Ready for Coworking Europe 2014, this November in Lisbon?

Like every year, this coming November the Coworking Europe Conference will gather all coworking enthusiasts for a three-day program of networking, speeches and updating on everything coworking-related. This year, the European capital chosen for the Conference is Lisbon: a good chance to get to know the Portuguese coworking scene, beyond meeting coworking activists from all over … Continua la lettura di Ready for Coworking Europe 2014, this November in Lisbon?

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Coworking Europe 2014 Lisbon

Like every year, this coming November the Coworking Europe Conference will gather all coworking enthusiasts for a three-day program of networking, speeches and updating on everything coworking-related.

This year, the European capital chosen for the Conference is Lisbon: a good chance to get to know the Portuguese coworking scene, beyond meeting coworking activists from all over Europe.

The speakers of the event are listed on this page, while tickets can be booked here.

Save the date: November 24-25-26
@
São Jorge Cinema
Avenida da Liberdade, 175
1250-141 LISBOA

Coworking Europe in Lisbon November 2014

 

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[Cowo Manifesto] In our model, relationships come first, profit comes second.

Having already discussed our Cowo® Manifesto, today we get deeper on point no.5:: In our model, relationships comes first, profit comes second. Since it was born in 2008, the Cowo® network has always had a staple in activating coworking spaces inside companies and professional places. In other words, all Cowo® spaces have their location at a … Continua la lettura di [Cowo Manifesto] In our model, relationships come first, profit comes second.

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Coworking Cowo a Milano (Login)Having already discussed our Cowo® Manifesto, today we get deeper on point no.5::

In our model, relationships comes first, profit comes second.

Since it was born in 2008, the Cowo® network has always had a staple in activating coworking spaces inside companies and professional places.

In other words, all Cowo® spaces have their location at a company, a studio, a professional loacation.

The space fixed costs are already included in professional activity, this way  the coworking activity is not bound to making profits at all costs.

The overheads are paid already by the main activity.

We envisioned this approach for two reasons:

1 – The coworking business model is far from being identified

2 – By not having to meet the overhead costs involved in having a space, we can enjoy the freedom to develop the coworking community without the obsession of  making profit 

This does not mean that Cowo® ignores the importance of economic resources.

It means – vice versa – looking for a way to generate economic resources through relationship maximization, andnot profit maximization.

Value is generated by the people, not invoices 🙂

Below, you can browse the CowoCamp 2012 opening presentation, focusing of the CowoEconomy, something that comes out from our profit-comes-second substainable model 🙂

Regarding the CowoManifesto, here are the posts we published already:

No. 1: Coworking is just a word. Only people give it meaning.

No. 2: We make work a better experience through space/knowledge sharing, every day

No. 3: Coworkers are not clients. They are professionals working with you.

No. 4: We are part of a larger community, both physical and online, and we speak to each other.

No. 10: “Coworking is a labour of love” (Tara Hunt)

The Cowo Manifesto is available in several languages: Italian, French, Spanish,  Dutch and Russian.

In the English version:

COWO® MANIFESTO

  1. Coworking is just a word. Only people give it meaning.
  2. We make work a better experience through space/knowledge sharing, every day.
  3. Coworkers are not clients. They are professionals working with you.
  4. We are part of a larger community, both physical and online, and we speak to each other.
  5. In our model, relationships come first, profit comes second.
  6. Our professional skills are constantly enriched by our community.
  7. We don’t believe in competition. This makes us highly competitive.
  8. Coworking enjoys the best marketing strategy: happiness.
  9. Coworking is always the beginning of something.
  10. “Coworking is a labour of love”. (Tara Hunt)

 

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[Cowo Manifesto] We are part of a larger community, both physical and online, and we speak to each other.

The greatest thing about coworking is that you’re never alone. This is the basis of  each and every Cowo space, as well as of the whole coworking ecosystem. And if you’re wondering what this “coworking ecosystem” is, all you have to do is to participate to our CowoCamps, o to join us in one of … Continua la lettura di [Cowo Manifesto] We are part of a larger community, both physical and online, and we speak to each other.

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Cowo è una community allargata - Cowo Manifesto Punto 4

The greatest thing about coworking is that you’re never alone.

This is the basis of  each and every Cowo space, as well as of the whole coworking ecosystem.

