Co-working Space Is Not Just Offering A Place To Work

A natural evolution of technological developments is the more flexible people move. The world becomes flat, without physical limitations and everything is within your reach. This convenience, and the increasingly dynamic movement makes you no need to come and sit in the office from morning to evening. Interestingly, this also opens up wide opportunities for you to start your own business. Startup becomes a fertile business ground that you can work on.

Recent startup developments encourage the availability of efficient, flexible and inexpensive workspaces. The world of small businesses and startups has grown exponentially, opening up other business opportunities in the provision of a business co-working space.

By using co-working spaces, Startup players don't need to spend big money to rent an office that isn't necessarily necessary. Rapid movement makes individual mobility high, not always requiring an office that must be visited every day.

Trend movement co-working space This is especially true with more and more independent workers working from home or remotely. They need co-working space as an opportunity to avoid working alone. So, starting a business with a new company need an efficient office area to save money and the opportunity to meet other people to work with.

Now, co-working space today not only offer a place and facilities to work. It also provides one important thing for business people: networking. In addition to providing a workspace, internet network, fax, meeting rooms, don't miss it co-working space It also provides opportunities for business actors in it to interact with one another.

“The need for a co-working space not limited to novice entrepreneurs. Starting from the freelancer, NGOs, private employees, local and international startups, and many more. Generally, they come looking for a proper place to work and support their activities,” said Ario Pratomo, co-founder of Comma which since its establishment in November 2012 has recruited around 2000 workers from different backgrounds.

"Besides cost, openness and ready to collaborate are requirements to join Comma," said Ario Pratomo. Because after all, a coworking space doesn't just offer physical facilities but a business ecosystem and a productive work environment in it.

Comma itself offers various rental fees, calculated according to user needs. The cheapest package to become a member is IDR 500.000 and the most complete package is IDR 3.000.000 per person.

The price is the price membership, but for those who only need a place to work for some time, Comma provides a daily package, IDR 50.000 for the first 2 hours and IDR 25.000 per hour for the next with a maximum of IDR 200.000 per day.

Comma also provides support in running a business such as legal and financial aspects. For this reason, Comma has several partners in legal assistance, licensing arrangements, PT registration, and others. As for the financial aspect, Comma collaborates with several financial services to carry out bookkeeping, tax calculations, and other matters related to accounting. "by" tailored, when you have an idea and action plan, Comma is the right place to start your business.”

Social aspect co-working network indeed useful in generating inspiration. So it is important to choose a coworking space that suits your needs. In addition to Comma, Freeware is also a co-working space. The difference is that Comma has unique customer diverse, Freeware curates its members only in the field of digital technology.

Aryo Ariotedjo, managing partner of Grupara Inc. and the Freeware manager suggests that startup players should look for an environment co-working space according to the type of business being carried out. It can also reduce the impact of feeling isolated when it comes to working at home. It is undeniable that some people are more enthusiastic when working with other people.

Aryo explained that at the beginning of the establishment of Freeware in January 2013, only one to two companies used its services, but now there are 14 companies that have joined. “Currently four companies have found their first investors in developing their businesses.”

The high public interest has made Freeware, which previously only had a capacity of 15 people, has now been able to accommodate 60 people. Until now, all Freeware facilities are still provided free of charge. However, due to space limitations, Freeware must select startups that want to join.

Interesting ideas and have commercial value are certainly the main criteria when choosing business people who can take advantage of freeware. In addition, Aryo also explained other criteria, such as a start-up that does not have investors of more than USD 200.000 and a team that has no more than five people.

In line with Freeware's vision of building a dynamic start-up ecosystem, Aryo emphasized that anyone who wants to use freeware facilities must be able to help the freeware community.

In addition to the place and facilities, freeware provides personal courses in the form of mentor discussions. You can gain knowledge from experienced mentors. freeware regularly holds events such as sharing sessions by presenting experienced startup speakers. For example, Hendy Setiono (Kebab Turki Baba Rafi), Jeffrey Paine & Vinnie Lauria (Golden Gate Ventures, Singapore), Kevin Mintaraga (Magnivate, XM Gravity, Project Eden) and many more.

The main thing is, co-working space provide the widest possible space to grow and develop together. Regardless of the mentoring is made officially or peer mentoring. “For mentoring, it is not a package or service that we offer. Mentoring that occurs at Comma is peer mentoring, the lessons and experiences shared by fellow members create added value for other members," said Ario Pratomo. Currently, Comma has 45 diverse community members.

For its operational costs, Freeware received donations from the Medco Group. But now Aryo said that about 20 percent of Freeware residents also donated.

So, co-working space It also functions as a community center with a publicly funded location (through donations) and offers opportunities for the creative world and small businesses to thrive by providing classes or seminars. They provide support with business speakers who share experiences, motivate each other and encourage the movement of a business that has so far been only based on monetary capital, into a business with social capital and expertise.

Coworking space This not only provides space for individuals to develop businesses, but can be used as a lesson for companies to accommodate workers who wish to operate closer to their homes, in suburban areas. A solution that can be thought of to reduce traffic jams too, right?

[Header image of Shutterstock]

[correction of name Aryo Ariotedjo]