Experimenting Design Space with Nate Pinsley, Managing Director of ADO Brooklyn

[01.13] Nate Pinsley Background and The Idea Behind ADO [03.36] The relationship between ADO, MINI and BMW [06.00] The Typical Program and Demographic Member [08.00] The Design Academy Program [10.05] Entrepreneur in Residence Program in ADO [11.00] An Experience a day in ADO [12.30] The Strategy To Get More Member [13.44] Funding [14.55] The Unique Selling Point of ADO [16.29] The Future of ADO

[01.13] Nate Pinsley Background and The Idea Behind ADO

I'm Nate Pinsley, Managing Director of ADO. ADO is a creative space located in Brooklyn, New York City. My background actually combined by working with smaller startup new organization and big companies. I started out in my career journey in consulting. Working in innovation, social enterprise with big companies. Helping them think about how they can grab away the challenges that they would face in the future and give a sense what's gonna happen in the industry.

Then I started to move into a smaller organization, a bunch of different industry. And found those organization that typically are more successful at starting a new idea, new product, and services. It's been interesting for me to jump back and forth between the big company and small company and see how they relate differently to an idea about the future and the practice of design and their creation of a new solution.

Definitely, it's different cultural organization between those smaller and big companies. The lesson that I learn along the way really incorporated ADO. Small new startup organization, here in Brooklyn that create space for freelancer, startups, independent organization and individual are really pioneering the future. We also want to be relevant on a global stage with big company who are putting a lot of resources into understanding disruption into industry and what's going on in that field. Hearing between those two type of groups giving a lot of potentials to tackle some of the big challenges that we face in the world.

[03.36] The relationship between ADO, MINI and BMW

The idea of ADO started with MINI as space where we could talk about the future and innovation that valuable for people surround us. The conversation started with how do we as a company think of design is evolved not just be a traditional way like RnD, resources, research for the new idea. It's often as an internal issue.

We want to think very differently and open public discussion. Space where a lot of people outside of our company join the conversation and sit together working on design practice of our background. Some product design, some architecture, some graphic design, innovations, science all coming up under one roof to have the mutual exchange about what's gonna happen in the future.

It's much more interesting that human being in one place talking about an issue that they're passionate about and coming up with a solution to get rid of it. And that kind of atmosphere that we want to create in ADO.

Started with the gem of an idea being the research project and ended up being a public ecosystem for design and big ideas about the future.

[06.00] The Typical Program and Demographic Member

ADO open in January of 2017. It's almost 8 months. It has always going to be an experiment. It's not typical coworking spaces. We have a programming calendar that full of events and lectures, parties, and restaurant. We also have fabrication studio, public installation. We continue to tweak and co-create this experience with the community.

Typical demographic of ADO is people who come to ADO as a member and public. Those of our community look like.

[08.00] The Design Academy Program

Design Academy is the name of our programming lecture, events and speaker from the local community in New York and globally. We want to make ADO more than coworking space. We want ADO to be an environment that inspires people.

Through the programming and the conversation that happen in ADO. It can come from a different format, people come into space, showing their solo project, opening up for critics, people in a local community who also work in the design industry. We also have big global 400 conferences speaker. It's not just about a workspace. It's about creating a new idea.

[10.05] Entrepreneur in Residence Program in ADO

We also have another program for entrepreneur. The project is called URBAN-X. It's a venture accelerator. That bring about 20 company per year into separated classes. All of them are working on hardware and technology solution to improve that city life.

[11.00] An Experience a day in ADO

Your typical day in ADO, grab a meal in our restaurant or enjoy happy hour. There's a lot opportunity to have a great social atmosphere. Throughout the week there's a lot of events panel conversation with different editor of design magazine or people visiting from design school, professor, student all talking about their work. Presenting to the group of 40-50 year. Thinking about design, playing with the idea behind design in a way quite professional but also lighthearted and open.

[12.30] The Strategy To Get More Member

We're very lucky, the interest is shown from the local community. We have a waitlist for people who want to have prominent space. But our focus is to make sure the experience of our member who already here could continue. The fact that ADO is an experiment, new kind of approach to working space. It's not just about providing the basic, physical aspect. About providing community and programming through an event that makes ADO is a unique space.

[13.44] Funding

ADO supported by a few of revenue stream. Because we're open to the public, there's ticket revenue from our event, food and drink on the restaurant. And we also have a partnership with company non-profit who used the space to bring the community as well. Of course, we have packing of our founder from MINI which provides that foundation that allows us to experiment and try using n not worry about the short term revenue generation process but more about how do we create a place that very unique and valuable for design community in the long term.

[14.55] The Unique Selling Point of ADO

ADO isn't just typical workspace. The unique of ADO is depend on the work that you do. For people who work in design, we've created a place that 100% tailored to bring input as a designer. Whether that amenities, fabrication equipment or support from your peer who also working design but also figure input stimulating provocative conversation. We want to create a place for collaborator and catalyst designer doing an amazing thing.

[16.29] The Future of ADO

ADO is more than physical space. We really emphasize on what we create, the experience locally but also we have investing a lot of energy so, people who might never visit ADO in Brooklyn can take part in this atmosphere of creative engagement and simulating idea in provocative question.

We have something called the Journal. The Journal is a study stream of the article by people who are visiting in this space and speaking in our event, showcases of the work that happens in ADO. We're devoted that for design community.

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