Coworking entrepreneur, Work.Life, has announced a new agreement with global technology leader, Verizon. The two companies are joining forces to open a co-working space in a Verizon site in London’s Clerkenwell.
The space aims to fill the working gap between SMEs and big business, championing face-to-face collaboration as a breeding ground for creative partnerships, mutual learning and business growth.
The ‘under one-roof’ strategy moves the already fast-growing coworking trend into a new phase of deeper business value. This is set to open up the potential for Verizon, its customers and SMEs to work alongside each other, helping them to innovate and share knowledge in new ways.
Verizon launched its first coworking project earlier this year at its landmark building at 140 West Street in New York, but this deal is a first for Verizon in the UK. The site will be Work.Life’s fourth, adding to existing hubs in Camden, London Fields and Bermondsey.
Tony Judd, Managing Director for Verizon in the UK comments: “Work.Life understands the trends that matter in the new economy, and is well connected with entrepreneurial and innovative businesses. We see this co-working agreement as a great opportunity for spotting innovation and accelerating it to market, for helping individual ideas to grow, and for shaping new threads of collaboration with the residents of the space. It is a great way to breathe new life into our existing site, opening its doors to a new audience and transforming it into a centre of innovation and collaboration.”
Work.Life‘s founders, David Kosky and Elliot Gold, are clear on why the Verizon deal is an important one in a sector that is booming: “There is a commonality between the two businesses that recognises the power of human connection in the new working economy. We already place the personal touch at the heart of what we do, so our 1000+ members can get a genuine buzz out of coming to work and actually look forward to Monday’s. By providing access to a global leader in digital thinking, we are now helping to provide the high-level connections, advice and insight each of our members is looking for.”
The co-working site in Clerkenwell will open its doors in early April 2017 after a £1.2 million building refurb, and in the spirit of existing Work.Life venues will continue its affordable and flexible model for residents.