City’s first co-living-co-working to open doors next wk

Kolkata: The city’s first and only co-living-co-working space in New Town is set to get inaugurated next week as it will play host to a start up carnival organised by Nasscom where some 60 plus start-ups will pitch their products before investors and some others will share their success stories before student entrepreneurs.
Styled as Bengal Entrepreneurs’ Summit on Technology (BEST), it is a first of its kind initiative of Nasscom 10,000 startups — India’s largest start-up ecosystem platform and the Government of West Bengal scheduled on January 19.
“Bengal has historically played a pioneering role in building and shaping the landscape of enterprises and businesses in India and across the globe. This summit will both celebrate the success of West Bengal and also chart a path toward a bright future where Bengal serves as an ideal model for tech enterprises in the rest of India, setting world benchmarks,” said Nasscom director Nirupam Chaudhuri.
Built by the West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (Hidco), the premises named “Smart Connect” has 86 accommodation facilities alongside a three-floor workspace close to City Centre II at Action area II on New Town Main Arterial Road beside the road leading to Eco Park’s gate number 4.
A response to the modern urban housing crisis, where people pay exorbitantly priced accommodation rates and face loneliness and isolation when living alone, co living – which has gained immense popularity among millennials in places like Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad and Delhi — presents an attractive option to those seeking more affordable, flexible and interesting ways of living.
The summit will be attended by 400 plus delegates, startup owners and other invitees and aims to provide advisory on the growth of the technology businesses ecosystem in Bengal, suggest start-ups to increase their global footprint, discuss improving collaboration to support start-ups and businesses in and around West Bengal using technology and celebrate the success stories of young entrepreneurs.
“Bengal has always been a place of intellectual and cultural heritage. This is no different when technology is concerned. With major MNCs setting up bases in Kolkata, we at Nasscom feel that it is the right opportunity to showcase the BEST at Bengal by bringing product and associated services entrepreneurs, software start-ups, VCs, academicians, angel investors, CIOs and analysts passionate about West Bengal" said Sanjoy Chatterjee, chairman, Eastern Regional Council, Nasscom.