Territorializing the SDGs… or how to make it easier for SMEs and entrepreneurs

ods programme SMEs and freelancers genion alicante

You will already know that the Valencian Community is the fourth in the country in terms of the number of SMEs… they are the great generators of employment! Many of them, moreover, want to move towards more social and nature-friendly approaches, but are there simple roadmaps and the necessary support to deal with this?

👉Bringing the SDGs to the ground, how?

Spain’s Entrepreneurial Nation Strategy already considers innovative entrepreneurship as an “icebreaker” for a new model of country. At Genion, we have been trying for many years to generate alliances and entrepreneurial networks that transform the territories. Always in community and committed to people and the planet.

Thanks to Transformacionales we are now focusing on small and medium-sized companies, the self-employed and Valencian entrepreneurship projects to accelerate the possibility of incorporating the principles of the 2030 Agenda and take action. The aim is to create very simple roadmaps so that they become part of their business activities.

👉 Transformacionales Objectives

We started in 2020 with training programmes to raise awareness of the SDGs, followed in 2021 with a Podcast dedicated to those people and companies who were already transforming the world; now, in 2022 and 2023, we too are taking action!

Aligned with the country’s challenges, already prioritised in the Sustainable Development Strategy, we intensify actions in the territory, create agile tools to generate accessible and simple roadmaps and connect people, companies and public and private institutions to create real support networks to accelerate the Goals to 2030…

To summarise, the objectives of Transformacionales in 22/23 are:

  • Accelerate the territorialisation of the SDGs in the Vinalopó region through participatory work [through what we call Laboratories] and multi-stakeholder alliances.
  • Facilitate networked agile tools that show simple roadmaps towards the 2030 Agenda for entrepreneurs and SMEs [we are already designing a chatbot].
  • Create work networks that drive the connection and generation of initiatives to implement and accelerate the Goals to 2030 [this Transformacionales network will be present in an online platform where we will connect around 400 people, companies and institutions committed to the acceleration and territorialisation of the SDGs].

✅ You and your company can join the Transformacionales network

We are talking about focusing all our attention on entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises. Even more so on women entrepreneurs and businesswomen, recognising and making them visible as agents of change and economic development, and promoting measures to overcome the barriers they encounter throughout the entrepreneurial process.

And we also talk about generating quality employment but also a just ecological transition, a transformation of the consumption and production model; we talk about innovation, gender equality… we talk about creating good companies for the world.

There is a network that, here in the Valencian Community, is led by the Genion cooperative and which brings together all those people and institutions, both public and private, with a desire to create good companies for the world. It is called La Network and if, throughout this post, you have felt aligned with our proposal [if you want to create a simple roadmap for your business, enjoy agile tools to guide you, create new local alliances to move forward…] you can belong to it by applying HERE 😉.

“All people and all efforts to ensure the sustainability of life and the planet”.

ImpulsaCultura Proyecta: 3rd Edition of a mega-programme based on cultural entrepreneurship

ImpulsaCultura Proyecta: 3rd Edition of a megaprogram based on cultural entrepreneurship.

Does the expression l’art pour l’artsound familiar to you?

It’s a very beautiful motto, but unfortunately, not very practical.

And no, we haven’t become pessimistic (you know us, that’s impossible, resilience, anyone?).

We are simply aware of how tough it is to pursue any creative endeavor and not be able to continue or have to give up your passion forever due to lack of financial stability.

Fortunately, at GENION, we firmly believe that it is indeed possible to make a living from art, and we strongly advocate for culture to hold a prominent place in our society.

But, how?

Well, with a good business plan, guidance, and mentoring + the support of a strong community..

Just the pillars on which the III Edition of ImpulsaCultura Proyecta is based.

Keep on reading, we are excited for you to learn more about this program. 😉

👉 What is ImpulsaCultura Proyecta? The 3rd edition of a program focused on cultural entrepreneurship.

Let’s start from the beginning.

ImpulsaCultura Proyecta is the incubator for projects in the Creative and Cultural Industries of Alicante.

You might be wondering, what are these industries?

Well, according to UNESCO, they would include:

“Those organized sectors of activity whose primary purpose is the production or reproduction, promotion, dissemination, and/or commercialization of goods, services, and activities of cultural, artistic, or heritage content.”

