That’s right. All around the world this week, coworking groups are celebrating the movement from cramped cubicles and distracting dens to mindfully designed collaborative spaces. In honor of this global affair, we thought we’d take a look at some of our coworking coworkers on other continents.
For the rest of international coworking week, we will be highlighting a different coworking initiative each day, starting right now with a space not so different in its aims from our own home sweet home.
Beta cowork describes itself as “shared office coworking space in Brussels, for professionals and entrepreneurs. Much more than a business center. Startup & geek friendly professional network.”
In fact, Beta cowork is really a cowork inside a cowork, as it is hosted by the ICAB Business & Technology Incubator, a larger coworking space focused more narrowly on the ICT and engineering sector.
It is also an offshoot of another Beta, the senior Beta being the Betagroup, a non-profit organization that has, over the last six years or so, worked to foster a community of entrepreneurs, investors, freelancers, employees and students involved in internet, new technology and online media pursuits.
These days, that community is about 7,000 strong, and Betagroup directs its resources to hosting pitch gatherings, investor/start-up meet-and-greets, workshops, and even conferences to support them and others in these endeavors. Participation in the cowork, of course, gives members special access to such events in addition to the benefits of working daily with their innovating, forward-thinking coworkers.
Membership also gives coworkers access to amenities like lockers, showers, and even other coworking spaces (on a limited basis). There are also special events just for the coworkers, like the monthly coworking introduction rodeo, described by some as speed-dating for start-ups. It goes like this: members have 30 seconds to say their name, what they do and what kind of help they need. Afterwards, they have an opportunity to engage in conversations with members they can help or who can help them. This and other events help to foster the sense of community for which coworking spaces are designed.
So that’s a little about Beta cowork. What do you think? Are you ready for a Common Desk introduction rodeo?
