Made in Morocco: 4 Benefits of a TechSpace
This past year I understood one fundamental principle. “It takes one to know one.” In my case,It takes a technologist to create a hackerspace, the same as it takes a digital nomad to create a nomadic working space… The true benefit of being both is that you had the unique position to cater to both needs of remote working on technical projects. Hooray! to the 21st century!
Let me tell you how the journey unfolded this 2016. In the early days of TechVerse.xyz, we had one single urging need, and that is “to be our quirky selves in a working space for pure creative freedom in business.” This need, to our surprise, was shared by others as well. Techies of Rabat starting swirming in to the space, to express themselves, to showcase their DIYs, source code, whatever it is worth sharing with our niche Moroccan tech community. It took us roughly 4 months to know that we are a space of co-working, co-learning, and co-innovating. The journey was a beautiful challenge between our identity crisis and the emergence of a strong tech community around the word “TechVerse”. Below are the lessons I learnt with our partner tech-companies: Derb.io and Airmote.
- A Flux of Technological Advancement
Derb.io, MAIMC, and Airmote all have somethings in common. They are agile, unorthodox, innovative, lean and flexible. The goal is clear for each entity, and that is to be the best version of themselves. If you visit here sometime, you shall see that each person is busy upgrading either themselves, the product, or the service. The need to be physically near each other was a big bonus for our individual career investment. Airmote, being an iot — inclined tech company, touched all aspects of software, firmware, and hardware fields. Derb.IO, being an e-commerce/R&D hardware company, was catering the need of anything regarding prototyping products and firmware systems. MAIMC, on the other hand, is a young Artificial Intelligence and Medical Technology Association, which focuses on disrupting the medical field and advancing the awareness of the new age of AI in our technologies, especially in Medical Services. It is very important, therefore, to have key professionals on a short distance. As a freelancer,or an entrepreneur in the tech industry, you will need to have a direct access to such flux. I think, by far, TechVerse.xyz has it.
2. A Concentrated Learning Hub
All the three entities which made this possible had, again, one more thing in common. And that is, they do give back to the community. Even before the space was established, these 3 entities were actively conducting tech events in Rabat and Casablanca. Sometimes as radical as coffee shops or a Staircase. The goal was clear, “you know something worth sharing, then just go and share it.” This became a concentrated learning hub, amounting to roughly 34 tech-oriented events since April 14th 2016. Phew! that was a lot! Trust me, we enjoyed every single bit. If you are that type of a techie who likes to share, collaborate and contribute with others, then Download our app in Play store to stay in track of our workshops.
3. Rapid Prototyping
We have this rule to the members of TechVerse: “Make sure you have a side project that you work on every Friday afternoon.” I, personally, choose to test some of my ideas on medical software, and sometimes when I’m just too nocturnal to leave TechVerse early, I venture upon mHealth Android-Arduino projects. This movement to “#LearnByDoing, #JustMakeIt”, attracted the best awesome geeks (yes! Geeks are the new black.) out there who have rather interesting knack of Techy things. Some are 3DPrinting, 3DModelling, while others are figuring out Android Studio, and the list keeps going. I, particularly, hate CATIA. I have some serious anger issues with this software, but yet, I know its potential in 3D printed Prosthetics. I simply look sideways, and see someone drawing in CATIA with utmost mastery. Phew! Delegating something just became easier!
4. Coworking with like-minded Professionals
Tech-hubs around the world is merely a mindset. The people behind such places are the ones that make that 4-walled space a tech-haven. We came together, because we needed each other. That need of constant improvement tied us up into an establishment capable in helping others amount to their best potential as well. This space caters the founders’ needs which is perfect for the early birds and the nightowls (like myself). That’s it, all you need is a fibre-connection and a damn good coffee to get stuff done!
We are binded by this philosophy of “Let’s push the Moroccan Tech Forward, starting by ourselves and #GoBeyond.”
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