How coworking benefits its members and provides a metaphor for an integrated entrepreneurial ecosystem.

1. Coworking and a
ConnectedCommunity
January 8th, 2018

2. It takes a
village to grow
a startup.
 Coworking has continued to rise since it first became on trend in
the startup and entrepreneurial community.
 Spaces provide a way for entrepreneurs to work in an office
setting, without needing to buy a building and at the same time be
able to avoid working out of Starbucks.
 Coworking spaces provide so much more than a desk to members
and can truly provide a community.

3. History
 The term “coworking” was first coined by Bernard DeKoven to describe a
phenomenon he called “working together as equals”.
 DeKoven wanted to apply the collaborative techniques used in designing video
games to a more traditional business setting.
 To his surprise, the concept of “working together as equals” was actually quite
revolutionary.
 The coworking movement was launched in 2005 by Brad Neuberg and Chris
Messina

4. “Theenvironmenttheycreatedwasalsodesignedtoallow
coworkerstoworktogether,asequals.Butseparately—each
workingontheirownprojects,pursuingtheirown,separate
businessinterests.Inthisway,peoplewerefreetohelpeach
otherwithoutworryingaboutcompetitivepressures.Andthe
resultwasproductivity,community,and,surprisinglyoften,
deeplysharedfun.”
~BernardDeKoven

5. Benefits for Members
 There are a multitude of benefits to working in a coworking space:
 Work is meaningful
 People are given flexibility
 There is a sense of community
 The environment is more relaxed
 There is space for collaboration.

6. More than a
Desk
 When visiting a coworking space, you get a feel for its unique vibe
 Walking into 1871 in Chicago gives you different energy than walking
intoThe HUDSON in Milwaukee does.
 Working at a venue for a day provides you an inside glance at what
the community there is really like.
 More often than not, you’ll find entrepreneurs collaborating,
sharing ideas for each other, helping get over the next roadblock.

7. A Metaphor
 The ecosystem you find in a coworking space is the same we’re
looking to build here in Kenosha as a whole.
 We at Kenosha StartupWeek have the benefit of being able to see
the big picture here.
 We can step back and see all the pieces of the community we’ve
interacted with. It isn’t hard to start seeing how each piece can fit
into and benefit another.

8. About Kenosha Startup Week
Kenosha Startup Week is an
annual series of events
designed to bring together
entrepreneurs, investors, and
leaders from across the region
with the intention to share,
celebrate, and innovate.
Kenosha Startup Week is a
local effort, designed by
entrepreneurs and supported
by community partners.