After starting several unsuccessful businesses, Geoff Wood’s startup business Gravitate is not only entering its second year, it’s thinking about expansion.

Gravitate, a co-working site located in Des Moines that was started by Wood on Sept. 2, 2014, is looking into expanding to Ames to connect two business communities.

“Our relationship with [Wood] is really another champion of startup communities in the Des Moines area, which was creating space for businesses to cohabitate together,” said Kris Fessler, previous manager of Vault Coworking & Collaboration Space in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Co-working is a term that describes an office space where independent business owners and entrepreneurs have a place to work outside of home and share equipment and ideas.

Co-working sites provide an alternative to distracting homes and coffee shops, where people may not feel comfortable leaving their laptop out while they use the restroom, Wood said.

“Work with yourself, not by yourself,” Wood said, “It’s a big community of independent professionals who need a place to come together and be in a community.”

Multiple factors exist as to why Wood would like to expand to the Ames community. Ames is currently the largest city in Iowa without a co-working space, and Wood would like to see more interaction between the Des Moines and Ames business districts.

“What makes the space successful is the community that gather[s] there,” Wood said.

Wood has already launched a website to see what interest there is for a co-working site in Ames. The website includes an interest list, which currently has more than 40 prospective clients and has a goal of reaching 100 before making any final decisions on expanding to Ames.

“If we get a critical mass together, it will continue to grow just like how it continues to grow in Des Moines,” Wood said.

Some prospective sites for Gravitate, if it comes to Ames, include locations in Campustown, downtown Ames, Somerset and the ISU Research Park. If Gravitate is located in Ames, Wood plans on hiring ISU students for various jobs, including office managers.

“Magic happens when you bring people together,” Fessler said. “People are able to work more mobile now, and having a space to be around other creative people is very important.”

Fessler describes the startup community as “very robust” and sees expanding to Ames as a wise option.

A co-working site like Gravitate will bring a middle ground to what the ISU and Ames communities have to offer for aspiring entrepreneurs, said Judi Eyles, director for the ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship.

“The only reason we don’t have that is space and resources. We’re doing a number of other things, so it’s not something we have established,” Eyles said. “To replicate one in Ames is a good opportunity.”

Although the best location for a co-working site is yet to be determined, the Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship said the prospects provided by one of these sites is key for students with a startup idea.

“Connections are really important, especially if you’re a student,” said Diana Wright, marketing and programs coordinator for the Pappajohn Center. “What it provides to students is the opportunity to guide them to other resources, that collaboration, and is the core part to success in entrepreneurship.”

Vault Coworking & Collaboration includes a startup school with classes to help aspiring entrepreneurs. The other co-working site in Iowa is Busy Coworking, which is located in downtown Iowa City. The co-working space is open 24/7 for members and walk-ins are welcome between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily. Busy Coworking has seven rooms and is currently over capacity.