“The best way to get more private funding is to talk about all the businesses born in the coworking space”- Garage48, Tallinn
The Garage48 Foundation was launched in Estonia in the spring 2010. Driven by 6 active entrepreneurs from the Estonian Startup Leaders Club, which is a networking organization supporting the majority of Estonian startup founders.
Today the Garage48 Foundation organizes Garage48 events and runs Garage48 HUB, an affordable co-working space in central Tallinn, Estonia. We spoke with HUB manager, Jane Muts about the coworking scene in the country of the e-citizenship and what she expects to gain from this year’s Coworking Europe conference.
Hi Jane, what inspired you to open a coworking space in Tallinn?
Jane Muts
Garage48 HUB is a community led coworking space in central Tallinn that caters to startups, creative, tech and entrepreneurs from Tallinn and beyond. Everything is conducted in English at HUB and international members are also very welcome!
Our space has everything you might need, from office space and extra meeting rooms, strong wi-fi, kitchen, library, table tennis, community events + useful start-up events, office supplies, 24/7 access, etc.
What is the coworking scene currently like in Tallinn and did you need time to introduce the community to the concept?
Tallinn is a small city with a population of around 400 000+ people. The city has around 10 coworking places and the concept is already well known. Yet, when we first opened Garage48 HUB in 2010, it was a new concept and thus an innovative move.
How does the co-working scene in Tallinn differ from other coworking communities in Europe? What are some of the different needs/expectations of your members?
Our coworking scene is similar to other communities in Europe. Many people who use coworking spaces are foreigners, who are traveling from one country to another. Our HUB can fit 55 members, plus 20 daily visitors. At the moment, we have people from many different countries: Spain, Greece, Finland, USA, UK, Turkey, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, France, Italy, Japan, Germany, and of course, Estonia).
Visitors tell me that they like that our coworking place is inspiring and here is a pic to illustrate it: 
In your opinion, is coworking self-sustainable and what could be improved? And can coworking meet these needs?
Coworking should be self-sustainable. The best way to get more private funding is to gain support from success stories, from those who use to start their start-up in a coworking place.
Can the open workspace/coworking model play an important role in regenerating communities? If so, how? And why is this innovative model of work important for how we understand the future of work?
Of course! There are certain types of people using open workspaces and utilizing the coworking model. These people appreciate independence, new connections, inspirational environment. It seems to me that this model is getting more and more popular, because people can work from everywhere (from Koh Lanta island in Thailand or in forest in Estonia – basically you just need a wi-fi and luckily in Estonia wi-fi is everywhere and easily accessible). In Estonia, entrepreneurship is supported.
Have you been to the Coworking Europe Conference before? If so, what was your impression and what did you gain from it as a space manager
Sadly no, but I’m looking forward it this year!
What do you hope to gain from this year’s conference?
I hope to gain many useful contacts and case studies from attending this conference.