In other words:

  • Culture and Science.
  • Advertising and Communication.
  • Cultural Tourism.
  • Design Crafts/Visual Arts.
  • Visual and Plastic Arts.
  • Literature – Comics.
  • Audiovisuals, Film, and Photography.
  • Video Games.
  • Performing Arts and Circus.
  • Cultural Heritage.
  • Popular Culture.
  • Music.

These cultural sectors will have their space in this edition of the program.

👉 Methodology of the ImpulsaCultura Proyecta program

At this point, you already know that we love rock and roll and also believe in pursuing exciting goals.

And now we are aiming to achieve a cultural district, with the support of Europe, which promotes the regeneration of these areas through strategies and actions focused on economic growth, tourism, and culture.

Above all, we are working towards the creation of a cohesive, trained, and supported cultural and creative community that can enhance the knowledge and skills needed to make their products and services profitable through the most innovative methodologies in the world.

Now, with technology at the service of people, we take a step further: integrating the cultural and creative community into the neighborhood to become the necessary catalyst, an authentic driver of economic recovery.

Sounds better than good, right?

Culture as a fundamental strategic axis for the city’s development.

✅ 1. The 3T's: talent + technology + tolerance

With such a goal in mind, it is only natural that we believe more than ever in the power of the 3 T’s of economic development:

  • Talent: entrepreneurial and creative talent from the Proyecta community that will grow in number, skills, and improve their ability to lead cultural projects.
  • Technology: that will connect, in a permanent and networked way, all those individuals and institutions (public and private) who want to design the change by forging the necessary alliances to achieve it.
  • Tolerance: to rethink the Hub and strengthen a sustainable, diverse, dynamic, inclusive, respectful cultural territory, the result of collective reflection.

Basic principles that will be the driving force of this program. We will engrave them in our hearts for each of the actions.

✅ 2. Itinerary: learning, mentoring, and entrepreneurship

A program like this, aimed at boosting culture and transforming creative ideas into stable businesses must always care for and support the community participating in the Incubator.

In that sense, the itinerary to follow will be:

  • Training: training sessions to implement an effective business model, with a good dose of agile methodologies, to turn their creative passion into a stable idea. Yes, and make a living from art.
  • Mentoring and support: to delve deeper into that business plan, guiding participants in each phase of the process and providing advice at all times. With experts from different areas such as business management, project management, branding design, cultural entrepreneurship, European funding, etc.
  • Networking: consolidating a strong community of cultural entrepreneurs who support each other and create powerful synergies to keep growing infinitely and beyond. Additionally, with continuous support from the La Network platform, the virtual community where Projects and workgroups can be created to keep progressing. Moreover, in this edition, the Proyecta Marketplace will be available to facilitate sales and projection opportunities for each participant (impulsaculturaproyecta.com) will greatly facilitate the sales and projection options for each participant.
  • Social Innovation: laboratories, workshops, and other collaborative dynamics to co-create the reality of the future cultural Hub of the city through the participation of the Proyecta community itself.

As you can see, it is an ongoing process, constantly evolving, where we will be by your side, hand in hand, supporting you in whatever you need and pushing you to take the leap (yes, we’ll also put the safety net below to give you greater confidence).

👉 Novelties of the III Edition of ImpulsaCultura Proyecta

We come with a backpack full of learnings from the two previous editions of the program.

Now we are wiser individuals and we are expanding the expert network.

Also, with enormous travel companions, capable of bringing out the best in cultural entrepreneurs (a big applause for Gente Comunicación and La Creatura).

That’s why, in this edition, we wanted to add some very important novelties.

✅ 1. Projects incubator

One of the standout novelties is the revamped training workshops.

The team will accompany entrepreneurial individuals to improve their skills and knowledge throughout the process.

They will have access to the necessary training and individual mentoring to successfully embark on the journey of turning their creativity into a real and viable project.

In this Incubator, topics such as creating a foundational idea for the entrepreneurial project, communication and marketing, European cultural and creative funding opportunities, etc., will be addressed.

Constant learning, while you develop your idea and enhance your creativity.

✅ 2. Market Place

Another remarkable novelty of this edition is the creation and enhancement of a Market Place.

