Co-working spaces as new places of informal learning,
collaboration and entrepreneur support
France used to
be late regarding coworking experiences compared to others european countries.
But, since few years, it has changed ; France hosted major events such as
the European Conference about coworking in 2012. France has now more than 60
coworking spaces. Regional and local authorities, as well as development
agencies such as La Fonderie in Paris
area, support coworking with organising calls and events about this topic.
Actually, coworking has become a tool for public policies and economic
development.
French coworking
was born in Paris and therefore it is in this area where the public sector is
the more involved. In 2012, La Fonderie,
digital agency linked to the Conseil
Régional (local government) supported the European Conference about
coworking and the CoWorking Week-end (mid-September, 3 days to promote this
work organisation). The Ministry of Industry recognized that coworking was an
important factor for innovation and economic development; it encouraged the
dissemination of La Cantine (see
below) model.
In Europe,
most of coworking spaces are private initiatives launched using a
« bottom-up » approach. In France, nevertheless, the situation is
more various. According to a study from 2008 initiated by Silicon Sentier
(parisian association) and TVT INNOVATION (parisian SME), regarding 17 major
coworking spaces, only 6 were the result of private initiative. Others were
built on a partnership between private and public sector (3 of them) and 8 of
them are associations.
Good practices examples in
Paris area :
·
L’Atelier 
http://www.atelier-idf.org/professionnels/coworking/
L’Atelier is a public actor working for social and
solidarity economy in Paris.
·
La
Fonderie 
La
Fonderie is a digital agency in Paris area. It is a very active support of
coworking experiences.
·
La Cantine 
Coworking
is a space focusing on new technologies. La Cantine was the first coworking
space in France in 2008. Since its begining, it has been supported by the local
government (Conseil Régional & Mairie de Paris).
·
Studios Singuliers 
http://www.studios-singuliers.fr/
Studios Singuliers is a coworking space hosted in a building dedicated
to innovative companies. One of his founders, Basile Samson will come and
present us their work.
·
La Ruche 
La Ruche is a coworking space dedicated to social entrepreneurship.
·
Ashoka 
Ashoka is the largest network of social entrepreneurs worldwide, with
nearly 3000 Ashoka Fellows in 70 countries putting their system changing ideas
into practice on a global scale. Ashoka has provided start-up financing,
professional support services, and connections to a global network across the
business and social sectors, and a platform for people dedicated to changing
the world.
·
Soleilles 
http://www.soleillescowork.com/blog/
Coworking are spaces focusing on boosting women entrepreneuship.