Athlone Chamber commissioned Momentum to complete a feasibility study into the establishment of a smart technology enterprise hub at Monksland, Athlone, Co. Roscommon. We came across some really cool and current best practice projects ..
We were really impressed by some really interesting UK hubs which include Funkbunk – a shelter for stray creative’s (note irreverent marketing!). Funkbunk offers ‘cool spaces, hot desks, and virtual offices’. They specifically state ‘our flexible coworking environment is ideal for roving freelancers, lonely home workers and small businesses looking for a cool new office address’.
Coworking – while incubation hubs are well known in Ireland, Momentum was really impressed with the concept of coworking. The concept of coworking is simple: professionals from different working areas, independent workers, nomad workers and entrepreneurs find themselves in the same physical space to work on their own projects. Importantly, their motivation is not solely to find an office, they wish to actively collaborate with others, to belong to a community of individuals who are open to exchange ideas, and eventually, who are ready to collaborate.
Some examples –
Workbar — Boston’s first coworking space wasset up in 2009 as an experiment. Workbar has now expanded, opened multiple locations and weaved its way into the fabric of Boston’s startup, independent business community Interestingly, they promote the project as a membership-based workplace open to people ‘serious about their work and hungry for the energetic hum of collaborative productivity’.
Talent Garden based in Milan, Italy is one of the leading coworking space network in the digital sector in Europe. ‘Talent Garden is a global network of digital innovators, a physical coworking space for digital ecosystem to meet, work, learn and collaborate, and runs a load of great events, advice sessions and more.’
What examples have you come across in Ireland that really impresses ? We have to say The Hive in Carrick on Shannon is one of the most impressed we have found on our travels! Join the conversation on our facebook page.
