Welcome to Introu
Tags: Coworking, Apps, Launch, London, Freelancing

It’s finally here…

Welcome to Introu. The platform that puts freelancers straight into the hottest co-working spaces on the market, all for free. That’s correct. Through our platform, we give freelancers free access to a co-working space all through paying with their skills and services. With Introu, everyone wins. Freelancers get a sleek co-working space and opportunities to network, socialise and generate leads. Businesses get high-quality freelancing services, such as web design, copywriting or social media management, for free to accelerate their projects and boost their brand. Meanwhile, a co-working space can turn vacant office space into direct value for themselves.

As the co-founders of Introu, we can’t wait to show you around our platform.

Hustlers from the start

The idea of Introu first struck us after we launched our own, boutique co-working space in King’s Cross. We were strapped for cash, needed services and skills to boost our brand and had vacant, valuable office space to give away. We quickly realised there must be a way to use the latter to fund the former, giving talented freelancers a productive place to work in exchange for their skills.

However, as hustlers that have been in the real estate game since leaving school, the journey towards these initial ideas had started long before that.

James

“My first foray into real estate was straight out of secondary school, where I got my first job at a boutique commercial agency specialising in office sales, purchases and development consultancy. I saw the industry from both sides, working with landlords and tenants and managed to pick up a variety of records and achievements along the way. I then decided to try my hand real estate acquisition myself, building up a portfolio of commercial and residential properties to manage.”

Greg

“After serving time as a combat paratrooper for the Israeli Special Defence Forces, like James, I eventually found my feet in real estate. I initially worked for a real estate investment agency, all whilst studying for a BSc degree in real estate by night. I always wanted to use technology to push the boundaries of the industry. I set up my first app; Kikmoov, that connected businesses with London workspaces and realised a potential gap in the market for freelancers.”

Partners

We collated all of our experience in the industry to set up our first co-working space together in July 2019; AW Offices. Our King’s Cross based office played host to businesses large and small and freelancers alike. We soon realised the power of collaboration and how vacant office space could be easily exchanged for skills and services. As a result, the initial ideas behind Introu were born. We soon got to work on a disruptive, game-changing freelancer focused real estate platform.

So, how does the thing actually work?

The goal of Introu is simple. We provide a solution that everyone gains from; the freelancer, businesses and the co-working space. A freelancer gives away some time each week and in return, they get a free membership to a snazzy co-working space. As co-founders of a co-working space ourselves, we know that a co-working membership is so much more than a desk and WiFi connection. A free co-working membership gifts a freelancer a productive, stimulating environment to work within, surrounded by exciting businesses and potential clients. It certainly beats a noisy coffee shop.

The hours that a freelancer gives in return for this membership are put towards meetings with exciting companies that also call the co-working space their home. What may start as initial free meetings can easily turn into consistent paid work for a freelancer, creating a sustainable income and fruitful clientele.

For the freelancer

As a freelancer, Introu allows you to turn the couch or the coffee shop into a desk at a co-working space. This small change of working environment plunges freelancers into an office where they are surrounded by businesses, entrepreneurs and potential clients. Lead generation and a sustainable client base can be hard to come by when working from home. Therefore, by gaining free access to a co-working space, a freelancer has all the tools to reach out, network and build up income.

Working from a stimulating, inspiring environment does wonders for productivity, creativity and mental health, in a way that working from home simply cannot compete with. Whether it’s after work, Friday drinks or morning gym sessions, working out of a co-working space makes you feel and work at your best, defeating potential loneliness and gaining structure to the working week.

For the business

More and more businesses, large and small, are making the choice to move into co-working spaces to make the most of enhanced networking, shared resources and great locations. What if they also had a pool of talented freelancers providing free services?

Introu allows these many businesses to obtain a certain amount of skills and services for free. Such services allow for boosts in marketing and company growth at a minimal cost. When looking online or through referrals for freelancers, talent sourcing can be difficult and risky. Introu puts freelancers directly in a co-working space, making sure that businesses can get to know and trust the freelancers that they are working with, minimising risk and maximising successful ongoing relationships.

For the co-working space

Introu turns an existing problem for freelancers into a golden opportunity for co-working spaces. The figures suggest that freelancers are spending a billion hours a week working out of coffee shops or their homes. By acquiring them as members, initially for free through Introu, a co-working space can help them grow, build contacts and blossom into paying members with the necessary capital to do so. This boost in members only adds to the vibe and buzz of a co-working space. Increased foot flow, chatter and community creates a positive, productive atmosphere that will only attract even more prospective members.

We know first-hand how important value and care is to a co-working brand. By signing up with Introu, a co-working space can offer a selection of free skills and services to its tenants, helping it to increase retention rates and stand out in a crowded market.

We’re not far at all from drawing back the curtains on Introu, unveiling it to the growing number of freelancers and solopreneurs on the scene. We are already partnered with a range of independent co-working providers and will be launching with The Boutique Workplace Company and their 35 hot London locations, as our anchor partner. There are desks, sofas and free coffee ready and waiting.

We see our platform as a part of the exciting future of freelancing. With one billion freelancers forecasted by 2035, housing them in the most productive environment, surrounded by potential clients has never been more important. Our initial traction has been fantastic. Now it’s time to make it big. Welcome to Introu.