The Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance has announced that Howard County’s first “co-worker space”, a low-cost, non-dedicated professional space ideal for entrepreneurs and start-up and high-growth enterprises, will open in September 2015 on the first floor of Inventrek Technology Park at 700 E. Firmin Street in Kokomo. Local architectural firm Dimensions, Inc. has been commissioned to design and transform the 3000-square foot space, made possible in partnership with a $25,000 Innovate Indiana grant from Indiana University.
The new space will offer members a variety of work and meeting areas, including non-dedicated desks, comfortable lounge areas, and private conference rooms; solid fiber and WiFi connections; copy/print/scan capabilities; secure storage lockers; and access to a coffee bar, a CAD lab, and a mail room with personalized mail slots. Visitors have two membership options: a ‘pay as you go’ month-to-month membership for $40/month ($30/month for college students) or a year-long pass for $440 ($330 for students). Members will receive 24/7 access to the facility as well as access to attend all of Inventrek’s programming and networking events.
Although the idea of co-worker space is still foreign to some, its growing popularity among the tech-savvy entrepreneurial crowd has made its creation a priority for the community’s economic development strategy. “In 2005, only 1 co-working space existed in the United States; today, 781 facilities like this exist, including 20 in Indiana,” explains Mike McCool, manager of economic development for the Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance. “Co-working space is the ideal situation for an entrepreneur who needs a more professional work environment than your local coffeehouse or home office, but isn’t ready for dedicated office space and other amenities yet. As a business incubator, it made perfect sense to make Inventrek Technology Park the home for this space. Adds Alliance President and CEO Charlie Sparks: “The new co-working space is another initiative in our organization’s strategic program of work to encourage economic development through entrepreneurial growth in Kokomo and Howard County. We are grateful for the partnership with Indiana University Kokomo to help move this initiative forward.”
The Alliance is holding a naming contest for the new co-worker space, with the winning submission receiving a complimentary one-year membership to the facility. To enter, guests should tweet their proposed name to @GreaterKokomo along with the hashtag #CoWorkKokomo. Deadline for entries is Tuesday, September 1st. For more information on the co-worker space and to sign up for a membership, contact the Greater Kokomo Alliance at (765) 457-2000 or www.GreaterKokomo.com.
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