2.09.2011

Recent Momentum Gains for Coworking Space

This post was going to focus on Hub Melbourne, a new coworking space in Melbourne, Australia.  However, after a little digging, I found that there have been a lot of recent additions to the global coworking network.  I decided to write a summary of those additions, including who were the protagonists, where they are located, their purpose, and any unique or differentiating traits they have.

Below you will find: Hub Melbourne (Melbourne , AU); DurangoSpace (Durango, CA); General Assembly (New York, NY); Second Gear Coworking (Lansing, MI); and Share Your Office (global).
Images from General Assembly via VentureBeat

Hub Melbourne
Brad Krauskopf, a recent graduate from an MBA in Sustainability program in Spain, launched this coworking space on February 1, 2011.  Krauskopf has ten years of experience in event management and technology roles.  This coworking space is a new chapter for the global Hub network, which has established locations in 23 cities around the world with the mission "to create places that borrow from the best of a member's club, an innovation agency, a serviced office and a think-tank to create a very different kind of innovation environment.”

The Hub format establishes weekly "mixed bag" lunches where members share a meal and throw new ideas around.  There are special creative sessions for all members, such as a recent three-hour session on collaborative consumption.

Source: Anneli Knight at The Age

DurangoSpace
In Durango, CA, Nancy Wharton and Jasper Welch opened the DurangoSpace on February 1, 2011 as well.  The unique aspect that this coworking space offers (or does not offer) is there are no cubicles.  Instead, the space has conference rooms, big tables, and private offices.  The founders hope to attract a diverse range of local professionals.  Wharton and Welch took inspiration from a business-incubation conference and coworking space visits in San Francisco.

Source: Emery Cowan at the Durango Herald

General Assembly 
New York is no stranger to coworking space (CoworkingNewYorkCity); however, General Assembly offers a massive space with a unique community of professionals.  It officially launched on January 24, 2011.  With 20,000 square feet near Union Station, the space combines open offices, conference rooms, classrooms, and a community space (including a coffee bar and barista).  Arguably, the size and diversity of the space may be more attractive than almost any other coworking space in the city.

General Assembly is the creation of entrepreneurs Adam Pritzker, Brad Hargreaves, Matthew Brimer, and Jake Schwartz and financial backing from NYC's Economic Development Corporation.  The main focus of General Assembly is "to provide with education, professional services and advisors."  Full-time residents will be more than coworking mates.  Each will be expected to teach classes in their respective expertise and may even be offered benefits, like healthcare.  Currently, General Assembly is host to 30 startups, who work full-time in the space.


When Gravity Works Design and Development decided to rent the 700 square foot space next to its office, Second Gear Coworking was born.  The location is in the Old Town district of Lansing, MI.  Members pay daily rates or can purchase multi-day punch cards.  Second Gear believes it is ideal for freelancers, writers, designers, software developers, educators, lawyers, or startups. 


This idea may merit its very own post at some point.  Share Your Office is a business version of AirBnB, from French innovation consulting firm faberNovel.  Companies can post extra desks and offices for lease to freelancers and other individual professionals.  Unlike true coworking, this is more of a collaborative consumption business model, striving to make use of idle assets and maximize value for each stakeholder.  A quick scan of the offerings shows listings in San Fransisco, New York, Lansing (Hello, Second Gear), Boston, Minneapolis and many other cities.  

1 comment:

  1. I am satisfied that you shared this helpful info with us about the coworking space Melbourne. Please keep
    going on adding such a blog posts.

    ReplyDelete