Entrepreneurs will have at their disposal a digital showcase to promote the commercialization of their cultural creations, products, or services online 24/7.

A window to the world for the participants of the ImpulsaCultura Proyecta community.

✅ 3. Bohemian Cultural District

New areas of innovation and creativity will be incorporated for urban dynamism aimed at projects from the creative and cultural community of the city.

How?

Through various actions to showcase creative works, regenerate areas through art, or revitalize activities in neighborhoods through events… the goal is to begin programming innovative experiences led by the Proyecta community.

✅ 4. Demo Days

Periodically, events will take place to present the projects to the public.

And that is the best loudspeaker to make oneself known and gain greater visibility, as well as to test a product or service.

✅ 5. La Network

You already know La Network and its virtues very well (here is a post where we explain in detail its operation.).

That’s why we want the participants of this edition of the program to be part of this network as well. This time, it will be an exclusively cultural and creative technological platform: Proyecta’s Network!

This will consolidate a creative and cultural community in Alicante through a powerful online network where you can establish synergies, develop projects and collaborations, and engage in networking permanently.

👉 Live off your art, boost culture, project your ideas

As you can see, the ImpulsaCultura Proyecta program is an opportunity for all those creative individuals, art promoters, who see culture as a means of innovation and social improvement.

People who are willing to bet on their passion and turn it into stable long-term ideas.

Here you have all the information about the program: impulsaculturaproyecta.com 

And besides, you can listen to this fantastic podcast that we’ve put together, discussing the features of this amazing program: PODCAST IMPULSACULTURA.

In short, this program offers the necessary tools to achieve a livelihood through art, with the learning, support, and backing of a strong community, a network of cultural entrepreneurship in Alicante.

Because without culture, the future does not exist.

Do you join in? 😁👍

The power of community: Entrepreneurial and transformative tribes

The power of Community: Entrepreneurial and transformative tribes

“Individually, we are a drop. Together, we are an ocean.”

Nice phrase, isn’t it?

One of those for a t-shirt. A motto. The kind that says a lot with just a few words.

Even though this quote is not ours (it’s from Ryunosuke Satoro, a Japanese writer), equally powerful ideas emerge every day in the communities we manage.

In fact, similar phrases could adorn the walls of any of our coworking spaces, and it would make perfect sense.

You see, that’s the foundation on which we constantly work: when we come together, we are much more capable.

We carry this entrepreneurial spirit in our hearts.

It’s become such a significant aspect that we no longer talk about teams or groups, but about tribes.

Tribes! We absolutely love the concept!

It perfectly defines the feeling that arises in these entrepreneurial communities that transform territories.

We are so thrilled about this topic that we intentionally created this post to explain why these tribes are so essential to our team.

Ready to take a step towards the future? Well, here we go.

👉 Tribes that venture, communities that transform

When the word “tribe” is mentioned, several things can come to mind.

  • First: people might start imagining a Mad Max-like world, with clothes made of leather patches and car tires, and Tina Turner singing under the thunder dome.
  • Second: they might think of aboriginals going about their daily activities.

  • Third (ours): it automatically creates a sense of belonging for the individuals who are part of the entrepreneurial communities we manage.

And if we get into the details, the definition of the word “tribe” refers to “a social group or association made up of a set of people who share customs, beliefs, and a common goal.”

A perfect description that fits the people who work and thrive within these communities like a fish in water.

All with the same vision: to transform.

✅ 1. Coworking spaces are the container; the power lies within the people

That’s right.

Beyond managing coworking spaces, our focus is on people. On the idea of bringing together wonderful minds with talent and good intentions, and with the common goal of growing and improving the environment.

If you notice, it’s a very tribal way of thinking.

People with common interests and affinity, in a place where they feel comfortable. But above all, where they can grow personally and develop professionally.

In this way, coworking and communities are two parts of a whole. Two sides of the same coin, if you prefer.

To such an extent, this association has led us to coin names for each of the tribes according to their coworking space:

  • Hubitantes in Hubitat Mutxamel.
  • Teixidors in Teixidor de Petrer.

Okay, it’s true that we are still working on it, that’s why they were left out of that list of spectacular names – Genion Lab.

But don’t worry. We already have an initiative in La Network to find a suitable name.

Long live technology!

