Web entrepreneur capsule workshop

Posted on September 14, 2007
Filed Under Uncategorized | | Written by Gary Reid

About 3 years ago I was talking with some local entrepreneurs about the start up environment here in the UK and of course the ‘incubator’ was mentioned.

At the time I proposed a web entrepreneur capsule workshop, where potential web entrepreneurs could pay a small monthly fee and get access to equipment, talent, help, advice to get their ideas going. We even had an interior architect do the concept sketches.

UK attempts to implement various incubators have mostly failed, todays Web 2.0 ‘cafe society’ are trying desperately to revive it, with seedcamps etc but what we really need is a TechShop for web entrepreneurs. We need to feed the many, not cherry pick the few.

TechShop is a great idea launched in the States

TechShop is a fully-equipped open-access workshop and creative environment that lets you drop in any time and work on your own projects at your own pace. It is like a health club with tools and equipment instead of exercise equipment…or a Kinko’s for geeks.

Admittedly it is more for the real world rather than the virtual world, with workshops on welding and other such hardcore activities that require more than a keyboard. But, they have some great concepts.

Imagine something like that for web entrepreneurs, it would be great, you get get hundreds, maybe even thousands of people through it, rather than the 10 or 20 getting access through the present systems.

Well I suppose I better get some EU funding applications written and track down some economic development officers for some match funding.