Archive for the ‘Startup’ Category
Rapid setup of Intentional Communities
The village of Washbourne, near Retford. The IC community (IC stands for Intentional Community) on the outskirts of the village of Washbourne, near Retford, is throwing a party. They are celebrating their move into a groundbreaking housing project, part of the municipality’s transition to sustainable living. And they are happy. ”Finally, I have found somewhere I can live with a good conscience about my effect on the earth, in wonderful surroundings and with great neighbours. I never thought it would be possible,” says villager Grant Beakham.
Councilor John Wales comes up to explain the background: “The council realised back in 2008 that we should be promoting the development of social capital – like supportive neighbourhoods and cooperatives – as the financial system headed towards breakdown. A lot of people were in danger of losing their jobs as local factories started closing. At the same time there started to be a lack of goods in the stores. We realized people wanted a more resilient, local, sustainable economy, but they needed help in getting it all started.”
6 Reasons to Build Your Start-up in a Coworking Space
In the very early days of your company, it might make sense to call your garage (or basement or kitchen table) headquarters. But at a certain point, it doesn’t suffice. There are only so many times you can bring clients to the same Starbucks for a meeting. And even the most passionate entrepreneur is bound to see productivity wane when spouses, kids, dogs, or all of the above inevitably hover near your workspace.
This is precisely why coworking spaces were invented—and why they’re increasingly popping up in more cities.
European Startups
From Skype to SoundCloud, Europe is building companies that are scaling globally. So we set out to chart which were the hottest cities for startups.
What are Europe’s other hot digital cities — and which are the companies and founders to watch? Welcome to Wired’s first annual guide to the continent’s rising stars.
Berlin – Europe’s hottest startup capitals
London’s startup scene is booming — you need only read Wired to see that. But what are Europe’s other hot digital cities — and which are the companies and founders to watch? Welcome to Wired’s first annual guide to the continent’s rising stars.
Spend a few days in Berlin and it’s not long before a clear parallel becomes apparent: London, circa 2000. The difference? One of them has a significantly larger economy. According to the IMF, Germany — with a GDP of $3.3 trillion (£2 trillion) in 2010 — has by far the biggest economy in Europe (the next largest GDP is France, with nearly $2.6 trillion. The UK’s is $2.2 trillion).
Where Europe’s most populous country differs from the UK is in its level of economic decentralisation. According to Hilmar Schmundt of news magazine Der Spiegel, Frankfurt is where the money is; Hamburg and Munich are the centres of media and venture capital; whereas Berlin is the creative — and tech — hub of the country.
Berlin: Europe’s hottest startup hub
On the busy corner of Torstrasse, a street in the center of Berlin’s Mitte district, a coffee shop called St. Oberholz serves as a meeting point and co-working space at what’s fast becoming Europe’s hottest startup hub.
Inside, Macs sit on long wooden tables in front of large windows overlooking the bustling street corner. Across the way, an elderly man with an accordion serenades a group of young guys playing on their iPhones near a large building that headquarters startups.
