The Big Apple’s start-up sector is growing rapidly and attracting the interest of venture capitalists. At the end of Q2 2015, some $1.9bn had been pumped into start-ups by VCs. But while the investment is corporate, the start-up mindset is anything but. The place to invest, if you want access to this burgeoning and increasingly valuable occupier set is not in big shiny offices but in co-working hubs. Emily Wright takes a look at New York’s top five
NYC’s top five co-working spaces
1 WeWork
Who? The big daddy of co-working with 56 locations across 17 cities. WeWork’s cool, location-specific interiors are aimed at everyone from start-ups and freelancers to small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Where? 19 locations across the city – check out Fulton Center at 222 Broadway though. Right in the financial heart of the city, Gordon Gekko’s office from the 1987 film Wall Street is on the 23rd floor of this high-rise. It is now one of WeWork’s event spaces.
How much? From $750 (£495) per month for offices. From $450 per month for desks.
2 AlleyNYC
Who? Two NYC hubs aimed at creative start-ups and entrepreneurs specifically after networking opportunities and access to investors through arranged talks and events.
Where? Midtown (500 7th Avenue) and Chelsea (119 West 24th Street).
How much? From $350 per month for full membership.
3 Grind
Who? Catering for caffeinated co-workers 24/7. Simple, functional space that has seen the NYC tech set descend in their droves.
Where? Three locations in New York
(Park Avenue, Broadway and West Street) with a fourth planned in the landmark 140 West Street in lower Manhattan and one in Chicago.
How much? From $550 per month and $40 per day.
4 The Productive
Who? Affordable co-working space for early-stage start-ups or those simply looking to cut back on overheads. The price point also makes it popular with writers, artists and designers.
Where? 40 West 38th Street.
How much? From $170 per month for full membership. Day passes are $30.
5 Projective Space
Who? At the opposite end of the spectrum from The Productive, it is not open to everyone, but is rather based on a curated membership of start-ups and innovators choosing to launch their companies in NYC. There is even an application process.
Where? Lower East Side (72 Allen Street) and Freemans (Freemans Alley).
How much? From $455 per month.
Top 10 venture capital investors in New York start-ups by investment volume
- Lerer Hippeau Ventures
- BoxGroup
- SV Angel
- RFE Ventures
- Founder Collective
- First Round Capital
- Softbank Central
- Social Starts
- 500 Startups
- Great Oaks Venture Capital
