CCTV9英语新闻：From abandoned container to 'Maker Space'

In recent years China has seen a growing interest in small and medium sized enterprises, with many people from various walks of life taking up an entrepreneurial career path. Despite this booming industry and start-up culture, obstacles and hurdles continue to exist, with locking down capital a major issue. But one company is looking to help start-ups get over this challenge, by providing an alternative version of what we call 'cheap office space'.

 

Gleaming sky-scrapers are home for many large businesses. But for start-ups shooting for the sky, these towers are often financially out of reach.

A group of entrepreneurs from Dalian think they’ve found a solution.

 

The majority of startup entrepreneurs often find themselves struggling to find a place to get going, and one of the most common causes of failure among startups is a lack of capital. This is where the idea of a "maker-space" - converted from abandoned shipping containers - comes in.

 

These container-turned-offices in Dalian’s business district do away with the expensive strings attached to traditional buildings like foundations and walls. The savings are passed on to customers in the form of cheaper rent.

 

"We provide young entrepreneurs 15 SQ meters/20 SQ meters space, (at the cost of) only 40% of the average rent in the same area. To them it is very attractive," Dave Gong, CEO of Yunshan Maker Space, said.

 

A 20 foot container occupies the equivalent of one parking spot. It’s plenty of space for start-ups with low head counts. And the most crucial part of the project is getting administrative approval.

 

"We've been going through a lot of approval process, the local administration had been very supportive because we've created such a great facility for the "makers" and to the economy," Gong said.

 

The project’s co-founder, who also teaches at a local university, wants the concept to catch on inside campuses.

 

"Brain-drain is sapping northeast China’s competitiveness. Many talented young minds are leaving the region. We want to keep that from happening so we’re giving them affordable start-up facilities like this, and schools are very interested in the idea," Liu Zhe, co-founder of Yunshan Maker Space, said.