Our Mission
We believe in fostering community to help spur the growth of small businesses and organizations in and around Western New York and the southerntier. We encourage UNOVA members to create our “community” by being a part of our programs and events, and to use the space for work and play. We offer the resources and support needed to ensure the success of our members, in both their businesses and their lives.
About UNOVA
UNOVA is a coworking space established in 2018 by Ashley & Joe Lowry. The space itself offers:
- Desks, couches, and counters for everyday work
- Conference room, phone booth, and “Zoom room” for meetings of all shapes and sizes
- Lounge area with games for mental breaks
- Full kitchen with snacks and beverages
- Shower for active members who bike to the office or run on lunch
It’s not just another office space, though. As southtowns residents and SGI graduates, Ashley & Joe saw a growing need to provide a central gathering place for business professionals, non-profits, and community organizations to come together and get work done. For too long they watched friends and business associates experience the loneliness of their home office, suffer through the distractions of ‘working’ at the local coffee house, and fall on hard times paying the bills for their solo office space. They believed there had to be a better way to work. And where better to do that than in the heart of WNY!
Why UNOVA?
Our space name is completely made up, so it can be whatever you want it to be!
For us, it is combining our tagline, “U NO longer have to work alone,” with the idea of “nirvana” or a place of enlightenment, to create an easy, comfortable place to get work done without the distractions of home.
Coworking, by definition (and no hyphen!), is the social gathering of a group of people, who work independently, but share a core set of values and benefit from the synergy that can happen from working with talented people in the same space. Studies show that shared workspaces and coworking helps promote business growth, creative thinking, and collaboration, while offering an affordable office solution for small businesses, freelancers, remote workers, and non-profits. The open space concept offers many advantages, from networking and collaboration opportunities to easy access to shared resources.
Coincidentally, UNOVA is also a region in the world of Pokemon, and during renovations, we discovered a virtual Pokemon Go creature hiding on the grounds!
Meet Our Founders
Ashley Lowry
Lawyer by day, Ashley wears many hats. UNOVA is one of them – Ashley and her husband, Joe, founded UNOVA to help solve the needs of their hometown. Ashley is actively involved in numerous organizations in the Western New York area – from legal to environmental to feline – and as a result has developed an extensive network of like-minded professionals. In addition to her experience practicing criminal law, particularly appellate work, Ashley has now added coworking space creator and marketing attaché (but by no means, guru) to her resume. When she isn’t working, you’ll find her baking in the kitchen or cuddling with their four rescue cats.
Joe Lowry
Joe is a business owner and leader, entrepreneur, professional engineer, army veteran, and lifelong member of the Western New York community. He is also a husband and animal lover, and enjoys building and working with his hands, traveling, reading, learning new skills, and being outdoors.
Joe believes that change is inevitable and continuous personal growth is important. He also believes that any problem can be solved with enough thoughtful planning and a clear view of the desired end result.