✅ 2. Tribes with a purpose of transformative change

We emphasize a lot that these communities have a transformative power.

We are specifically referring to the potential for improvement in the territory where they are located.

And this is because their actions not only enrich the area by creating a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem but also mobilize all the people and institutions involved in local development.

They are like a heart that pumps oxygen into the entire territory.

Moreover, a large part of these tribes is associated with various training programs that have been extended over time, such as “PetrerEmprende.”

This program has already had 5 editions and has built an entire community from the first to the last edition, consisting of entrepreneurial individuals with fantastic and powerful projects.

Lastly, but not least, it is important to highlight the economic, social, and environmental impact that entrepreneurial communities generate.

An impact that stays here, in our territory, improving it, giving it life, energy, and possibilities.

👉 The Network: the digital nexus of all entrepreneurial communities

You probably already know about La Network.

If you are a coworker at any of the workspaces we manage or have participated in any of Genion’s entrepreneurship programs, you might have had the chance to explore it and even joined several Initiatives alongside other entrepreneurs.

And indeed, La Network is more than just an app or a digital platform. It’s a meeting place and co-creation hub for all those tribes we mentioned earlier.

Everything we have seen so far has its digital counterpart here.

But it also allows:

  • Initiating projects with continuous monitoring.
  • Organizing tasks and sharing documentation.
  • Creating agile workspaces alongside other people.
  • Engaging in conversations about cool topics with like-minded individuals.
  • Connecting with those people and institutions you never seem to reach.

That’s right, here the focus is the same: to support and grow committed entrepreneurial communities.

Communities initially associated with coworking spaces but now also have a virtual reflection in La Network.

This platform was created because during the pandemic, we refused to stop working close to people.

No, not at all. There was no way we could abandon all the potential and talent of the people, no matter how challenging things were. (we talked about it in this post “Digitales y Verdes”). 

In the end, what mattered most was that all these tribes remained interconnected through this network of networks, where different communities are housed, coexist, converse, exchange opinions, and create shared projects.

👉 We keep moving forward, with the focus on communities and people

Eight years have passed since we started this journey. Eight years already! Time flies…

And during all this time, we have learned so much.

In fact, we have a saying within the team: one year of coworking is equivalent to seven years of a regular person’s experience.

Many things have happened to us, and we have also launched many initiatives.

And after all, right now, at this very moment, we are very clear that our passion lies in the creation and development of entrepreneurial communities.

We have seen what the power of a community of talented, creative, and enthusiastic people can achieve. It is an immense and transformative force that grows when they come together, connect, and start collaborative initiatives.

This is our journey, and fortunately, more and more people decide to join us.

They may not know yet where the journey will take them, but just for the personal and professional growth it entails, it is already worth it.

Meanwhile, in Genion, we will continue paddling so that these tribes grow and multiply, transforming the environment with them.

What do you say then, will you join the journey?

Manifesto 100% CO: A Matter of Values (and WOW moments)

Manifesto 100% CO: A Matter of Values (and WOW moments)

genion equipo

We won’t tire of repeating it: Coworking changed our lives.

As we mentioned below, discovering it was our first “WOW moment”. 

The second moment was discovering Cooperative work. 

Both have marked us. And, seeing the way things are, we can’t help but think that these two models are more necessary than ever today. 

In Genion, we are so certain about it that we focus all our efforts on showcasing their virtues, carrying this new spirit of facing things as our flag.

¡100% CO!

That is our motto. 😉 

And it is because we believe it is an effective and fair way to address social challenges (the ones we have always faced + the new ones that arise), and to give wings to those people with powerful projects who otherwise would not be able to carry them out. 

We have CO in our veins: COcreamos, COmpartimos, COnectamos, COlaboramos, COnfiamos y COOPeramos (“COcreate, COshare, COconnect, COoperate, COtrust, and COOPerate”).

We are so COnvinced and COmmitted that we have created a 100% CO MANIFESTO.

That’s how we are, we like to think big, with our feet on the ground but with ambition and enthusiasm (you know that in the mornings we have challenges for breakfast with our coffee). 

And above all, we love to share. 

That’s why we’ve prepared this post, where we want to show you our manifesto and, let’s be honest, try to pique your interest so you can join us on this journey. 

