Pink Slip Special at Seattle co-working space
Seattle-based technology blog TechFlash is going to town with Microsoft's layoff news today with nine blog posts and counting.
In one post, blogger John Cook is reporting that a co-working space in downtown Seattle called StartPad is offering 30 free days of office space, free Internet access and other perks to any former Microsoft employee who is interested in testing the startup waters.
In a note titled "Pink Slip Special at StartPad.org," Mike Koss and Zack Zelinski encourage laid off Microsoft workers to stop by for an office tour of the 3,600 square foot high-tech incubator space.
"If there is one silver lining to the Microsoft layoffs, it may be the kick-in-the-pants that some employees needed to become entrepreneurs in their own right. We'd like to do our part to help with the transition. If you're one of the employees that have been laid off, or you see the writing on the wall and feel it's time to make the jump, we have a special deal for you."
To qualify, StartPad says that it would accept any former salaried employee in the last four months who is thinking about "building their own (software-based) product/business."
The irony in the timing of Microsoft's announcement this morning is that the Washington Technology Industry Association was unveiling a giant map portraying the history of the technology universe in the Puget Sound area at around the same time across town.
Not surpisingly, Microsoft is the most prominent planet on the map signifying it's incredible influence on the tech universe in the Pacific Northwest.
