Visiting Mumabi and making a presnetation about coworking.
On our second trip to India, we had the pleasure of celebrating International Coworking Day at Ministry of New in Mumbai. This time, we enhanced our presentation with insights from over 300 coworking spaces we’ve explored globally, an update from our previous session on coworking spaces we had in New York with the Circular Economy Group.
Technically, it was our third visit to India, having toured Delhi a month earlier. Between visits, we explored coworking spaces in Bangkok, Japan, and Malaysia, making this the second leg of our journey in the country. While organizing the trip we were in touch with Marlies Bloemendaal, the founder of Ministry of New, to present our travel experiences at an event she was organizing for her extended community. Revisiting the space was something we looked forward to, as its vibe, atmosphere, and community had left a lasting impression on us during our first coworking visit in 2017.
| Story time | at Ministry of New |
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Photos by Ministry Of New
Ministry of New, a trailblazer in Mumbai’s coworking scene, was founded in 2013 by Marlies Bloemendaal. The space is situated in an old brick building in the neborhood of Fort, once used as a bank, now turned into a creative, multifunctional premise that Forbes recognized as the world’s second most beautiful coworking space. Spanning 800sq/m, it features open work areas, private offices, and a café-event space mix-space. The space itself cultivates a diverse and vibrant community, enriched by interdisciplinary events and activities that foster connections among local and international members. To summarize it, Ministry of New is more than just a workspace; it’s a hub for networking and collaboration, celebrated for its beautiful interior design and dynamic community.
Around the World of coworking event at Ministry of New Mumbai. Photo by Dimitar Inchev
Update: Now you can read the full story of this beautiful space on page 230 of our book “Around the World in 250 Coworking Spaces”.
With this presentation and community Q&A, our journey, marked by encounters with diverse coworking spaces, cities, and cultures, now had its special chapter in Mumbai. Reconnecting with the team at Ministry of New and its vibrant community to share our collection of travel and coworking stories was a special and unique experience. During our presentation we guided attendees through a condensed exploration of the coworking evolution, the transformation of workspace culture, and the expanding role of coworking spaces in shaping the future of work. Our stories, gathered from various corners of the globe, struck a chord with the audience. For instance, Darshan, a product designer and an internet friend we initially connected with via StartupBerlin.co, and later met in person in Mumbai, was intrigued by our stories about startup focused spaces. So much so, that his keen interest in Berlin’s coworking and startup ecosystem led him to relocate there later, exemplifying the impact of cross-cultural exchanges. Similarly, our visits to rural coworking spaces made for digital nomads and remote workers, like Morino Office in Japan, resonated with those seeking a blend of nature, travel and work.
Full house at Ministry of New
Sharing these global stories transformed the event into a virtual journey, inviting the audience to travel the world with us through the lens of coworking spaces. These storytelling sessions not only allow us to revisit cherished moments but also push us to be mini- ambassadors for these communities, creating a common understanding and fostering a global network of knowledge sharing via the stories of each workspace.
To see more photos and a recap from Ministry of New, visit their post about the event.
Around Mumbai
India is a vast and beautiful country, but its most enchanting aspect is its people. During our travels there, we met hundreds of incredible individuals and feel deeply grateful for their willingness to share about their communities with us. At the Ministry of New we had chance to spend more time with the community and gain a deeper understanding of everyday life in Mumbai—a city to which we definitely want to return. Given the city’s vibrant culture, it wouldn’t be surprising if the number of coworking spaces has tripled by now. Until our next adventure, thank you for following our blog and stay tuned.
Interested to follow up how the book evolves? Follow us for updates on Linkedin/Coworkies OR Instagram/Coworkies.