All set? Are you staying here? Well then, let’s begin. 

👉 The value of CO + COOP: a culture of participation + collaboration + community

Before diving into the 100% CO Manifesto, we want to emphasize the importance of Coworking + the renewed spirit of the Cooperative formula right now (and why both are the future).

Yes, we have already mentioned something above in the introduction, but it’s time to delve deeper. 

To provide context. 

Let’s roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty.

✅ 1. New challenges VS New cooperative models

If you pause for a moment and think about all the problems that arise around us, you’ll feel like the family from the movie ‘The Impossible’. 

As if a huge tsunami were about to swallow us all. 

The economy, the environment, the social fabric, employment, the cultural sphere… The list goes on.

And in the face of this, we have two options: either let the wave carry us away or react and think of solutions, involving all the people concerned.

In that sense, Coworking is redefining the ways of understanding work, and by extension, positively impacting society and facing its challenges.

Inspired by the culture of participation, collaboration, and community, coworkers are building a more sustainable future (that’s what we strive for day by day, it’s our great goal).

And the same happens with the new associated work cooperatives that are emerging.

In the end, it’s about bringing people, companies, and social actors together to create an economy of innovation and creativity, that focuses on the development of our communities. 

But to do it for real, not just in words. 

Setting up an economic engine based on collaborative community, unlike the (obsolete, old, and dysfunctional) economic system of the 19th and 20th centuries.

We are in the 21st century! Mondieu!

It’s time to learn how to innovate and apply that innovation effectively. 

✅ 2. Key Points: how we understand this CO + COOP universe

There is talent (anyone who says otherwise is lying).

We see it in our Coworking spaces every day. Powerful, transformative, inclusive, fair projects…

But that talent needs care and nurturing. A boost to connect with each other with trust, professionalism, and motivation.

And that’s what we do here, at Genion.

We approach Coworking and the Cooperative model with the same enthusiasm because we know they are two fundamental pieces.

The curious thing is that lately, we have begun to observe how Europe is embracing the formula of the Worker Cooperative for more resilient and democratic entrepreneurship.

Freedom, equality, participation, responsibility, work-life balance… are shared values with our longstanding Coworking philosophy.

And we don’t do it alone, never. This initiative that we started here [Co+Coop], this model, we are riding it together with our European neighbors.

We go together! 

And we are growing every day. ☺

✅ 3. Spoiler: there's only one small step between CO and COOP

You know that our first “WOW moment” was discovering Coworking, a system based on these values:

  • Collaboration instead of competition: competing while collaborating is also possible.
  • Community instead of agendas: we don’t need to look outside for what we have right beside us. 
  • Participate instead of just observing: being involved in others’ actions encourages you to be much more dynamic (a necessary trait for innovating, growing, and evolving). 
  • Act instead of just saying: actions last longer than words. 
  • Friendship instead of formality: daily interactions allow you to build alliances everywhere (and we know something about that, as we explained in this post, “Weaving Alliances”).
  • working in a flexible and open environment increases your ability to react. 
  • Learning instead of experts: here, we all have much to learn, that’s why our attitude is like sponges, we soak up knowledge from those around us. 
  • People instead of personalities: everyone should have their moment.

But then another “WOW moment” arrived, as we realized that worker cooperatives were based on these values:

  • Voluntary and open membership.
  • Democratic management by the members.
  • Economic participation of the members.
  • Autonomy and independence.
  • Education, training, and information. 
  • Cooperation. 
  • Interest in the community.

¡WOW!

What do you think? They are perfectly compatible!

Even more than compatible, they are complementary.

As you can see, we are facing a “values ecosystem” instead of a “values chain.” Both in CO and in COOP, values are placed above (and significantly above) competitiveness.

And the best part is that both models allow people who work with horizontalness, purpose, and the will to “do good” in our land/territory to do so with support and in a community.

genion CO

👉 So we take on the challenge: creating our own manifesto

After these two moments in which we realized the transformative potential of both models in the labor and social sphere, we decided to create our own manifesto (based on the  Manifiesto Coworking).

We’ve said it before, we have breakfast with challenges.

And to take on this challenge, in particular, we wanted to do it hand in hand with our colleagues from Impulso Cooperativo, who introduced us to the world of COOP and all its virtues (thanks, teammates!).

