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For digital tech startups looking to charm potential employees, the unlimited vacation packages have been overshadowing the office ping-pong table. Many tech companies are in high competition with one another to attract the top candidates and seal the deal, leading to increasing turnover rates nationally quarter over quarter. Two new additions to the Boulder startup scene are attempting to do use these trends to the city’s advantage though: by enticing prospective recruits with offers that just can’t be passed up.
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A multifaceted space, Fuse Coworking sits on the Boulder Creek,
across from the Flatirons and in walking distance to just about
anything. The building initially served as a photography studio
and housed Coca Cola. Now it is home to curious minds kicking off their dreams, as well as the recently opened Food cafe and Ozo coffee, to nourish and spark those minds. Christian Macy, director of Fuse Coworking, found a way to satisfy his innumerable entrepreneurial yearnings and wanted to do the same for others.
Especially when it involves renovating a historic property into a modern ‘life’ space, “there’s never a dull moment when you choose to take on making your dream a reality,” Macy said. Ingrained in what Macy calls the ‘Culture of CO,’ he imagined a space that bred community, co-creation, and collaboration.
“We wanted to create a place built on relationship building, to provide a pathway for others to fulfill their potential,” Macy said. Additionally, Macy said he sees Fuse as a resource for those looking to relocate to Boulder - a place to introduce them to the community: “ I have a passion for connecting people. We, at Fuse, want to uncover the exceptionalness of this place.” If you know Boulder, you understand that you must be professionally plugged in in order to be successful. This can be intimidating at first.
Enter Pixel Space: a startup geared on housing, attracting and immersing Boulder tech recruits. “After I initially flew in and visited Boulder, I realized that most companies were focused on showing off their office culture, but not the quality of life that surrounded it,” remarked Founder Matt Sisson. The Downtown rental comes with an ‘Experience Pass’ so recruits can easily integrate and get a feel for the startup community. The Pass includes Boulder-centric locations and activities, such as rock climbing, coworking access and microbrew tasting. Instead of wandering like a Midwestern tourist, they can see if Boulder is truly a match.
Although Boulder has the potential to attract individuals like a magnet, people are often left a bit lost of how to navigate the scene. As access to top talent tightens and as the Boulder startup scene matures, instilling community markers, events and resources is key to drawing in new talent.
