By Kudzayi Zvinavashe
Ever looked up how cool Google offices are and lost yourself imagining how awesome it would working there? Well Magamba Network and its partners is set to go down in the books of history for opening a state of the art community hub, Moto Republik Creative Hub which is the first of its kind in the whole Southern African region.
The hub will be a co working space for budding and established artists, creative entrepreneurs, designers, innovators, and a first in Zimbabwe. Journalists, filmmakers, photographers, artists, and creatives usually share a lot in common. Functions of their careers co-exist with some even depending on one another’s career to advance, but they are very few platforms that allow these to meet often and Magamba Network has made such a platform available.
Moto Republik is coming into the market at a crucial time where the nation’s un-employment rate is gradually increasing and most people are resorting to the entrepreneurship with a hint of innovation as a way of life.
The hub is coming with very affordable and various packages for people to access the space with the lowest package starting at $15 and the highest costing $100 per month. Most of the packages will see members of the hub getting discounted rates at the café, conferencing, and other services the Hub has to offer.
These rates are quite competitive with the current tech hubs that have been around and being located in the Avenues area does away with the hustle of electricity and make the venue easy to access from the Central Business District. Moto Republik offers more than a co working space as they will have a café open to the public, a workshop space that can be made available for organisations that wish to use such facilities.
Munyaradzi ‘Bloggo’ Dodo, TV Yangu founder said, “I am excited. I think it is a demonstration of the power the creative industry has. It comes as a welcome alternative to the tech Hubs popping up in Harare and is absolutely critical especially after the closure of Book Café”
TV YANGU is a beneficiary of the Shoko UnHub Conference where they won a grant under the Best Citizen Journalist category.
“I am going to miss the opening of our new home but l will be on national duty. I am looking forward to work from there upon my return.”
He added, “Moto Republik is coming at a time where we are foreseeing more start-ups from creatives than we have witnessed before, hence their arrival makes a better environment for start-ups concurrently stand a better chance surviving” he said.
Signing up for membership have already started and are being carried out on the Moto Republik website official website.
The Hub is expected to open its doors to the public in July, meanwhile it is still under construction.
In future Magamba is looking into spreading its wings into other areas opening satellite hubs around the country.