Space4

Islington

Space4 is a co-working space for social enterprises and worker co-operatives in the digital tech sector.

Space4

Space4 is a co-working and events space that aims to support digital and tech start-ups, as well as co-operatives, small charities, freelancers and businesses using technology to make the world a fairer place. The space was opened in August 2017 by Outlandish, a worker-owned co-operative digital agency who invest their profits in social change. The aim was to create a “tech for good” workspace to boost employment and enhance Islington’s digital sector, while ensuring profits are retained in the local economy.

In 2019, Islington Council awarded Outlandish a new building to continue doing their work to help independent businesses. The idea is that co-ops will stay in Space4 for as long as it takes for them to grow and become independent, before moving out and making space for the new wave of digital workers interested in making social change. Space4 also hosts evening events and lunches for people to get to know each other, swap ideas, share skills and invite others in.

Outlandish founder Harry Robbins told Islington Gazette: “We all feel technology is an area with amazing potential to change the world. Unfortunately, it’s often the big companies which benefit from it.

“But there are a lot of real world problems and technology is out there to make people’s lives much better. We would rather developers spend their time on this. That’s our driving force.”

When coronavirus struck, Space4 moved its skills training and workshops online. This meant that as well as staying in touch with its existing community, it could also bring in a new audience from further afield.

Outlandish worked with another resident co-op, Jarrow Insights, to create a series of videos and webinars to support local independent businesses to start using digital tools to sell and market their goods and services online. The work was commissioned by Islington Council and shows how councils can invest to support local business resilience.