Factory
Simon Schaefer has extensive experience in the startup ecosystem, serving as a member of the Advisory Board and the Continental Council at Allied For Startups since 2015. Schaefer co-authored the European Startup Nations Standard, aiming to enhance Innovation Driven Entrepreneurship in Europe. As the founder and CEO of Factory, a campus concept for startups in Berlin, Schaefer has facilitated collective learning and expansion across Europe. Additional roles include founding president of Startup Portugal and founder of the Startup Europe Summit, which connects various stakeholders to address policy challenges in the startup community. Schaefer also held a position on the Investment Committee of the 200M Co-Investment Fund and has held leadership roles in various companies including JMES Investments, MOTORVISION, Nortberlin.com, and R.Ø.S.A.
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Factory
Factory develops and operates offices for fast growing startups and technology companies. Their model focuses on clustering successful startups, international tech giants and young entrepreneurs in sizable office complexes to facilitate exchange, shared knowledge and provide the framework for serendipity to take place.The Factory conceptoriginated in Berlin in early 2012 as a response to the dire need for flexible contracts for office space from technology startups, doubling in size sometimes inside 12 months. Understanding the specific growth trends and needs for tech-focused firms, their spaces and rental contracts are designed to support the individual phases of their development.Beyond well designed, flexible office space, Factory’s cluster model creates proximity and allows like-minded companies to network, host events together and ultimately build meaningful partnerships and relationships with one another. The environment they strive for on their campuses is open and collaborative – where all parties are supporting each other along their growth trajectory.They have defined six elements at the core of the Factory model: Community, Technology, Events, Partnerships, Communication and Space.While it is intrinsic for the startup community to be open and share with one another, often other actors within society have difficulty in finding an inroad. Factory offers access by the established industry, academia and politicians through a physical manifestation of a city’s technology community.