Much like the being spaces for mobile warriors that we previously featured (The Coffee Office in Canada and The Hubworking Centre in the U.K.), South African Habitaz offers flexible office space.

A novel twist added by Habitaz is the pre-paid office card. While most of Habitaz' lease plans are per month, their pre-paid GreenCard allows customers to rent space and facilities by the hour, minute or megabyte. A card costs ZAR 1,000 (USD 145 / EUR 115), and gives holders access to all of the facilities at Habitaz, each of which are charged by use. Facilities include open plan workspace that's open 24/7, with free parking and 'bottomless Ethiopian coffee' (ZAR 22/hour), admin support and secretarial services (ZAR 19.74/15 minutes), phone calls, delivery services, etc.

Everything is charged to the card, with real-time online billing to keep track of costs. When the card runs out of 'GreenBucks', it can be topped up for another ZAR 1,000.

Habitaz is developing a network of furnished business centres, shared work spaces and meeting rooms in South Africa and all major business hubs in the rest of Africa. Perfect solution for travelling business people, virtual offices, and start-ups -- a group that's growing explosively in South Africa.

Website: http://www.habitaz.co.za
Contact: email form

Spotted by: Hein Koen

As further proof that this concept has mileage, Australian Bureaux is also focusing on providing work space for mobile entrepreneurs. Selling point for this one? Style. Bureaux' membership-based business lounges are beautifully designed and equipped, creating an inspiring and impressive location for members to get some work done, or to hold meetings with clients. A cross between an office and a private club, Bureaux not only offers highspeed internet access and photocopying, but also a library, bar and even showers.

Bureaux’ first branch opened in 2005 in Sydney, with another branch in Melbourne now open, and one in Brisbane due to open in early 2007. The company will be rolling out national and international franchise plans during the next 12 months.

In an alliance with Bureaux, American Express is offering its corporate credit card holders three free visits annually, as well as significant discounts on annual memberships. Smart move!
Website: http://www.bureaux.com
Contact: info@bureaux.com

Spotted by: Yvonne

A trend hybrid, Starbucks Salon is a crossing between pop-up retail, being spaces and brand spaces.

Starbucks just announced that it will open a temporary arts and performance coffee house in New York City this fall. The Salon will be open September 8-17th, with tentative plans to pop up in San Francisco, London, Beijing, and Boston in the future. The concept builds on coffee houses' history of being informal venues for arts and entertainment, and the Salon will feature both up-and-coming and established artists, including Ursula Rucker, Jose Gonzalez and Jim Carroll.

The coffee giant did a dry run in Utah earlier this year, at the Sundance Film Festival. A website and full program for the New York Salon will be online on August 25th, and the coffee house will be located at 76 Greene Street (in SoHo between Spring & Broome).

For more examples of temporary retail outlets, check out trendwatching.com's extensive coverage of pop-up retail. And while you're at it, you might be interested in reading about the brand spaces trend, too.

Website: http://www.starbuckssalon.com

Aiming to empower independent artists, SellaBand has created a platform that enables fans to sponsor bands, and get a piece of the action in return. How it works: fans, dubbed Believers, find an artist they like on SellaBand.com. For USD 10, they can buy a share, or 'Part'. Once the band has sold 5,000 parts, SellaBand arranges a professional recording, including top studios, A&R managers and producers. Believers receive a limited edition cd of the recording.

The interesting twist is that the songs are then made available as free downloads. Income comes from advertising revenues, which are split three ways: artist, believer and SellaBand. The company will also sell cds through regular channels, sharing profits with artists and believers.

Since both believers and artists benefit from getting 5,000 parts sold, both are likely to actively promote the band (and SellaBand) everywhere musicians and music fans are active: on their blogs, on their MySpace pages, in online communities, to their friends, etc. Once the recording has taken place, the same goes for SellaBand's download portal: artists and believers profit from ad revenues created by driving traffic to their download page.

SellaBand was founded by ex-music industry execs, and it will be interesting to see how this one pans out. Opportunities? Apply the same concept to other forms of art and entertainment, products and services, or set up platforms for specific music genres. (For more on crowd-funding, check out our previous articles about A Swarm of Angels and I am Verity.)

Website: http://www.sellaband.com
Contact: info@sellaband.com

Unto This Last is a miniature Ikea, situated on Brick Lane in London's East End. Like Ikea, prices are low and many products are sold as flat-packs (pre-assembly optional). Unlike Ikea, everything is manufactured uber-locally, and the designs aren't overly familiar.

The workshop uses the latest 3D modelling software to design and produce innovative and inexpensive furniture, which it sells directly to the public. Orders are manufactured to measure, within a week, at mass-production prices. Most of Unto This Last's chairs, shelves, tables, storage units and beds are made from birch plywood, chosen for its lightness and sustainability -- all of the timber comes from cultivated forests in Latvia and Finland. And since pieces are made to order, customers can choose from various finishes and sizes, like adapting chairs to fit specific seat height requirements.

The company's name was taken from John Ruskin's 1860 book advocating a return to the local craftsman workshop. Using modern technology, Unto This Last has been able to follow Ruskin's manifesto, decentralizing production while maintaining competitive prices. The company hopes to grow by duplicating the workshop to other locations.

We love the micro-manufacturing concept: less stock, no warehousing, less transportation and less packaging, equates more choice and lower prices for consumers. Cutting back transportation also means less air pollution, and the 'still made here' production pumps consumer spending back into local economies. Plenty of opportunities for local versions in every medium or large city. Partner with Unto This Last, or start your own retail-workshop, as close to your customers as you can get.

Website: http://www.untothislast.co.uk

Spotted by: Flavorpill London

Drivers Ed Direct aims to revolutionize the drivers education industry, by getting rid of "old cars, dimly-lit sterile classrooms and out-of-touch instructors".

Not only have the old cars been replaced by brand new cars, they've been replaced by gas-electric hybrids: the school's entire fleet is hybrid. In addition to passenger cars (Toyota Prius), Drivers Ed Direct also offers behind the wheel training in hybrid SUVs (Ford Escape), since SUVs require special handling, and many teens will drive them as their first car.

Founded by two life-long friends in California, Drivers Ed Direct isn't just bent on teaching young drivers to be more environmentally aware. The company also believes that a high-tech approach is a far better way to reach teens. Instead of dull classroom lessons, driving theory is taught online, with no classroom attendance required. Which no doubt appeals to high school students who already spend enough time in class, and are extremely at ease online. The interactive, web-based program lets students complete the course at their own pace, and includes animated lessons designed like video games.

As you may have guessed from our previous articles about hybrid taxis and hybrid rentals, Springwise is very much in favour of minimizing the environmental impact of driving. Creating a new generation of eco-friendlier drivers is a step in the right direction. One to copy to the rest of the world!

Website: http://www.driverseddirect.com
Contact: info@driverseddirect.com