When Seedspace took over an abandoned 19th century house in Geneva back in early 2015, it was hard to imagine then how they would go on to create one of the fastest growing networks of highly connected workspaces in emerging markets.
Now with 3 locations in Geneva, and another 22 worldwide, they have built one of the most exciting learning, working and living environments in the world, empowering entrepreneurs from all over the globe to innovate and make changes that will tackle the complex challenges facing people today.
Earlier this month, Know-it-all passport® editor, Lisa Cirieco-Ohlman, and knowitall.ch webmaster, Jenny Jeffreys, were fortunate to meet one of the founding members of the organization, Adrien Geyer, at their newest location in La Praille – needless-to-say, they were impressed!
One of the first things that struck them when they walked through the door of this former industrial building, was the energy of the place – there was a real buzz in the atmosphere, with young people engaged in a range of diverse activities wherever they looked! Whilst some were occupied in closed meeting rooms, furnished with beautiful designer desks made from locally sourced wooden palettes and unusual accessories such as lampshades made from colourful umbrellas, others were heading off in small groups to a variety of open workspaces, all individually designed to inspire conversation, debate, and the exchange of ideas.
Indeed you can only imagine the discussion that must have been taking place when the founders were laying the flooring for the large community space at the heart of the 3-storey building. Designed to take about 50 people, the floor was covered with literally thousands of small round wooden circles, all carefully prepared and individually layed by the founders! A recent graduate of the Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne, Adrien and his co-founders are clearly not afraid to get their hands dirty!
Such personal attention to detail is undoubtedly the reason behind Seedspace’s success….and of course, the fact that they have identified a real need in the market place for collaborative workspace environments, which cross spatial, temporal and cultural boundaries in emerging markets.
Adrien told knowitall.ch, “It’s all about creating a global community from local spaces that encourage innovation and the sharing of ideas. Our coworking spaces have been designed to match our members’ needs – so whether they’re looking for a private office or an open-space, we can offer something that works just for them.”
He continued, “We have an active events programme, where members can get together with others, plus a great new coliving area, where people can book a room for a night, week or month, whatever they need to help them settle in and get to know the city of Geneva better. As for eating, well members can take advantage of our communal kitchen…but if that’s not their thing, we will shortly be able to cater for them in our soon-to-be opened on-site restaurant, which will serve the general public as well!”
Pricing in Geneva is very affordable given the convenient locations of the three office spaces that Seedspace currently has in La Chevillarde (the original 19th century Swiss mansion), La Praille (with its vibrant industrial feel), and Flux Laboratory (for events and contemporary gallery use). For just Fr. 280.-, you can buy a 10-day pass, which gives you the chance to explore the space and get a feel for what works best for you. Shared desks cost just Fr. 380.-/month, but you can have your own private desk for just Fr. 430.-. Both options give you access to the thriving community space that makes Seedspace what it is. Private offices for 4 to 10 people are also available from Fr. 430.-/month, but if you need a base that covers everything from your own bedroom to your own desk, then you will need to pay Fr. 1400.-/month.
If you don’t require an office space but are more interested in the community side of things, there are a range of options for hiring your own room(s) and hosting your own event. Prices range from Fr. 450.- to book a boardroom for 12 people, up to Fr. 7000.- to hire the whole space for a day at La Praille (includes a boardroom capacity for 60, theater capacity for 70 and cocktail capacity for 150.) So whether you’re hosting an elegant sit-down dinner, or a fun-filled day of activities, Seedspace has something for everyone!
But Seedpsace is not just about the primary location where you are based. Its huge attraction for young entrepreneurs is the access it provides to the global community outside Geneva and beyond Switzerland’s borders. Adrien explained,
“We strongly encourage our Geneva members to network with members from our other locations around the world. At the moment they use a publicly available networking app to do this, but we are currently developing our own app, which will enable them to take advantage of the full range of services that we offer worldwide. So if someone has a great new product that they have already launched in Switzerland, but they want to find out how feasible it is to market in Vietnam, for example, then they can contact members from our space in Ho Chi Minh to explore what is possible.”
At the time of writing, Seedspace has workspaces in the following locations: Geneva, Switzerland; Lagos, Nigeria; Cape Town, South Africa; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Beirut, Lebanon; Lima, Peru; Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam; Nairobi, Kenya; Mexico City, Mexico; Islamabad, Pakistan; Quito, Ecuador; Manila, Philippines; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (2 spaces); Baku, Azerbaijan (2 spaces); Santiago, Chile; Cairo, Egypt; Abu Dhabi, United Emirates; Durban, South Africa; Medellin, Colombia; Algiers, Algeria; and Hong Kong, China.
Asked if the founding members paid the same attention to detail when creating the overseas workspaces, Adrien replied, “Clearly we can’t be everywhere at the same time. However, we do insist on using local artisans, wherever possible, so that we can create a unique feel for each place, one which supports the local environment. At the end of the day, our goal is to create a network of collaborative workspaces that can provide an inspirational and supportive community for innovators and change-makers in all corners of the world, especially in the emerging markets.”
Lisa and Jenny were certainly inspired!
Seedspace
Adrien Geyer
Sales Wizard
079 214 73 75
http://geneva.seedspace.co/
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