The arrival of TechHub in Manchester, a community based project which provides flexible work space for self-start up internet businesses, is causing something of a stir within the internet community.
TechHub was started in London in 2010 and the opening of the Manchester branch in November will be the first community of this type outside the capital. It will provide flexible meeting rooms, up to 50 permanent desks and a drop-in support space in Piccadilly Basin, Manchester. The new Techhub will be a place where entrepreneurs can support one another in their business ventures, share ideas and will form the physical basis of the internet community.
The regional branch will be run by local entrepreneurs, creating a new community that will boost local expertise and knowledge regarding internet business. Talent will be attracted to the project with an exciting start-up weekend hackathon where new businesses are set up in a 54 hour marathon.
This is a great opportunity for the city of Manchester, creating new employment and helping to promote Manchester as a city at the forefront of digital media, internet business and marketing. Richard Lewis property director at TCS, which will be carrying out the development over two floors of the grade II listed Carver’s warehouse, described the venture as ” A real coup for Manchester. To secure the first UK TechHub outside London is recognition of Manchester’s ambition to be the UK’s digital city and a major player in the global digital technology sector by 2020.”
TechHub was founded in 2010 as a joint venture between Elizabeth Varley, Doug Ward, Ben Hookway, Martin Bryant and Shaun Gibson who all have expertise in technological business ventures. They came to know local internet communities through their Tech Britain initiative, in which they toured the UK meeting key players in the internet markets. TechHub has been a great success, it has already opened a branch in Riga, Latvia, and there have already been plans revealed to roll out the project to other major UK cities later this year.
Manchester is seen as the ideal city for a project of this kind, with booming self-start business enterprise and attracting a good client market from across the north of England. CEO Elizabeth Varley said “Right now, Manchester is buzzing, and we see it as an excellent addition to the growing TechHub network. I’m looking forward to greater collaboration between entrepreneurs and tech companies in the North and South of England.”
For more information visit www.techhub.com
