footprint and signaling explosive growth in Pittsburgh's entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The expansion comes at a pivotal moment for Pittsburgh's tech scene. The city is home to more robotics companies per capita than any American city except Boston. Google maintains significant engineering operations here. Carnegie Mellon University continues to spin out companies at accelerating rates. Yet for years, these various threads operated independently. Liberty Works set out to weave them together—and it's worked.
The new space includes dedicated studios for podcast and audio production, a hardware prototyping laboratory equipped with 3D printers, CNC machines, and electronics testing equipment, and expanded event spaces ranging from boardrooms to a 400-seat auditorium. The expansion also includes private offices, additional co-working desks, and specialized laboratories for AI, biotech, and software development.
"We looked at what our members told us they needed," Webb explained. "Some of them were podcasting from their cars. Some were trying to prototype hardware in their apartments. Some needed real auditorium space to pitch to investors. This expansion is listening to what real entrepreneurs actually need."
Liberty Works occupies a strategic position in East Liberty's resurrection. The neighborhood, once economically distressed, has transformed into Pittsburgh's second-most vibrant commercial district after downtown. The nearby Google Pittsburgh office anchors the tech identity; retailers like Common Spirits coffee shop, Smallman retail collective, and newer restaurants have created a neighborhood that works for both remote workers and entrepreneurs. Liberty Works is both catalyst and beneficiary of this transformation.
The expansion is funded through a combination of member capital, a community development loan from the Benedum Foundation, and revenue from Liberty Works' increasingly profitable operations. The hub is now financially self-sustaining and generates enough revenue to expand aggressively. This is a far cry from 2019, when Webb was essentially betting on Pittsburgh's startup ecosystem with his own capital and hope.
Current members include a diverse array of companies: AI-powered healthcare startups, industrial software makers, robotics companies building the next generation of inspection equipment, design firms, marketing agencies, and emerging biotech ventures. Many are CMU spinouts; others are relocations from the coasts who recognized Pittsburgh's advantages—lower cost of living, deep technical talent, and genuine community among entrepreneurs who are building something real.