Bandwidth Barn launches its latest co-working space, The Basement

One of SA’s oldest accelerator and incubation hubs, the Bandwidth Barn (a CiTi operated initiative), has launched their new co-working space.

The Basement, launched in partnership with Telkom, is equipped with 300Mbps internet connectivity to assist startups and entrepreneurs as well as give gamers space to call their own. “To put that into perspective for you, if we were an ISP we could provide internet connectivity to 15 000 homes,” says CEO of CiTi, Ian Merrington.

The fast line speed aims to connect businesses faster as well as boost gaming initiatives in SA.

The two packages on offer from The Basement include one for R75 an hour as well as an option for R2000 per month, offering the customer:

• The option of large file uploads or transfers
• A Hot Desk
• Gaming Software and development

For R2000 a month, customers can have a dedicated desk with reception services and uncontended fibre, subject to lease approval.

The Bandwidth Barn was founded by a group of aspiring tech stakeholders and citizens in 1998. The Cape IT Initiative, as it was then known, was established as a space for tech enthusiasts.

“Their vision was really a place where IT people could feel at home, compare notes and there would be a little bit of an ecosystem. I think 15/16 years later that vision is really taking flight and is doing fantastically well,” said Merrington.

The Basement, located in the Bandwidth Barn, is another new co-working space

Telkom has also shed light on their involvement with Bandwidth Barn.

“One of the areas I’ve been looking after for a few years is a programme called Future Makers which is really about sustaining and systemic development of young businesses in the tech sector. The hubs that we have in PE and JHB and here are key parts of our strategy,” said chief admin officer for Telkom, Ian Russell.

The relationship between the Bandwidth Barn and Telkom has been a fruitful one, reiterates Russell. “We’re one of the early partners with the Bandwidth Barn and its come a long way as one of Telkom’s successful partnerships in terms of the idea generation from the hub.”

Featured image: Reynermedia via Flickr