And if you’re wondering what this “coworking ecosystem” is, all you have to do is to participate to our CowoCamps, o to join us in one of the several coworking events – some of them are even organized by the public administration. You’ll soon find out that there is a great number of people – and a diverse one – together with an incredible amount of information and several ways of communicating things, actions, initiatives.
An ecosystem, as we said.

As it often happens in this kind of environment, people meet, exchange information, build relationships.

Since the beginning, in 2008, Cowo has always been very active in the relationship building area, positive ones, based on actual sustainability: this kind of approach ended up being a key aspect of our “everyday philosophy”: Cowo Manifesto, 10 key points that explain what coworking means to us.

Number 4 says:

We are part of a larger community, both physical and online, and we speak to each other.

This is not a secondary aspect: it implies an open and sharing attitude.

For instance, we try to share our growing knowledge on coworking as much as we can: we publish presentations on SlideShare (more than 60, in both English and Italian), videos on our YouTube channel (about 50), photos on Flickr (more than 1,000!).

About Cowo Manifesto: here’s the post dedicated to rule number 1 “Coworking is just a word. Only people give it meaning”, one on no.2 “We make work a better experience through space/knowledge sharing, every day” and one on rule no. 10, “Coworking is a labour of love”.

Reminder – Cowo Manifesto is available in several languages: ItalianFrenchSpanish, Dutch and Russian.

Here’s the English version:

COWO MANIFESTO

  1. Coworking is just a word. Only people give it meaning.
  2. We make work a better experience through space/knowledge sharing, every day
  3. Coworkers are not clients. They are professionals working with you.
  4. We are part of a larger community, both physical and online, and we speak to each other.
  5. In our model, relationships come first, profit comes second.
  6. Our professional skills are constantly enriched by our community.
  7. We don’t believe in competition. This makes us highly competitive.
  8. Coworking enjoys the best marketing strategy: happiness
  9. Coworking is always the beginning of something.
  10. “Coworking is a labour of love” (Tara Hunt)

 

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[Cowo Manifesto] Coworkers are not customers. Coworkers are professionals working with you.

People who know us also know that we care a lot about sharing a healthy communications of coworking’s best practices. That is why we created the Cowo Manifesto, 10 points that explain what coworking means to us. We have already started exploring the different points (here’s the post dedicated to rule number 1 “Coworking is … Continua la lettura di [Cowo Manifesto] Coworkers are not customers. Coworkers are professionals working with you.

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People who know us also know that we care a lot about sharing a healthy communications of coworking’s best practices.

That is why we created the Cowo Manifesto, 10 points that explain what coworking means to us.

We have already started exploring the different points (here’s the post dedicated to rule number 1 “Coworking is just a word. Only people give it meaning”, the one on number 2 “We make work a better experience through space/knowledge sharing, every day” and the one on no. 10, “Coworking is a labour of love”).

In this post we want to talk about relationships and language.

Basically, we want to point out that the coworker is not a client – even if s/he may look like one, since he’s paying a fee to use the space.

A coworker is much more: a professional that is part of our network.

So we like to say it again and again:

Coworkers are not customers. Coworkers are professionals working with you

(Cowo Manifesto – number 3) 

Al coworking non ci sono clienti

It is also a matter of language: the words you use imply a way of thinking, an attitude, even a certain behavior.

In a coworking, relationships form an open system, that includes collaboration, networking and – why not –  cheerfulness.

 

Reminder – Cowo Manifesto is available in several languages: ItalianFrenchSpanish, Dutch and Russian.

Here’s the English version:

COWO MANIFESTO

  1. Coworking is just a word. Only people give it meaning.
  2. We make work a better experience through space/knowledge sharing, every day
  3. Coworkers are not clients. They are professionals working with you.
  4. We are part of a larger community, both physical and online, and we speak to each other.
  5. In our model, relationships come first, profit comes second.
  6. Our professional skills are constantly enriched by our community.
  7. We don’t believe in competition. This makes us highly competitive.
  8. Coworking enjoys the best marketing strategy: happiness
  9. Coworking is always the beginning of something.
  10. “Coworking is a labour of love” (Tara Hunt)

 

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Freelancers of the world: make your voice heard, support the Freelancer Movement campaign!

