Lithuanians in Berlin: Edita Lobaciute

• Name: Edita Lobaciute
• City of origin: Vilnius
• Position: Global Community Lead

The city feels a bit like a start-up itself. You can feel the movement and creativity everywhere.

You are from Lithuania, with Polish and Russian roots, you have studied in Denmark and now you live in Berlin? What has brought you to Berlin?

I was always fascinated by history and start-ups and Berlin seems to be a combination of both: tradition and innovation. I like that the city is a combination of East and West - I don’t feel so homesick here. The city feels a bit like a start-up itself. You can feel the movement and creativity everywhere.

It is very young and international, nonetheless try to learn German even though most people speak English in Berlin.

Do you have advice for people moving to Berlin?

My main advice is the same for moving to any new city: try to figure out what is your purpose. Are you there for studying or for work? Especially in Berlin it is very easy to lose track, so stay focused. Berlin is a very attractive city, still pretty low cost in comparison with other cities. It is very young and international, nonetheless try to learn German even though most people speak English in Berlin.

Next to its culture and history, the city of Berlin is also famous for being an ecosystem of startups and tech companies. Coworking spaces have become hubs for innovation. The variety of concepts reflects the variety of the city and its inhabitants. Why is coworking so popular in Berlin?

Next to San Francisco and Tel Aviv, Berlin is one of the leading startup and tech hubs in the world. The city is an international melting pot and coworking spaces are the ideal and flexible options to live and breathe the concept of “New Work”.
Furthermore, the rents in Berlin are continuously rising. Affordable, traditional offices are rare. Coworking spaces help to connect people from different backgrounds and industries leading to innovation and cooperation.

What are the benefits of coworking?

The international Mindspace community enjoys weekly networking events, professional meetups, and happy hours in a collaborative atmosphere which foster the exchange among the members. Our flexible all-inclusive membership options let members focus on growing their businesses while enjoying valuable benefits and discounts from global and local service providers such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft, nearby restaurants, car rentals, hotels, gyms, and spas. Furthermore, our memberships allow our members to use our spaces worldwide. We currently have 16 locations worldwide with coworking venues in Germany, Poland, Israel, the UK and America.

Our community is super diverse and it is great to see cooperation and new partnerships arising through the networking in our spaces.

Who are your members?

Our spaces accommodate members from forward-looking enterprises, startups, and small and medium businesses, as well as entrepreneurs and freelancers from all countries and industries. Our community is super diverse and it is great to see cooperation and new partnerships arising through the networking in our spaces.

What does a typical day at work look like?

In my role as Global Community Lead I am responsible for creating community-driven activities and strategies across all of the Mindspace locations. Together with my team I am the main contact person for the Mindspace members and partners. Aside from providing a top space as a service, I am highly focused on the community building aspect. Understanding every member’s need and finding a tailored solution to it, is my daily mission.

Furthermore, I enjoy the pleasure of working in an international team. The company was founded in Tel Aviv in 2014 and our team members are from all parts of the world.

Please describe Berlin in three words.

Young, free and techno ;)

Photos: (c) Mindspace Berlin

More information about co-working in Berlin: look at chapter "Startup City"  
More information about Business in Berlin: businesslocationcenter.de 
More information about Mindspace Berlin: https://www.mindspace.me/berlin/