Based on this manifesto, right now we have a whole line of work 100% CO (with an extra dose of dreams projected in a new shared workspace, alongside stellar travel companions…) but that’s a topic for another post.

So, without further ado, below you’ll find our 100% CO Manifesto.

✅ Manifiesto 100% CO

It’s our style. We are the rockstars of the new COeconomy!

We’ve already redefined spaces and ways of working… Now we’re propelling our innovative and creative communities into the world!

The CO culture will build a better world and reshape the economy and society. 

We are active agents of change, the freelancers of the 21st century. 

We have the CO spirit in our veins: COcreate, COshare, COconnect, COoperate, COtrust, and COoperate.

We take care of our COmmunity. Nurturing its entrepreneurial spirit.

We have begun to observe how Europe is embracing the formula of the COoperative for more resilient and democratic entrepreneurship.

Freedom, equality, participation, responsibility, work-life balance… These are values shared with our COworking philosophy.

At Genion, we are CO and COOP.

And we were eager to share it!

genion diego

👉 We confess: we want to be your "WOW moment"

What do you think about our manifesto? We would love to hear your opinion in the comments.

And if you want, you can make it yours too. Of course!

It’s a statement of principles on which to base our journey, a journey that doesn’t make sense to do alone. On the contrary, the more of us there are, the better.

We know that many companies and freelancers of this century will fully identify with both COOP and CO values.

There’s a fantastic 100% CO world to explore, and we would love to have you on board.

We want to accompany you towards your “WOW moment.”

What do you say? Shall we continue moving forward? 😉

[Learnings from the pandemic II] Alliances for Growth (or weaving everywhere, as we say in Genion)

[Learnings from the pandemic II] Alliances for Growth (or weaving everywhere, as we say in Genion)

la network

Are you familiar with the saying that human beings are social animals?

I’m sure it is.

And we have heard it hundreds of times since confinement.

I say hundreds, thousands!

But it’s no less true for being repetitive, is it?

People need each other. Whether emotionally, personally or professionally. We are the threads with which society, our society, is woven.

Development and progress depend essentially on these ties, on what we manage to build in partnership.

Yes, we know we’re getting more serious than we should.

But that way of seeing the world, that passion for the CO world [collaborate, connect, co-create, cooperate, trust…] has ended up shaping the essence of Genion.

What we didn’t know was how important it was going to be to weave and maintain those partnerships during this pandemic.

Want to know what else we’ve learned in this (veeeeery) long process?

Here we go.

👉 We have realised one thing: we don't know how to grow alone

In fact, we neither know nor want to.

We enjoy taking from here and there. Learning from experts, good people who add value to our work, who make us better.

Well, we like to surround ourselves with the best of each house.

That is our approach: weaving alliances that help us build a better society.

Sounds ambitious?

It may be. But we are convinced that it is a possible goal, so we spend our days weaving, giving our all to achieve it.

And here’s a button to prove it:

A few years ago we decided that we were going to turn the coworking spaces where we work (and practically live) into real epicentres for generating alliances.

What did we want to achieve with this?

Very easy (or not, but we like challenges). To transform our land. To connect local talent. Empower them to lead change with the necessary support. To turn the area we impact into a more active, better and more supportive place.

No more, no less.

✅ 1. But such an important goal cannot be achieved alone.

It is impossible.

Long-term action for transformation and improvement requires the involvement of all stakeholders in our society.

We mean EVERYONE.

We never tire of repeating it. In order to have a positive impact on society, it is necessary to work together with:

  • Local governments, designing itineraries to generate entrepreneurial communities that transform cities and towns.
  • Provincial and regional governments, articulating tools to promote the development of the talent of our land.
  • Institutions and associations, together with which to tackle the great challenges of our future.
  • Universities, to transfer knowledge and innovation to the business and social environment.
  • Investors and committed financial institutions, promoting the projects that society needs.
  • Large companies, driving transformations and open innovation to incorporate it into their social responsibility.
  • SMEs, businesses, self-employed professionals… accompanying them in their search for opportunities and the future.
  • Media, to give local talent the visibility it deserves.
  • Coworking spaces, generating a large network of entrepreneurs.
  • Everybody…

For example, Genion is part of the Territorial Employment Pact of Vinalopó, actively participating in the design of the project that is currently connecting the most relevant social agents of the Middle and Upper Vinalopó related to Employment and highlighting local reference projects that serve as inspiration to the rest of the region.