A movement of freelancers is building up in Europe: Freelancer Movement. They are currently organizing a major communications campaign to build support for the Freelancers manifesto and present it to candidates to the European elections in May. The campaign will be entirely funded through crowdfunding. Here you can find all the necessary information and give your personal contribution … Continua la lettura di Freelancers of the world: make your voice heard, support the Freelancer Movement campaign!

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A movement of freelancers is building up in Europe: Freelancer Movement.

They are currently organizing a major communications campaign to build support for the Freelancers manifesto and present it to candidates to the European elections in May.

The campaign will be entirely funded through crowdfunding.

Here you can find all the necessary information and give your personal contribution to the initiative.

Freelancers from all over Europe, as well as a host of local and national associations – including  Acta for Italy – are taking part in the campaign.

Together we want to get politicians to start listening to our concerns.

Alone we are invisible. Together we are powerful: make your voice heard, support the campaign!

(Cowo is a supporting partner to the initiative).

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The true story of coworking, according to the guy that started it. And the inaccuracies of Wikipedia on Coworking.

People in the coworking community know and love the “myth of the founding fathers”, a bunch of coders in California who created the first coworking space around 2005. If you go to coworking conference, you’re likely to hear names like Brad Neuberg, Tara Hunt and Chris Messina. And, of course, a reference to the Wikipedia … Continua la lettura di The true story of coworking, according to the guy that started it. And the inaccuracies of Wikipedia on Coworking.

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Neuburg sul coworkingPeople in the coworking community know and love the “myth of the founding fathers”, a bunch of coders in California who created the first coworking space around 2005.

If you go to coworking conference, you’re likely to hear names like Brad Neuberg, Tara Hunt and Chris Messina.

And, of course, a reference to the Wikipedia page on “coworking”.

A few days ago, though, the person who invented coworking, declared that he had found several inaccuracies on that page.

First of all, Brad writes, he is the one who invented coworking.
First coworking space The Spiral Muse

Then Tara Hunt e Chris Messina came along to help him, and they worked as a team to share knowledge about coworking, by creating a Coworking Wiki and Coworking Google Group. They also filmed the presentation video that you can find below (with over 10 thousand  views on YouTube).

Brad also said that Bernie De Koven has nothing to do with coworking, apart from owning the coworking.com domain for some time.

The first coworking space was The Spiral Muse (and not The Hat Factory): Brad used to open it twice a week, thanks to the financial support of his father. The space remained open for about a year.

So, now that our founding father Brad Neuburg set the record straight… we need someone to fix the Wikipedia Coworking page accordingly, don’t we!

Coworking on Wikipedia: according to Brad Neuburg there are mistakes

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7 Steps To Selecting a Coworking Space

Post Author: Kat Haselkorn.

When it comes to picking out the perfect coworking space for yourself or your business, there are a number of factors to consider. Here, we outline seven steps to help you find the ideal work environment today and as your business grows.

Image via Uber Offices



How your Price Structure Affects Your Coworking Culture

Post Author: Craig Baute.

As space owners and coworking catalyst we work hard to create a culture and community that we view best fits the individuals in the neighborhood  and our current members. We take careful considerations of the design of the space, the amenities, and events that will be held there. But do we think about how the pricing structure affects the culture?



Coworking in Medellin Colombia

Post Author: Eddie Arrieta.

Without a doubt Medellin is one of the most important and recognized cities in Latin-america. It is evident that the difficult that came as a result of the growth and consolidation of Narco-traffic in Colombia have made many decide to leave. Fortunately, this panorama has changed in the last 10 years. Government and private institutions have made an effort to make of Medellín the next innovation center of Latin-America

The support given by government institutions such as Ruta N and iNNpulsa have helped entrepreneurs in the city. Likewise, there are local initiatives such Coffeegrid, which gives a plataform for discussion in topics such as innovation, entrepreneurship and technology. These spaces have provided young entrepreneurs a plce to do networking. Johanna Molina Co-Founder of Intern Latin America expresses that ¨Medellín City is more attractive than ever before¨. and she is not the only one ¨I can see how a digital initiative can grow in an environment like this¨ says Jesse Hopps CEO of Demand Metric.

