Mothership of Work provides coworking and office space but its core idea is to offer small businesses and freelancers the services of a large company.
Photo: City of Helsinki media bank / Keksi
Mothership of Work provides coworking and office space but its core idea is to offer small businesses and freelancers the services of a large company.
Mothership of Work opened in February 2016 in the center of Helsinki. Its six-story building houses 250 workstations but can accommodate altogether 300 people.
“We were lucky to start from scratch, as the building was going through a big renovation. It allowed us to design and construct the premises according to their future use. We now have a variety of workstations, meeting rooms, quiet spaces and lounge areas, as well as a restaurant, a sauna, an outdoor terrace and a garage coworking space,” says Captain Nina Ruotsalainen from Mothership of Work.
Mothership of Work was founded by Sponda, a Finnish real estate investment company that leases business premises.
“Sponda hadn’t really catered to the needs of startups, freelancers and microenterprises. So after thorough planning and a good look at what had been done in other countries, they decided to launch a coworking space,” Ruotsalainen says.
Small companies, big services
Mothership of Work has a permanent staff of three: Captain Nina Ruotsalainen, a receptionist and an IT support person. MOW also has a department called Byroslavia. It invites alternating service providers to sit in and offer their services and consultation – from bank and insurance representatives to printing houses.
“We want to be a community, and this is part of our communal services: to be able to run errands with familiar people. Our rent also includes reception services, IT services, printers and scanners, lendable bicycles, and of course coffee and popcorn.”
Anyone can work at MOW. Even a day pass includes all the services of the house. A freelance membership provides an undesignated workstation, whereas a prolancer membership comes with one’s own desk and is suited for example for those who need a desktop computer screen. A resident membership includes an office room that can be locked.
Photo: City of Helsinki media bank / Keksi
Diversity and collaboration potential
Many – but not all – MOW members work in creative professions. Their range of expertise is wide, from coding to advertising, from accounting to information technology, and from fashion to food.
“We welcome diversity. We also want to bring together the enthusiasm of youth and the experience of more seasoned members. That’s why we are planning to launch a mentoring program,” says Nina Ruotsalainen.
Members value MOW’s services and its sense of community. CEO Minna Varajärvi works for +1 consulting agency, which created MOW’s concept together with Sponda and is now one of MOW’s residents.
“We have our own staff but we also collaborate with several freelancers on a regular basis. It’s very handy to have our freelancers here at MOW. We have also found collaboration opportunities with other MOW companies,” Varajärvi says.
“This is one of our goals. We want to create an environment where expertise from different fields collides. Sometimes you can find the partners you need right by our coffee machine,” says Nina Ruotsalainen.
Find here the coworking space in Helsinki that’s most suitable for you.
Text: Anu Jussila
Mothership of Work opened in February 2016 in the center of Helsinki. Its six-story building houses 250 workstations but can accommodate altogether 300 people.
“We were lucky to start from scratch, as the building was going through a big renovation. It allowed us to design and construct the premises according to their future use. We now have a variety of workstations, meeting rooms, quiet spaces and lounge areas, as well as a restaurant, a sauna, an outdoor terrace and a garage coworking space,” says Captain Nina Ruotsalainen from Mothership of Work.
Mothership of Work was founded by Sponda, a Finnish real estate investment company that leases business premises.
“Sponda hadn’t really catered to the needs of startups, freelancers and microenterprises. So after thorough planning and a good look at what had been done in other countries, they decided to launch a coworking space,” Ruotsalainen says.
Small companies, big services
Mothership of Work has a permanent staff of three: Captain Nina Ruotsalainen, a receptionist and an IT support person. MOW also has a department called Byroslavia. It invites alternating service providers to sit in and offer their services and consultation – from bank and insurance representatives to printing houses.
“We want to be a community, and this is part of our communal services: to be able to run errands with familiar people. Our rent also includes reception services, IT services, printers and scanners, lendable bicycles, and of course coffee and popcorn.”
Anyone can work at MOW. Even a day pass includes all the services of the house. A freelance membership provides an undesignated workstation, whereas a prolancer membership comes with one’s own desk and is suited for example for those who need a desktop computer screen. A resident membership includes an office room that can be locked.
Photo: City of Helsinki media bank / Keksi
Diversity and collaboration potential
Many – but not all – MOW members work in creative professions. Their range of expertise is wide, from coding to advertising, from accounting to information technology, and from fashion to food.
“We welcome diversity. We also want to bring together the enthusiasm of youth and the experience of more seasoned members. That’s why we are planning to launch a mentoring program,” says Nina Ruotsalainen.
Members value MOW’s services and its sense of community. CEO Minna Varajärvi works for +1 consulting agency, which created MOW’s concept together with Sponda and is now one of MOW’s residents.
“We have our own staff but we also collaborate with several freelancers on a regular basis. It’s very handy to have our freelancers here at MOW. We have also found collaboration opportunities with other MOW companies,” Varajärvi says.
“This is one of our goals. We want to create an environment where expertise from different fields collides. Sometimes you can find the partners you need right by our coffee machine,” says Nina Ruotsalainen.
