When I first embarked on this coworking adventure, the opportunity to work among small businesses and start-ups was a key part of the appeal. And what I’ve seen since is just how much CoMotion helps the growth and development of small businesses.
Giving start-ups a leg-up
As I’ve posted before, the coworking spaces CoMotion give start-ups and small businesses the chance to work with a range of fellow entrepreneurs and freelance-types like me. This provides access to a wealth of supporting skills and resources that can be sourced by a walk to the kitchen or a panicked yell from an office door. (I’m not entirely making that up.) Certainly when compared to an isolated office space, this diversity provides an important nurturing aspect to a young start-up.
Lunches, coffee, or social gatherings, the CoMotion kitchen is spawning ground for coworking opportunities.
An In-Kind Prizing Partner
CoMotion is a proud supporter of Lion’s Lair – the Hamilton-version of Dragons’ Den where innovative start-ups pitch their plan to a panel of ‘lions’. And a successful pitch can result in a tidy reward of $100,000 in cash and other in-kind resources. In fact, CoMotion is one of the In-Kind Prize Partners – a group of area businesses that provide winners with resources like consultation, training and office space.
There was even an internal promotion that offered tickets to the Lion’s Lair gala event – taking place September 27th at Carmen’s Banquet Centre. A cool way to give businesses within the CoMotion walls a chance to see the pitches, as well as get a chance to connect with fellow entrepreneurs and members of the Hamilton business community. Not to mention the opportunity to enjoy a really cool event.
Opportunity and incubation
Ultimately, CoMotion is a place where small businesses and start-ups can find their footing. Without enormous investments in office space, they can generate momentum and tap into the diverse range of resources available through fellow entrepreneurs. The momentum generated often leads to businesses growing up and leaving CoMotion – which, is never viewed as a bad thing. That’s economic incubation at work. And, like Lion’s Lair, those success stories inspire others to pursue their ideas and their passions. With a bit of luck and a lot of hard work, they become the businesses that drive the economic growth of our city.
