Local Companies Join Forces to Create a New Sort of Workplace
Liverpool entrepreneurs, software developers, artists, and electronics engineers are invited to DoES Liverpool’s new permanent space, to co-work, hot-desk, experiment, and collaborate. There will be a free “taster” day on Friday 22nd July; if you miss that, your first day of hot-desking is free if you bring cake!
Since the beginning of 2011, a disparate group of coders, artists, designers and engineers has met up monthly to collaborate, learn about, and experiment with physical computing, laser-cutting and how to make things. These Maker Nights, run by DoES Liverpool in conjunction with the LJMU Art & Design Academy, are a way to bring together the community of makers from Liverpool and the surrounding area.
Building on the success of Maker Nights, DoES Liverpool has now put into action the longer-term plan: to open a space where making can go on all the time, rather than just once a month.
The DoES Space is a mixture of office and 21st-century workshop – the people there are as likely to be soldering the electronics for an Internet-connected bubble machine or prototyping product cases on the 3D printer, as they are to be sitting at a desk tapping away on a laptop.
This blend of interests and activities is a key part of the DoES ethos – “we want it to be a melting pot for business and creativity in Liverpool,” says Adrian McEwen, one of the organisers. He’s moved his Internet of Things startup to the space, where it rubs shoulders with an iPhone developer, a provider of attention management systems and web developers.
They’ve all taken desks in the Hanover Street space and they are inviting others to join them. The space is split into two open plan areas, plus a freely bookable private meeting room. The remaining desks are available either to rent by the month, or just for the day: perfect for freelancers looking for somewhere to escape to from the dining room table for a change. For anyone wanting to see what it’s like working in a co-working space, they’ll even give you a free day’s trial as long as you bring cake for everyone to share.
One corner of the larger open-plan area is given over to the messier, workshop activities. It’s here that you’ll find the 3D printer (which was assembled by the attendees of Maker Nights) and a desktop CNC mill donated by another member of the Maker Night community. “DoES encourages people to experiment, and to learn new things”, says John McKerrell, the resident iPhone developer, “whether it’s finding out how to solder, or sharing tips on what accounts package to use, the chances are someone else in the space will be able to help”.
The DoES Space is open now, and will hold a free “taster” day on Friday 22nd July. The next Maker Night will also be held at the space on the evening of Wednesday 27th July from 6:45pm. For more details visit https://doesliverpool.com or email hello@doesliverpool.com
About DoES Liverpool CIC
DoES Liverpool CIC was created to further grow and support the community of people interested and involved in technology that has been building over the past few years in Liverpool and the surrounding areas. It aims to help small businesses and start-ups by creating a space within which they can work, network and build up a business.
DoES Liverpool CIC currently runs a space in Gostins Building on Hanover Street, Liverpool offering affordable co-working desks, workshop and hot desks. It also uses the space to host events such as Maker Night and the Liverpool GeekUp.
For more information about DoES Liverpool CIC visit their website on
https://doesliverpool.com/ or email hello@doesliverpool.com
About Maker Night
Maker Night is a regular meeting organised by DoES Liverpool CIC in partnership with LJMU Art and Design Academy to provide a space for people to learn, experiment and work on projects related to Physical computing, Laser cutting, Arduino, Electronics and 3D printing.
They are informal, friendly events – sometimes one of the members will give a talk on a topic, or lead a workshop on how to build something in particular – but mostly it’s about building cool stuff and sharing expertise and enthusiasm. Everyone is welcome, of any ability level, for more information visit http://makernight.co.uk/ or join the mailing list http://groups.google.com/group/does-liverpool
