GLANDORE INVESTS £1M TO CREATE NEW CO-WORKING SPACE IN BELFAST

Ireland’s leading provider of flexible workspace, Glandore, has today opened a new co-working space at Arthur House in Belfast, following a £1m investment.

The new Belfast co-working space will provide desk space for up to 70 members and is aimed at startup entrepreneurs, small businesses and FDI companies taking their first steps into Northern Ireland.

Established in 2001, Glandore is a family owned business which has a total of more than 2,500 desks between eight office locations in Belfast and Dublin.

International companies who started their Irish operations in Glandore workspace include Worldpay, Rapid 7, Facebook, Twitter and Dropbox, while overseas investors such as Tullet Prebon, Cayan, Bamboo Rose and Bazaarvoice are among the current or former members of its offices in Belfast.

Michael Kelly, founder of Glandore, said: “We have been providing flexible workspace in Belfast for 12 years and in Dublin for over 17 years. The co-working industry is rapidly expanding and the demand for more of this sort of flexible space in Belfast is increasing. By opening this fantastic new space we are now able to offer the full spectrum of office accommodation to our members, from one part-time desk right through to offices for 70 people.

“We know from experience that long-term leases don’t work for some fast-growing companies who want speed to market with minimal risk and upfront costs. For many of them, whether they are local entrepreneurs or the first staff from an international company that has set up here, a vibrant co-working space is more desirable than sitting alone in an office.”

Mr Kelly believes that one of the attractions of Glandore’s co-working offer is this opportunity for startups to rub shoulders with FDI companies at the early stage of their journey in the market. The new space, on the 5^th floor of Arthur House, will also be available for social and networking events and meetups.

He added: “As a family business, our aim is to give our members the very best start to their operations but also enable them to achieve their growth ambitions.  From the quality of the working environment and service, our holistic wellness programme to the unique networking events for our members and alumni, we strive to support the growth and success of our member companies.”

Many Glandore-based companies are international, often requiring more than just workspace, and find invaluable the assistance offered in accelerating their network and local connections. It is estimated that as many of four million people worldwide will be co-working by 2020 from more than 14,000 spaces.

One of the most recent member companies to join Glandore in Belfast is US tech company SmashFly, which provides marketing automation software for recruiters.

“Glandore offers us the perfect space and strategic location for SmashFly’s EMEA expansion,” said Sinead Kelly, Head of Human Resources & Business Operations, SmashFly. “We’re very excited to be building out an amazing R&D team in Northern Ireland and the flexibility that Glandore provides is fantastic for us to scale and expand alongside the terrific talent pool that Belfast has to offer. We’re all about people and making connections which is why Glandore’s exciting new space and events programme is the ideal environment for us to engage with other members and companies of all sizes.”

For more information visit www.glandorebelfast.co.uk