Build a coworking in the Crimea. Part One: The Idea
Hi, Habr! We are the Tomsk company Interweb Lab . We are developing our own Internet projects. But today we would like to tell not about our online direction, but about the offline one.
While working on long winter evenings in Tomsk, my colleagues and I occasionally thought about temporarily leaving to work in warmer latitudes. Every time we ran into the same problems: far from home, the need to obtain a visa and organize a workplace with high-speed Internet, a culture alien to the Russian person. Gradually, in discussions, an image of the place where we ourselves would like to work and grow professionally has been formed. Among the most important requirements are a good climate, a Russian-speaking population, beautiful nature, and the opportunity to take part in a rich educational and entertainment program.
We are out of politics, but when Crimea became a part of Russia, we thought: no matter how we feel about this, we cannot change anything, but we can use it. In all respects, Crimea is a great place to implement our idea. The problem was that we didn’t have so many resources, and we wouldn’t draw a full-scale IT-park. Saved the experience of Internet startups: we thought, why not approach the idea of ​​creating an IT park as an idea for a startup?
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So, the team went to work.
The most difficult step was to determine the code name of the project. After stormy and lengthy discussions, the choice fell on the word "Sloboda". After all, since ancient times it was called a place where people of the same profession and the same views gathered to work together.
Then we identified the basic problem ...
... and formulated a possible solution
The hypothesis was as follows: IT companies will be partially or fully ready to move to the Crimea if an IT park is built there that provides additional services.
After that, we began to interview the target audience of the project: our IT colleagues from different cities, mainly Tomsk and Novosibirsk. Among the respondents were directors of large Tomsk companies, and familiar freelancers.
For 2 weeks, we interviewed more than a hundred people. It turned out that the overwhelming majority thought or regularly think about a possible move, and the answers in most cases are not just “yes”, but “definitely yes.” It was also noted that in the city (on the example of Tomsk) there is a problem of professional growth, in connection with which experts move to Moscow, St. Petersburg and abroad. It turns out that the city becomes a “transit point”, which is not considered as the final place of residence.
The overwhelming majority of respondents are holding back from two factors - business or work at the current place and people (family, parents, friends).
Findings from interviews
Many people were very enthusiastic about such an idea and would be ready to move if everything was ready and working. The fact that many are already considering moving to the Crimea for permanent or temporary residence speaks in favor of our idea: people talk about it, think whole teams, create topics in forums and in communities.
The results of the interview confirmed our hypotheses, and it was decided to proceed to the next stage: the creation of a prototype . What could be the prototype of a real object? We decided to make a landing business card and present it to our target audience in order to test the reaction of people to our vision of the project.
The first public presentation of the project took place on May 23 in Tomsk Hackday.
After we studied the opinion of the target audience and confirmed its interest, it is time to test our idea on a wider public. Timeline of the first stage looked like this:
In the next posts we will talk about new stages of development, about how they gave the largest Russian startup conference to drink, and about our adventures in the Crimea. Follow the updates and, as they say in our team, all the "Sloboda" !
While working on long winter evenings in Tomsk, my colleagues and I occasionally thought about temporarily leaving to work in warmer latitudes. Every time we ran into the same problems: far from home, the need to obtain a visa and organize a workplace with high-speed Internet, a culture alien to the Russian person. Gradually, in discussions, an image of the place where we ourselves would like to work and grow professionally has been formed. Among the most important requirements are a good climate, a Russian-speaking population, beautiful nature, and the opportunity to take part in a rich educational and entertainment program.
We are out of politics, but when Crimea became a part of Russia, we thought: no matter how we feel about this, we cannot change anything, but we can use it. In all respects, Crimea is a great place to implement our idea. The problem was that we didn’t have so many resources, and we wouldn’t draw a full-scale IT-park. Saved the experience of Internet startups: we thought, why not approach the idea of ​​creating an IT park as an idea for a startup?
')
- First, the formulation of hypotheses, interviews with potential customers, identifying their problems;
- then creating a prototype that can be shown to people;
- after that - the creation of MVP, to assess the interest in this topic;
- and then check out the business model and attract further investment.
So, the team went to work.