We are also collaborator of the Distrito Digital of the GVA; our particular contribution to change the productive model of the Valencian Community towards the digital economy.

You will find us collaborating with universities and research centres in the province (University of Alicante, Master Deleite, UA and UMH Science Park, Alicante Open Future of Telefónica or CEEI Elche and Inescop), as a partner company of the Alicante Chamber of Commerce Club or the Vinalopó Territorial Employment Pact, as associates and promoters of projects in Jovempa, Adlypse, Fevecta, Inovare,  Proworkspaces o Coworking Spain, among others, or launching new local assistance challenges together with the Cruz Roja, Sense Barreres or Asprodis.

What do you think? Are you ready to review your goals and find company for your journey?

For our part, we promise to do our best to continue to be a nexus where all the actors involved in a positive transformation of society converge.

✅ 2. And let's not forget our best connection tool: La Network.

As you can see, our aim is to connect our coworking spaces (and our coworkers) with all kinds of key players and generate alliances.

A task that would be much more difficult if we didn’t have La Network.

You know, the platform through which we bring entrepreneurs closer to all those key institutions and entities.

This is where synergies shine the brightest, where alliances are woven the fastest and where projects of all kinds are set in motion.

That’s why it’s not crazy to say that La Network is the definitive space for generating a powerful and transformative network.

Now you understand why we spoil it so much and why we are always attentive to everything that is happening, dynamising and coordinating (just ask our colleague Elena Payá), don’t you?

Obviously, everything has room for improvement and this tool is no different.

But the more we work with it, the more we are in this community, the more the platform will grow and, therefore, the more effective it will become.

What? Not yet part of La Network? At the moment you can become a coworker at Genion Lab, Glub Center or Hubitat Mutxamel to access it. But, soon, you will be able to do it through new spaces and associations in the province of Alicante.

So don’t wait any longer! Here’s how to join this online community.

distrito digital petrer

👉 We have learned a lot, but we still have a long journey ahead of us.

We like people, you see. ☺

That’s why we started this journey, it’s our way of getting closer to people, making territory and improving our environment (and not only in person, but also online as we say in this post in which we declare ourselves more digital and green).

But with a focus on our beloved coworking spaces: GenionLab, Glub y Hubitat [#workandlive]

We continue to learn and move forward. Sometimes with longer steps, sometimes with shorter steps. But always walking.

Will you join us? 😉

😉

[Learnings from the pandemic] Digital & Green (Or how we’ve evolved since 2020)

[Learnings from the pandemic] Digital & Green (Or how we've evolved since 2020)

What a year 2020 has been, hasn’t it?

 

A global pandemic crept up on us, catching us all off guard and leaving us poker-faced.

 

“What do we do now?”

 

That was the question we asked the most, at least in the beginning.

 

 Luckily, we at Genion are used to challenges.

 

So, once we got over the shock (and realised that this wasn’t going to be like those zombie movies where you’d better have a larder full of tin cans) we rolled up our sleeves and got down to work.

 

We had to adapt to the new normal and give a twist to our work.

 

You know what they say, if life gives you lemons….

 

As it turned out, we learned a lot, even in the most difficult periods of 2020, and were able to implement an effective and productive strategy.

 

The pandemic could not stop us.

 

We underwent a transformation, yes, but for the better.

 

Want to know what we learned and how we adapted? Here we go.

 

👉 We have not changed, we have mutated: we are now "Digital & Green".

Yes, we know.

It’s been a year since we wrote the last post on our Blog (one year, mondieu!).

There are no excuses.

2020 came in through the big door and we dedicated ourselves to doing, so much so that we ran out of strength to count.

And counting what we do is important, because we do a lot of interesting things.

Actions:

  • Transformative.
  • Creative.
  • Activating.
  • Accompanying.
  • Community.
  • Project-related.
  • Etc.

That’s why we want this post to serve as the starting signal for a 2021 in which the Blog is going to go up in smoke.

In which we are going to tell you everything and we want to make you part of our journey.

An exciting journey.

