Coworking Spaces in Kochi

Kochi

Once a Portuguese colony, Kochi has come to be known as an important port city ever since 1341. In fact, Kochi was the first European colony in India. The roots of entrepreneurship were sown in the city centuries ago when it opened up to business and trade routes with the Arabian, Chinese and European merchants. Of course, today the business transactions have taken a modern turn.

Located in the southwest state of Kerala, Kochi, also referred to sometimes as Ernakulum, is known for its breath-taking views, rich cultural heritage and its natural harbour. However, when you wander your eyes away from Fort Kochi and the other tourist attractions that the city beholds, you can see the entrepreneurship culture brewing with full speed. Tailing behind the Tier 1 cities, Kochi has come up to speed and is now embracing the concept of small and medium businesses pertaining to the tech market.

What is the work culture in Kochi?

Since Kochi is one of the most popular trade hubs in the country, business sense comes naturally to the professionals in the city. From a time were business strategies were limited to trading goods to starting the journey to becoming a full-blown tech hub, the city has come a long way.

While the work practices were heavily influenced by culture back in the day, today, Kochi has not shied away from the influence of globalisation. As globalisation became more important to advance the reach of Indian businesses, the city whole-heartedly accepted the entrance of tech giants and corporations. Today, the work culture is synonymous with global standards, helping Kochi get better recognition as an entrepreneurial hub.

What is the approach of Kochi towards coworking spaces?

From small-scale organisations to new cafes, Kochi has been host to businesses of all kinds. Primarily driven by revenue from tourism and export and import, those with an entrepreneurial instinct saw potential in the city to grow much beyond that. Start-up owners and freelancers alike started making rapid advancement towards tech-driven professions and business ideas.

This called for a work culture that contrasted with the monotonous functioning of conventional office spaces. While Kochi was figuring out the nuances of entrepreneurship, the coworking storm was shifting plates across the Tier 1 cities. The success of the coworking culture across the country contributed significantly to the quick transition of Kochi into a coworking hub. Today, the streets of the city are adorned with some of the most innovative shared office spaces of the country.

Why are coworking spaces right for you?

Coworking spaces have come a long way from just offering a workspace to now providing provisions for connecting with investors and mentors. What was once murky water for the Indian business scene has today become a core part of the economy. In fact, coworking spaces have breathed life into the gig economy culture and helped professional, who earlier had limited opportunities, to explore other horizons professionally. If you are wondering how coworking spaces can be advantageous, read on to find out!

• Create, test and execute: A few decades ago, the idea of starting a business of your own might not have been very welcome and some might have even shunned it because of the risk. While there were some geniuses who went against all odds to establish their business, it was common nature to be wary of risks.
  
  However, coworking spaces today have created a go to hub for entrepreneurial enthusiasts. They not only provide a workspace but also allow you to develop new ideas, test them and then execute them. Furthermore, accelerator and incubator programmes in the country also offer much-needed guidance and financial aid through mentors and investor meets. In fact, some coworking spaces are known to invest in start-ups that they rope in as members, only charging a small part of the profits from the organisations.
   
• Enhanced productivity: Working in a stimulating environment, among professionals with similar ambitions and mindsets can enhance your productivity by a large margin. Coworking spaces allow you to brainstorm with like-minded professionals, which gives way to constructive criticism and better ideas, in turn improving efficiency at the workplace. In fact, many entrepreneurial ideas have stemmed from collaborative exercises that take place within the four walls of shared office spaces. 

Best coworking spaces in Kochi

Coworking spaces across the world have made heads turn and economies grow, thanks to its resourcefulness. To the delight of Kochi, the entry of the coworking culture in the city was after it became a popular concept in the major Indian cities. Coworking spaces made their way to establishing centres in some of the most popular areas of Kochi such as MG Road, Kakkanad, Aluva, Vytilla, Giri Nagar, Kadavanthara, Palarivattom, Kalamassery and other prime locations.  If you are curious about the coworking spaces that this city beholds, take a look at our top five picks!

• Centre-A

The Centre-A coworking space is located in MG Road and offers a range of workspace options such as private offices, meeting rooms, dedicated desks, flexible desks and virtual offices. Furthermore, this shared office space also offers 360-degree services to make the work experience of its members a comfortable affair. These services include dedicated parking space, rooftop café, high-speed Internet connectivity, travel desk, business concierge services, mail handling, and printing and scanning provisions.

