Rotterdam is becoming a more important tech hub, specially with the opening of 42workspace. A 2300 m2 co-working space initiated by Keadyn Ventures.
Community in the heart of Rotterdam
Keadyn pooled together €4.5 million with private investors to fund and realize the startup hub. Keadyn, mostly known for investing in startups like Otrium, noticed the lack of suitable workspaces and offices for young professionals and tech firms in Rotterdam. They aim to change that with 42workspace. Although the five-stages building is large enough to house just any startup, they carefully curate their co-workers, to ensure a community with equal participation from entrepreneurs and companies.
“We want to build a tech-community of likeminded people,” says Patricio de Boom, managing director of 42workspace in the Netherlands. “We are creating a culture wherein everyone can add value and help one another. In the short time we’ve been open, we have already seen significant collaboration and interaction between the startups”.
42workspace’s International Network
Ohad Gilad, founder of 42workspace and managing partner of main investor Keadyn, says, “Startups require a lot more than just an office, fast wifi and good coffee. We offer an international network of startups, investors, and other partners who can give ‘our’ startups a boost. It’s crucial to have the right connections, particularly in the early stages of a startups. 42workspace provides tech-entrepreneurs with precisely the environment they need in order to focus on what is most important: growth.”
More than just office space
42workspace facilitates everything a startup needs to succeed its business, so everyone can purely focus on its business instead of wasting time as office managers. Not only business facilities are provided.
De Boom elaborates that “work-life balance is practically nonexistent. However, we differentiate ourselves from ‘usual’ co-working spaces by taking this into account. It’s what we call: work, eat, play. What we offer our companies is a real, all-round home base. That way people can work out, eat lunch, have a beer, or even host an event, for instance.
All taken care of
De Boom: “Everything is taken care of. All you need to do is open your laptop and get to work. That’s how we offer flexible office spaces, rented on a monthly basis, as well as fully-equipped meeting rooms and a program of events tailored to our members. For startups who want to give or practice a pitch, our event space is made available for any such activities.”
260 work spots and international ambitions
42workspace opened its doors last week, but is still a work in progress. It can faciliate upto 60 young companies, with a total of 260 work spots. “Our spaces are ideal for startups with up to 10 people,” De Boom explains. “With anything more than that, it’s time to look for more fitting spaces for companies in scale-up phase. We are fully devoted to helping startups in their early growth stages.” The first floor of the building is already filled with startups. Next to the startup hub at the Witte de Withstraat in Rotterdam, 42workspace has international ambitions.
As many tech hubs pop-up, like TQ, B.Amsterdam, it’s Rotterdams first office space focusing only on tech startups. Seems like startup offices are becoming the new hotspots.