Genion continues to be, in essence, a nexus of union to promote powerful initiatives, capable of having a positive impact.

That is why we say that we have not changed after the pandemic, but that we have mutated.

Why?

Because the way we approach our training programmes has evolved.

And also the management of our coworking spaces. Although (OMG) that is the subject of a separate post.

As well as the development of the online space La Network (you know, that space designed to bring the most creative and resilient entrepreneurial communities closer to the institutions that work to make our territory a better place, and which has us very much in love).

Wow, we’re promising a lot of quality content in the coming days. 😉

But let’s get our hands in the flour.

The real “mutation” has been to become more digital and greener.

We explain it below.

✅ 1. More digital

The confinement arrived in March 2020, and we were caught in the middle of the  Elda Avanza face-to-face programme.

A programme in which we accompanied 15 projects towards digital transformation.

How ironic, isn’t it?

Well, it was time to make lemonade out of those lemons that life gave us.

So we converted the programme into a totally digital format and we went from having 15 students to 100.

¡100! Which is an early word.

In the final networking, together with relevant companies and institutions of the territory (Distrito Digital GVA, Inescop, UNISA or Fempa, among others) we brought together nearly 200 people to talk about digitisation.

¡200!

It was an intense few months.

It was time to focus our training programmes on 3 basic pillars:

  1. Teleworking.
  2. Digitalisation.
  3. Innovation.

That’s when we decided to take action and think about what else we could do to improve the situation.

And then came the rest:

More than 500 people on the other side of the screen learning how to do everything differently. And our team there, taking hours out of the day.

As you can see, we learned to take even more advantage of the opportunities offered by the online model.

We managed to implement a way of working that, at another time, would have taken us much longer. And we did it because we had to act and adapt.

We couldn’t just sit back and wait for everything to be sorted out! That’s not for us.

So we became more efficient, more digital.

Genion – 1, Pandemic – 0.

genion confinamiento

✅ 2. Greener

It didn’t stop there. We learned another great lesson:

The planet that hosts us is much happier without us.

It may sound a bit harsh, but that’s the way it is. We are indebted to our home.

If we think about it, the countdown had actually started long before we realised it. Whether we as a population wanted to see it or not is another matter.

We, for our part, decided to take advantage of the “hiatus” that the world was taking to be more respectful of the earth (“with capital and small letters” as our Diego Tomás says).

It was time to reverse the damage.

With that in mind, in September 2020 we launched Transformacionales.

Our first programme entirely dedicated to responsible people and companies that want to partner with the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).

A programme, in short, dedicated to those who plan to lead companies:

  • Innovative.
  • Respectful.
  • Creative.
  • Curious
  • Optimistic.

With powerful ideas inspired by projects such as:

How we enjoy weaving alliances for change!

And we don’t stop: right now we are thinking about creating a digital Transformacional community in Alicante.

Would you like us to do it? 🤔

In short, we learned to value our planet, our earth, more. We learned to be greener.

Genion – 2, Pandemic – 0.

✅ 3. Jovempa Award

And wait for it… We also got an award!

The Federation of Associations of Young Entrepreneurs of the Province of Alicante (JOVEMPA) awarded the Jovempa 2020 Award for Young Entrepreneurial Talent in the Province of Alicante to our manager, Diego Tomás.

An award given for the management of collaborative workspaces and the promotion of innovative entrepreneurship programmes with a positive impact.

But, above all, for bringing public and private institutions closer to entrepreneurs (and vice versa) and for devising common initiatives to always grow in good company.

And the truth is that it feels good to have our work and our dedication valued.

It won’t go to our heads, but it does help us to keep giving 100% every day.

If you want, we encourage you to watch the moment when Diego receives the award (and gives a speech worthy of a movie). 👇👇👇

👉 This is Genion: we continue to network, to connect and to drive

That’s right.

We are still the same, but after all the learning from 2020, we may be a little better.

We have learned to be more sustainable and to know how to provide different solutions to the problems that arose (resilience in vein).

We have also learned to be more digital and to adapt with agility to new tools.

Ah! And with our coworking spaces always in our backpacks, making our life and work easier, filling our daily lives with positive experiences (here we explain in detail what coworking is for us).

And here we are, giving our all so that more and more people join us on this journey.


Will you join us too? 😉