The pricing plans for the products are not available for public viewing, however, you can always write to them. The products offered at Centre-A are judiciously priced to help members opt for affordable facilities. The virtual office can cost anywhere between Rs. 1,500 and Rs. 5,000 per month, whereas the flexible desks range between Rs. 3,000 and Rs. 8,000 per month. On the other hand, the cost of a dedicated desk starts at Rs. 8,000 per month and that of private office space starts at Rs. 36,000 per month. Located in close proximity to the MG Road metro station, Centre-A is the perfect place to take advantage of their meeting room options, which can house 6-10 people comfortably with options for bigger rooms available too. It is the perfect platform to work, connect and create.

• Next57 Coworking

Next57 Coworking has spearheaded the coworking culture in Tier 2 cities with centres in Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Mohali and Kochi. Carefully designed to satisfy the varying needs of today’s professionals, this coworking space offers fully-furnished office spaces to its members. The centre is located in Kadavanthara and is well-equipped to accommodate teams of sizes ranging from 1 to a 100-member team.

The products offered by this shared office space provider includes shared cabin desks at a cost of Rs. 5,000 per month, private cabins starting at Rs. 8,500 per month, virtual office at a price of Rs. 2,000 per month, a meeting room that costs Rs. 400 per hour and conference rooms at a starting price of Rs. 800 per hour. They also offer provisions for daily passes and weekly passes that are priced at Rs. 500 per day and Rs. 2,500 per week, respectively.

Apart from these products, Next57 Coworking is also known for offering an elaborate range of amenities such as the seamless Internet, office supplies, unlimited supply of hot and cold beverages, biometric access, cafeteria, flexible timings and 24X7 access. This coworking space also hosts networking events to help its members widen their business reach and strengthen their professional network.

• Cowired Coworking

Focused on affordable and flexible workspace options, Cowired Coworking offers two product types to its members, which includes hot desks and serviced offices. While the hot desks are available at a price of Rs. 5,500 per month, a serviced office would cost you Rs. 6,500 per month. They also have tech-enabled meeting rooms and conference rooms, which are available at low costs.

The services offered by Cowired Coworking include high-speed internet, access control, physical mailbox, fully-serviced pantry, breakout spaces, cafeteria and front office services. This shared office space is aimed at creating a well-balanced community of professionals who can build connections and nurture their ideas within the same space. Cowired Coworking is located in the prime location of Palarivattom, allowing easy commute for its members.

• Creative Coworking Cube

Located in the heart of Erankulam, Creative Coworking Cube has taken the coworking culture to a different tangent with three centres in Kochi and one centre in Bangalore. The centres, are located in the prime areas of Kakkanad and Giri Nagar in Kochi, with a long list of products and amenities at the disposal of the members. This coworking space offers two membership plans – the freelancer package and the group package.

While the freelancer friendly package is available at a price of Rs. 3,500 per month at the Kakkanad centre, it costs Rs. 4,000 per month at the Giri Nagar centre. The cost of group package starts at Rs. 7,800 per month at the Giri Nagar centre and at Rs. 6,800 per month at the Kakkanad centre. The cost of the group package is determined based on the number of members in your team. The facilities offered at the centres in Kochi include access to meeting rooms, resilient WiFi, networking events, mail handling, courier management, printing and scanning provisions, and an endless supply of coffee. The Creative Coworking Cube creates an ideal environment for building a strong network, professional growth as well as personal development.

• Tablespace

Located in Kalamassery, Tablespace is a new generation of coworking space that has the potential to create headlines. Tablespace believes in accommodating diverse professionals and is open to students, start-up owners, retired professionals, consultants, creative writers and freelancers. The workspace is equipped with tables of different dimensions, allowing you to choose an option that best suits your needs. You can choose from three plans offered by this coworking space, which includes Silver (starting at Rs. 3,000 for 4 hours), Gold (starting at Rs. 3,500 for 4 hours) and Platinum (starting at Rs. 4,200 for 4 hours). Apart from well-structured plans, Tablespace also offers unlimited WiFi, air-conditioned workspace, power backup, conference rooms, power-enabled tables and a café.