First MELT location opens early 2021 in building TQ on Strijp-T

First MELT location opens at the beginning of 2021 in the TQ building on Strijp-T

After the daily stand-up meeting check your email on your own balcony or in the rooftop garden, prepare your plan in the quiet room and then present it in the boardroom. And before the Friday drinks you quickly pop into the on-site hairdresser or the gym for a quick workout. And all of that in an interior you'd most like to live in yourself.

In the autumn this all comes together in MELT, a new high-end shared working space on the top floor of building TQ on Strijp-T in Eindhoven. MELT is aimed at high-tech companies that have a need for a flexible working environment with room to grow within an inspiring community. Besides workspaces, MELT contains a variety of facilities to relax, read, game, brainstorm together and even for a power nap. In addition, a space is being set up to experiment with extra services such as a hairdresser at work or a VR room. The unique thing about MELT is that the rented spaces can repeatedly be adjusted based on the changing needs of tenants.

Strijp-T is known as the site where companies from the high-tech sector settle and companies that are closely related to it. A sector in which attracting and retaining talent is priority number one. Being able to offer an inspiring working environment where employees feel at home, a well-accessible location and where a good work-life balance is facilitated is of great importance. For start-ups and scale-ups that is a challenge. At MELT all this comes together and companies can choose from a combination of move-in-ready fixed workspaces and 'memberships' that grant access to the building.

The battle for talentKRAGT has done a lot of research into the needs of high tech start-ups such as software development-, data science- and product design agencies. Their growth depends on the ability to recruit new talent and retain it. And this new generation places great value on things other than purely the highest salary. They want cool projects, nice colleagues and to be able to decide for themselves where and when they work. Fixed working hours and a hierarchical culture don't fit with that. There are therefore no separate executive offices at MELT but there is a kitchen to cook together, a balcony and a large roof garden to walk, have lunch, exercise and have drinks. MELT is fully designed with the aim of encouraging collaboration, efficient work, productivity and having fun together.

Koen van Loon, director of shared workspaces at KRAGT, himself ran a web development agency for 15 years: "To attract talent but also clients you must repeatedly leave an unforgettable impression. For this first MELT location the rooftop of building TQ is perfect, with the train station on the doorstep, the lively centre within walking distance and a beautiful view over Eindhoven. The interior will be high-end, atmospheric and feature many rounded shapes, based on the theme 'merging'."

KRAGT worked closely with the Strijp-T development team to realize their plans. Boudie Hoogedeure of team Strijp-T is pleased with the arrival of MELT: "The Strijp-T model is based on housing innovative high-tech manufacturing companies. We are pleased that this is now further strengthened with MELT and explicitly put on the map."