Evidently, Medellin needs more than just one tool or institution to become a hub of entrepreneurial suggest. The ecosysten in Medellin, similar to others in Latin america, requires a different mindset. Such mentality should favor the entrepreneurial culture. This is why public and private organization in Medellin have become so crucial to the environment. Clearly, every actor involved in entrepreneurship has responsibility in this process and a role to play in the ecosystem.

Conrad Egusa and I have tried finding different ways to support entrepreneurship in Medellín. This is the reason why we founded  ESPACIO. This initiative started in October of 2012 in the heart of Parque Lleras an affluent area of this city. ESPACIO has partnered with: .CO INTERNET, the Founder Institute and Ruta N. Our goal is to cultivate and ecosystem of entrepreneurship, collaboration and networking in Medellin. We facilitate to entrepreneurs such as Ana Corena, founder of eSe Conectivo, the possibility of growing in a well located office, getting advice from mentors and co-workers and launching her startup successfully.

¨Co-Working¨ is a concept that goes beyond working at the same office. Co-Working, as well as startup life is way of living. For members of a Co-Working space it is almost required to collaborate. In fact entrepreneurs such as Giovanny Gomez Founder of GTEKSYS, sharing their ideas and supporting other entrepreneurs has become a common practice.

It evident that there is a lot of work to be done before Medellin can compete with the largest entrepreneurial centers of the world. However, the hard work of leaders and entrepreneurs in the city will continue transforming it into an innovation center. Every entrepreneur still needs to grow and to learn, but the tools they have available will help them get there. Medellin will certainly depend on the success of these entrepreneurs and their ideas. As Stacy Blackman President of Stacy Blackman Consulting mentioned ¨A profession needs to know where he is going. Never playing with ideas, but implementing them.¨

Eddie Arrieta is the Co-Founder, ESPACIO and tuCaribe. ESPACIO is the first Co-Working space in Medellin, Colombia. tuCaribe is the first tour operator in the Golfo de Morrosquillo, Colombia.

https://twitter.com/Fishedinson



Austin Cospace’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem-as-a-Service Supports Accelerator in Serving Entrepreneurs Downtown

Post Author: Paul O’Brien.

cowork in austinEntrepreneurship took a leap forward today in Austin, Texas with the announcement by Cospace of their partnership with Capital Factory, a leading startup accelerator, in managing a new facility sponsored by the City of Austin through Austin Tech Live, downtown. Cospace recently reached an agreement with Capital Factory to manage operations of the 22,000 sq ft startup space and provide the entrepreneurial classes and events there to Austin’s startup community and entrepreneurs.

Austin Tech Live

An initiative supported with staff and resources through the Austin Chamber’s Opportunity Austin funding and executed through the Chamber’s Technology Partnership team, Austin Tech Live is the local initiative to develop a community of entrepreneurs working in a state of the art environment and coworking space in the core of Austin’s creative center – the downtown central business district of Austin.

The partnership is the first of many changes for Cospace in the expansion of it’s entrepreneurial ecosystem-as-a-serviceworkplace, business networking, resources, educational programming, and lean product development services — which helps entrepreneurs start, build, and grow companies.  Akin to SaaS (“Software as a Service”), Cospace serves members and entrepreneurs with the familiar meeting space, workplace, resources, as well as educational programming, project management and product development services, and business networking.

“We are excited to partner with Capital Factory to support the goal of furthering entrepreneurship in Austin,” Shared Kirtus Dixon, Co-founder of Cospace. “At Cospace, we believe that ‘Entrepreneurs Live and Work Everywhere’ and creating a hub of activity in downtown Austin will ignite the downtown economy and give startups and entrepreneurs the resources they need to build amazing businesses in Austin.”

Home to Austin Entrepreneurs

Cospace, known in Austin as the home to entrepreneurs focused on Lean business and product development, is a collaborative business community that has facilitated the launch of more than 50 products, supported nearly two dozen startups, and hosted over 1500 students through classes in technology and entrepreneurship. Cospace has reached more than 5000 entrepreneurs and professionals throughout the Austin community with affordable workspace solutions and meeting space, highly accessible event space, and classes and programs to help entrepreneurs build businesses.

Via the partnership, Cospace and Capital Factory will take coworking to the next level and ensure that startups have the space, resources, and training they need to succeed.

“Today more than ever, executing on ideas is key to success,” added Dixon. “Cospace increases your odds of success by bringing critical elements together: space, people, education, and resources.”