Coworking Spaces

Why Coworking Spaces are Important to the Tech Community

Did you know that around 1100 new coworking spaces have sprouted up around the world in the past 10 years?

With the number of tech entrepreneurs and young professionals rushing to the major US cities after graduating from college, there has become a greater demand for coworking spaces where individuals can become immersed in their respective tech community.

Orlando is no exception. In the past few years, we have seen a handful of coworking spaces opened to support the growth of the Orlando tech community. The most notable spaces being Canvs and Catalyst where entrepreneurs and freelance tech workers continue to thrive.

But why are coworking spaces so important to the tech community of the city that they are located in?

1. They promote healthy collaboration
First and foremost, coworking spaces bring entrepreneurs, start ups, and tech freelancers together. In the common space, interactions take place where new ideas flourish, key founding relationships are formed, and new knowledge is exchanged. As the ecosystem of the coworking space begins to take form, resident-driven classes are introduced where the education of everyone involved is taken to the next level. Learning becomes contagious.

2. They appeal to the millennial generation
Long is the day when young, ambitious professionals dreamed of working for one company for their entire career. The tech workforce is comprised of millennials who seek open work spaces, fresh ideas, and an opportunity to be a part of the next big discovery.

Coworking spaces attract the millennial generation and allow them to chase new tech ideas. If we want to continue to grow as a tech community, we must provide opportunities for bright individuals to take chances on new businesses.

3. They are affordable
In order for a tech community to develop, young start ups must have an affordable space to house their team. With little to no budget, coworking spaces offer start ups and affordable option to set up their first office and get to work. While a greater majority of the businesses will fail, others will rise through the ashes to open their own office and continue to strengthen the community of companies in their city.

4. They celebrate their champions
An important aspect of building a thriving tech community is casting recognition on the areas’ most successful companies and leaders so that others around the country understand what is happening. Because coworking spaces create such strong bonds between their inhabitants, word of mouth spreads quickly and loudly when one company makes a breakthrough.

Without coworking spaces, tech achievements may go unnoticed because no one is there to spread the word.

5. They bring together people outside of tech
Within most coworking spaces, there are educational and networking events that happen every week and are open to the public. Through these events, coworking spaces bring together people and professionals from all industries of business.

A doctor interested in venture capital funding may attend a talk one evening and take a keen liking to what he learned. He may meet an entrepreneur working within the coworking space and strike a relationship. That relationship may lead him to spread the word of events at the coworking space with his friends and, in effect, further strengthen the amount of people who know about the tech community.

Small interactions like this over a prolonged period of time can make a significant long term impact on a city’s tech community.

In each of these ways, coworking spaces add tremendous value to the tech community. If you haven’t witnessed their influence yet, stop by Canvs to experience the collaborative fire that is permeating through the Exchange Street building. Keep an eye out for new events each week sponsored by Orlando entrepreneurs and encourage your network to become more involved. The greater the contribution from each Orlando professional, the greater the impact the tech community will be able to have on the progress of the city.