AstroLabs and Google officially open their coworking space

AstroLabs audience during the launch. (Images via AstroLabs)
  

Just
over a year since AstroLabs first announced they
would be opening a coworking space with Google in Dubai, the
location is finally open.

The launch, which took place Monday at the
Jumeirah Lakes Towers, is the culmination of the
company’s partnership
with Google
and DMCC
(Dubai Multi Commodities
Center), which aims to support
startups from all over the world, helping them grow and
expand.

According to cofounder
Muhammed Mekki the space now
has 40
startups from 27 countries, with startups
like Little Thinking
Minds, Eventtus, Chomp, ImpressMe, Air
Crew Club, Visage
and Toiran making it
onto the list.

Resident companies told Wamda about how AstroLabs is providing a
coworking space where entrepreneurs can benefit from each other’s
expertise, because, as they said, all entrepreneurs face the same
problems and challenges but on different levels.

AstroLabs, said Mekki, is looking for startups
that plan to expand outside of Dubai. “We are based in Dubai,” he
said, “and we make use of all the services and infrastructure
there, but we also want to benefit the world.”

The
space structure allows for cooperation between the startups, where
the spacious and comfortable space operates on a
first-come-first-served basis. Meeting rooms, offices, a cafeteria
and a “Google lab” are all available. “You feel comfortable because
of the designs and studied colors,” said one of the entrepreneurs.
“You don’t feel like you’re at work, you feel like you’re
home.”

Louis Lebbos takes the audience on a tour.

The tech hub’s name was inspired by an ancient
device the “astrolabe”, Mekki told the audience. Used in the
ancient Arab world, the astrolabe had multiple uses, from
navigation, astrology, distance tracking and time telling.  So
it was in no doubt symbolic of the founders’ desire to aid in Arab
culture, innovation and entrepreneurship.  

Cofounders Mekki and Louis Lebbos wanted their space
to fill several gaps in the entrepreneurship sector. With DMCC as a
partner, the hub now facilitates logistical and legal procedures
for entrepreneurs, such as company registration.

Where the partners come in

Executive chairman of DMCC
Ahmed Bin Sulayem told Wamda
how the free zone started as a small office 13 years ago. Gradually
it has grown to become one the largest free zones in the UAE, in an
area which, having been a desert, now hosts several
companies.

When he met Mekki and Lebbos, the chairman felt they
all had one thing in common: the future of innovative services.
“We’re here to provide services, help and support,” he said. “We’re
also here to learn.”

Mohamad Mourad, managing director
at Google MENA, echoed Grunwald’s opinion. To Mourad,
innovation is “inventing plus entrepreneurship”, something he says
is very difficult. “The significance of AstroLabs and Google lies
in facilitating [this] mission through offering logistical
services, and communicating with colleagues and mentors and
learning more about technology and users,” he said. “Especially in
the Arab area, which has 200 million internet users, and hence a
big demand on content and technology.”

AstroLabs does not just offer a coworking space
for entrepreneurs, but also several packages.
The space also has an academy that
organizes workshops and courses in “digital skills for a knowledge
economy”.