Launchpad is a Very Big Co-working Space for Startups in Bangkok

Launchpad’s colorful work space makes everyone happy.

Maybe I haven’t been to too many co-working spaces, but Launchpad in Bangkok is kind of impressive. I haven’t seen any co-working spaces of such a size in Southeast Asia before. The closest one that comes to my mind is Innovation Works in Beijing.

Launchpad has a total of two levels of co-working space, amounting to 880 square meters that can easily hold 140 people. Within the space, it has three meeting rooms, a game room, a presentation hall (good for press conferences or events), and a silent room. Just outside the main co-working space, there’s a cafe for caffeine-craving entrepreneurs to keep them awake. Individual patrons can pay 220 baht (US$7) to work at Launchpad for a day or they can cough up 6,000 baht (US$197) for a month. There will also occasionally be events held at Launchpad.

The space is run by Vincent Sethiwan, Sam Tiyavutiroj, and Siravut Tummavaranukup. Vincent tells me:

Offices don’t always have to be serious. Professional can be fun. Based on my working experience in Thailand, there’s no office space where you could play and work, a professional and fun concept. A mixture of people from different backgrounds and industries will make the workplace more creative. We believe this will help to kickstart the Thai startup ecosystem. […] The more investors, co-working spaces, and startups we have, the more it will benefit everyone in the ecosystem. Everyone wins.

Launchpad is located in the central business district of Bangkok which is a very convenient place for folks to work and meet. Six weeks after its launch, six startups, including Like.me, Anipipo, Just Snap, and Got it, all now call Launchpad home.

Coincidentally, Sam and Vincent are also part of M8VC, a venture capital fund focusing on Thai startups that launched last month as well. Under M8VC’s incubation program, the accepted startups will utilize Launchpad’s spaces. Launchpad is also a place for startups to gain visibility among local and international investors.

Having spent an afternoon at Launchpad, I can say that it’s a really neat place for entrepreneurs, freelancers, developers, and investors to hang out, work, or just chill. For now it is open from 9AM to 8PM on weekdays and until 6PM on weekends. Launchpad is scheduled to be open 24/7 from February onwards.

I chatted a lot with Sam and Vincent today. But Vincent said one thing in particular which especially stuck with me:

We are not going to wait for the [Thai startup] ecosystem. We’re going to build it.

The Launchpad cafe, located just outside the co-working space.