Co-working Spaces Create Strong Ties With Members to Facilitate Triadic Closure
The network within the startup community is continually growing, whether its by the creation of new nodes (new startups) or the creation of new edges between these nodes. As we have learned in class, Strong Triadic closure plays a big part in making sure that these nodes make new connections with each other.
In Philadelphia especially, part of the reason the startup community is so tightly knit is that there is a growing push towards co-working spaces: alternatives to the typical office building which specialize in fostering the growth of relationships and opportunities for the companies that work out of them. This summer I had the opportunity to work at one of these co-working spaces, Benjamin’s Desk, and view firsthand how it helped different startups connect with each other. As the article from foundr I’ve attached explains, the benefits of having access to this co-working space are extremely valuable to members, as entrepreneurs who would never have the mechanisms through which to form connections can now find others because of their strong ties to the space, which bring them closer to other entrepreneurs with strong ties to the space. Part of the reason spaces such as Benjamin’s Desk are so good at creating connections has to do with just how strong the relationships they have with their members are; they are dedicated solely to making sure that those startups already in their community and those who wish to join their community have the tools and connections they need to grow and thrive. They spend their time thinking about ways to connect different members, planning events during which members will meet, and trying to provide a cohesive working environment where members can meet and expand their social network naturally. There’s a specific focus on the types of connections that can be made when two people from different organizations meet at the coffee maker – what they like to call the new water cooler – and spark an organic relationship. These relationships, however naturally they form, would be impossible without the shared space and amenities provided by these co-working spaces.
These spaces therefore function like an artificially created connector node within the large graph of the startup community, creating strong ties between themselves and all of the startups who join them so as to facilitate the process of strong triadic closure between different startup nodes. All in all, they are using this idea to their advantage in both marketing all of the benefits of being a part of the strong community they provide and in actually working towards creating that community.
And it doesn’t end there. These spaces also have ties to other spaces, coming together for different events such as startup grind, a program in which successful entrepreneurs, founders of startups, come and hold talks and open answer discussions for those in the startup community who might be able to learn from them.These co-working spaces connect to each other to connect the startup community as a whole, connect with Angels and other investors to bring them in as part of the community, and sometimes even connect with local traditional businesses who might be interested in fostering the startup community in the area.
Overall, co-working spaces are great for increasing communication in the startup community and those who have vested interest in the startup community, and have become necessary in helping new startups and entrepreneurs grow their professional networks.
http://foundrmag.com/co-working-spaces-higher-success-startup/?hvid=6sDRG3