“Open-Source Real Estate Cooperative”
The Co-Op, pronounced “coop” if you’re in the know, is a grassroots community of startups. It’s currently home to five small companies: n4md, OfficeHours, TripLingo, Gather, and AppedOn. All five were incubated in the buzz at Hypepotamus but had grown to need a little more wiggle room and quiet.
With support from the Midtown Alliance, member companies pooled their resources to afford a multi-year lease on space in The Biltmore. They skipped major renovations at their new home in favor of a simple paint job, and each member was responsible for bringing their own furniture. This kept costs low and allowed the process to go much more quickly than it would have otherwise. James Harris, Co-Op co-founder and founder of n4md, talks about the importance of what he calls “gravity,” a certain closeness to other teams and a wide array of ideas. Having benefited from the free space and networking afforded by Hypepotamus, the Co-Op-ers felt it was important to free space up for start-ups even younger than they are: the start-up circle of life. The Co-Op is at capacity right now, but they anticipate having space for new entrepreneurs to join them in the future.
The founders:
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[Photo Credit: Seagle/Hypepotamus]
