The Circuit Now Accepting Memberships In Downtown Woodstock

WOODSTOCK, GA -- The Circuit, a unique concept operating as Cherokee County's first co-working space, is now accepting memberships and a formal process for entrepreneurs to take advantage of its space.

Blackairplane and Affordable College were the first businesses to sign up for memberships at The Circuit, the Cherokee Office of Economic Development said.

Blackairplane, a leader in UX focused design and development, was recently acquired by "serial entrepreneurs" David Leggett and State Rep. Michael Caldwell of Woodstock, COED notes. As part of the acquisition, they moved their offices to The Circuit.

“Our team wanted to find a collaborative workspace that promoted creative problem solving, but we also wanted to avoid the energy drain that comes with the commute to Atlanta," said Caldwell, who noted he recognized the potential to foster innovation by using the space. "At The Circuit, we have a place where our ideas can thrive and an incredible location within walking distance to great food, parks, trails and other desirable amenities.”

The Circuit opened as part of a soft launch several months ago, initially giving the community an opportunity to explore the space and provide feedback on their experience. One of the entrepreneurs who took advantage of this arrangement was Sean O’Brien of Affordable College, an education technology company. O'Brien decided to become a member because “relationships are critical to business success."

"Building something that is local is key," he added. "Plugging in to a smaller community, allows me to build relationships with people and help each other out. Choosing to do that in downtown Atlanta has problems as it requires a major investment of valuable time and money. Because of The Circuit, I am already making things happen with local connections, which led to a local investment in my company as well as hiring local talent.”

The Circuit is pioneering a new brand of co-working, powered by a unique partnership between the Cherokee Office of Economic Development, Chattahoochee Technical College and the Woodstock Economic Development office. These organizations have combined resources in an effort to provide collaboration between entrepreneurship, manufacturing, technology, industry and economic development.

A prime example is Oechsler Motion, a German robotics and manufacturing company utilizing The Circuit as a temporary home while the new adidas SPEEDFACTORY is under construction at the Cherokee 75 Corporate Park.

“We believe that creating a culture of entrepreneurship is vital to the economic development of a region," said Cherokee Office of Economic Development President Misti Martin. "Entrepreneurship fuels innovation and innovation fuels the economy. Our collective goal is to provide necessary resources and programs that can help drive success at an entrepreneurial level, stimulating economic growth. The Circuit is the first step, providing an affordable space for innovators to work, meet, connect, and grow their startup close to home.”

The Circuit offers a variety of membership levels including hot desks at $100 per month, dedicated desks at $150 per month and private offices at $350 per month. Each workspace is designed to meet the space needs of a diverse community of coworkers and provide opportunity for connections to community.

Cherokee Office of Economic Development launched a video for entrepreneurs and community members to become better acquainted with The Circuit, which can be viewed online. You can also e-mail the office at info@cherokeega.org to find out more information.

Photo via Cherokee Office of Economic Development