Co-Working Spaces As a Catalyst for Local Entrepreneurs
In the last couple of years, co-working spaces have become a real phenomenon fueled by the startup movement, acceleration of remote work culture, and the importance of community belonging.
When the first co-working spaces came to the light back in 2005, they were aimed to offer space and accommodations to freelancers and contractors to make their working process smooth and effective.
Today there are over 5,000 co-working spaces in the U.S. alone and 19,000 around the world. It’s projected the co-working spaces will reach close to 25,968 by 2022. While they currently cover less than 5% of the market, they’re expected to make up 30% by 2030, according to real-estate company JLL.
I got to know one of my first co-working spaces, CIC Providence in 2019 when this state-of-art co-working space first opened its doors to the Rhode Island communities.
CIC Providence is part of the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC), which has been founded with the ultimate goal to create value-driven communities and help build and strengthen the local innovation ecosystems.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, innovator, or freelancer, CIC Providence helps you to connect ideas with innovation, meaningful partnership, and value-driven communities
This 196,000-square-foot complex of Wexford Building gives you access to well-occupied contemporary office space, equipment, state-of-art podcasting studio, eat-in kitchen, and other amenities for a $300 monthly membership.
As the General Manager Rebecca Webber described, “CIC is like the Four Season that creates communities and foster collaboration.”
But CIC Providence offers more than a co-working space.
As a female entrepreneur and immigrant, it has been a couple of daunting years that I’ve been trying to set up my own venture. Lack of connections, the right network, and the support system has been challenging.
I have been looking for like-minded peers to bounce back ideas, diverse and inclusive work environments to overcome language and cultural barriers, and local connections to push my ideas forward.
At CIC Providence I found value-driven networking events, a collaborative work environment, support systems, and most importantly, a community that shares similar goals, vision, and values.
My relationship with CIC Providence has not been transactional.
The second I entered the CIC Providence building, to the person who greeted me and toured the building, I felt the spirit of community belonging. Along with well-occupied office space and accommodations, I found the inclusive and diverse work environment that strengthened my beliefs and empowered me to set up my new venture HyeTech Minds Podcast.
Today, I’m excited to call CIC Providence my new sanctuary. Every week I interview Armenian founders and entrepreneurs around the globe from CIC Providence’s state-of-art podcasting studio.
Narine Emdjian is a funding specialist who helps startups and tech nonprofits to diversify. their fundraising strategy through private and federal grants. She is the Host of the HyeTech Podcast that features successful and inspiring founders and entrepreneurs around the globe. She holds Masters Degrees in Strategic Marketing and Political Science.
