Ever wonder what young genius startup entrpreneurs look for in a meeting space? Well wonder no more. Kenji Crosland explains why Seattle’s “The Easy” has become a haven for startuppers looking for the perfect place to network, collaborate and work.
Startuppers are a little like mad scientists. They find themselves possessed by an idea that they can’t shake and the only way to get the Frankenstinian monster out of their heads is to assemble the monster’s parts on a gurney, slap a lightning rod to its noggin, step back, and hope for the best.
The one thing that sets startuppers apart from mad scientists, however, is that that they don’t work alone in secret labs. No matter your idea, whether it’s a death ray, an asteroid magnet, or an army of rabid Sharktopi, mad genius isn’t enough. You need minions, partners in crime who believe in your grandiose designs. You need a place to meet with other mad scientists, a place to exchange ideas free from the scrutiny of the outside world.
Seattle has such a place. It’s called “The Easy.”
Like the speakeasies of the past from which it takes its name, The Easy is a startupper’s refuge, hidden away in the heart of the ever expanding Amazon HQ campus. Here geeks of all stripes meet and discuss technology and startups over pizza and beer. More importantly, however, they come to The Easy to make lasting connections, connections which could very well become the foundation for Seattle’s next tech giant. Considering how The Easy has hosted over 50 events (like the Lean Startup Seattle and Hacker News Meetups) and over 3,000 entrepreneurs (and would-be “wantrepreneurs”) met there last year, it’s likely these connections have already been made.
Posted with the permission of Kenji Crossland. To read the rest of this story, please go to http://blog.evenues.com/post/2012/05/07/When-a-Space-is-more-than-Just-a-Space.aspx
(Photo by Glen Edelson)
