Tech entrepreneur, renaissance woman and self-described “mobile evangelist” Sian Morson has just opened a beautiful new coworking space in Atlanta called Kollective South ATL. WIM had a chance to catch up with Sian and get the scoop on her newest venture.

What first drew you to tech and prompted you to found your own mobile design agency, Kollective Mobile?

I have always been interested in the ‘way things work’. I took a job with a San Francisco start-up during the first dot-com boom and I’ve been involved with tech ever since. After observing how attached people were becoming to their phones I knew I wanted to do something with mobile but wasn’t sure what. I worked at a design agency and became sort of an intrapreneur by starting a mobile subsidiary within that organization. When that took off, I knew I was onto something. Forming my own company was the next logical step for me.

Kollective Mobile is based in your hometown of Oakland, CA but you recently started branching out with Kollective South ATL, a new coworking space in the Castleberry Hill neighborhood of Atlanta. Congratulations! What inspired you to start the Kollective South initiative?

Thanks! KSouth was inspired by my love of collaborative learning and my desire to bridge the ‘digital divide’. There is a myth that you can build a product just sitting in a room on your own. Not true. Coworking spaces get people out of their home offices and around other like-minded individuals. They are true breeding grounds for innovation and creativity – and make ideal classrooms as a result. My belief in the power of collaborative working and my passion for bridging the digital divide through STEM education is the foundation for Kollective South.

Atlanta is a great city! It has excellent universities and a fantastic start-up ecosystem. Castleberry Hill is an ideal location because it’s on the cusp of gentrification. Every day I get people coming in asking what KSouth is about. It’s awesome to introduce the concept of coworking and I’m looking forward to contributing to the community.

Who are some of the people and orgs sharing your KSouth ATL space?

We have an amazing community of people involved in food justice, PR, urban planning, technology and even fashion! I love that professionals from all walks of life are making KSouth their home. The conversations so far have been spirited and exciting.

You started KSouth in part to bridge the digital divide in the South. How does KSouth plan to tackle that problem?

Apart from coworking and collaborative learning, the third pillar of KSouth’s model is our curriculum. We’ll be offering a variety of tech classes to the community, from the basics of using a smart phone to coding . When people from the neighborhood stop by to ask about KSouth and I mention these classes, their faces light up. The interest is there. KSouth brings the opportunity and tools to turn that interest into concrete knowledge and skills.

You call Kollective South a ‘communi-tech’ center. Can you explain that term and expand on your inspiration for reimagining urban communities through tech?

When I grew up every neighborhood had a community center where kids could go after school to play basketball or whatever. Today I don’t see many of those and regardless I think neighborhood needs have evolved. Kids still need athletic activities but they also need to learn skills that will allow them to compete in the new economy. My idea of a communi-tech center is a place in the neighborhood where anyone – not just kids – can learn life-enhancing tech skills.

Any advice for WIM orgs who are considering going the coworking route?

I highly recommend it! As far as startups and entrepreneurs, it’s a great way to be able to run your business and not pay for the overhead involved in having your own office. Especially if you’re just starting out and can’t afford it just yet. And the sense of community really can’t be beat. Make sure that the community suits you though.

Favorite apps at the moment?

Two of my favorites are Evernote and Zite. Evernote is my number one productivity app and the redesign is stunning. Plus it’s GREEN! Zite is hands-down the best content aggregator app. I use it everyday.

You can follow Sian on Twitter @xianamoy and get updates on her KSouth initiative by following @kollectivesouth or visiting ksouthatl.com.

This post is by Kirsten Murray, a freelance writer with a background in finance and gender studies who has written for AppNexus and the Levo League, among others. Kirsten traded in her city slicker status for life on an Indiana farm – you can follow her rural mishaps and adventures at dupontdiaries.com. You can also find her on Twitter @KirstenNMurray.