In some ways though, you’re missing the point, though you are providing at least an option for a funding model.

One of the hopes that I have for coworking is that it both inspires and provides rich soil for a generation of independents to make their way in the world, supporting one another in individualist pursuits. Living under the umbrella of Big Co. X kind of undermines that spirit — and potentially the sense of freedom that you have when you’re able to dictate for yourself how you want your work environment to be.

I mean, what if Big Co X does something completely contradictory to the goals or spirit of coworking or to the general well being of independents? You’re now stuck in the awkward position of sucking from the teat of an abusive parent (perhaps not in so many words). The ability to be free from such corporate overlords is a core tenant of coworking — where there are no higher masters to answer to or to be beholden to.

I’m sure that corporate coworking will emerge and that there will be positive partnerships that emerge. At the same time, I’m of the mind that the independent coworking community needs to establish itself more firmly before getting back in bed with the kind of corporate oversight that demands that every expenditure show five-fold returns. It’s yet to be proven whether coworking is a profitable approach to the new work… for what it is so far, it need never be so long as independents are able to find a more sustainable way of making half their living in the gift economy.

Anyway, it’s not impossible — it’s just not something that I am personally interested in supporting — or even investigating at this stage of development. Thanks for raising it all the same!

I know of several businesses I worked for that had spare desks, but didn’t seem interested in using them. Just silly, in my opinion. If you own a house with a guest apartment attached, do you rent it out or let it gather dust? Taking on tenants can reduce your overhead for just a small loss of security (giving someone a key to the building. Independents Hall seems to have that worked out, with a private space in the back (or is it up top?) that has a different set of keys for the other elevator/stairs.

I think a mega company like Google could simplify the process of acquiring all these new startups if they sponsored some incubators at different locales around the country. I don’t see Apple doing it, because they’ve got their heads on so straight. At the same time, you’ve got Microsoft Research, which is often duplicating efforts so as to find the fastest/cheapest/most user-friendly way to do something, or maybe just the most patentable way. That’s putting food on lots of creatives’ tables.

UCF (the state college in town) actually sponsors two tech incubators in Orlando and are apparently starting a new one focused to all entrepreneurs as opposed to technology. To get in, you have to attend their Excellence in Entrepreneurship class (lessons in proprietary stuff/trade secrets), but once you’re in you get coaching once a month, and an open door to the coach and a lot of other guys who are starting their own company, including a bunch of resources like legal counsel. I’m working for an incubated company now, and it’s nice to have an office downtown. Very nice. It makes me want coworking even more.