The most difficult step was to determine the code name of the project. After stormy and lengthy discussions, the choice fell on the word "Sloboda". After all, since ancient times it was called a place where people of the same profession and the same views gathered to work together.
Then we identified the basic problem ...
There is no place in Russia that would combine an active business IT environment, a comfortable climate, affordable infrastructure and modern conditions for work and life.
... and formulated a possible solution
Construction of an IT park in the Crimea with the aim of providing comfortable conditions for living and working.
The hypothesis was as follows: IT companies will be partially or fully ready to move to the Crimea if an IT park is built there that provides additional services.
Then they decomposed the problems and defined the second level hypotheses:
Problems :
1. Unsatisfactory climatic and environmental conditions in the current place of residence.
2. The passivity of the business environment in the current place of residence.
3. Poor infrastructure in the current place of residence.
Hypotheses :
1. Current climatic and environmental conditions do not satisfy our Central Asian.
2. The current activity of the business environment does not satisfy our target audience.
3. Current infrastructure does not satisfy our target audience.
4. Companies will be willing to pay for their specialists to work in the Sloboda.
1. Unsatisfactory climatic and environmental conditions in the current place of residence.
2. The passivity of the business environment in the current place of residence.
3. Poor infrastructure in the current place of residence.
Hypotheses :
1. Current climatic and environmental conditions do not satisfy our Central Asian.
2. The current activity of the business environment does not satisfy our target audience.
3. Current infrastructure does not satisfy our target audience.
4. Companies will be willing to pay for their specialists to work in the Sloboda.
After that, we began to interview the target audience of the project: our IT colleagues from different cities, mainly Tomsk and Novosibirsk. Among the respondents were directors of large Tomsk companies, and familiar freelancers.
Did you have a desire to move?
Yes - 80 %
No - 12.5%
I do not know - 7.5%
For 2 weeks, we interviewed more than a hundred people. It turned out that the overwhelming majority thought or regularly think about a possible move, and the answers in most cases are not just “yes”, but “definitely yes.” It was also noted that in the city (on the example of Tomsk) there is a problem of professional growth, in connection with which experts move to Moscow, St. Petersburg and abroad. It turns out that the city becomes a “transit point”, which is not considered as the final place of residence.
What you do not like the current place?
Not satisfied:
- Climate - ( 52 %)
- Infrastructure, logistics - ( 37 %)
- Weak development opportunities and low business activity - ( 25 %)
- Poverty leisure, shopping - (15%)
- Search for new sensations - (15%)
- Lack of personnel - (7%)
- Political situation, security - (12%)
- Other - 9 (22%)
Everything suits - (12%)
The overwhelming majority of respondents are holding back from two factors - business or work at the current place and people (family, parents, friends).
Where would you rather live, in Russia or abroad?
In Russia - 40%
Abroad - 35%
Undecided 25%
Findings from interviews
- Current climatic and environmental conditions do not satisfy our target center: 100% confirmed.
- The current activity of the business environment does not satisfy our target audience: it was partially confirmed (those who were in California clearly spoke of the need; others did not always)
- Current infrastructure does not satisfy our target audience: 95% confirmed
- The need for more comfortable conditions for the life and development of children: revealed
- The need for more comfortable conditions for the life of parents: revealed
Many people were very enthusiastic about such an idea and would be ready to move if everything was ready and working. The fact that many are already considering moving to the Crimea for permanent or temporary residence speaks in favor of our idea: people talk about it, think whole teams, create topics in forums and in communities.
The results of the interview confirmed our hypotheses, and it was decided to proceed to the next stage: the creation of a prototype . What could be the prototype of a real object? We decided to make a landing business card and present it to our target audience in order to test the reaction of people to our vision of the project.
The first public presentation of the project took place on May 23 in Tomsk Hackday.
After we studied the opinion of the target audience and confirmed its interest, it is time to test our idea on a wider public. Timeline of the first stage looked like this:
In the next posts we will talk about new stages of development, about how they gave the largest Russian startup conference to drink, and about our adventures in the Crimea. Follow the updates and, as they say in our team, all the "Sloboda" !
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/232205/
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