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Discuss this week’s news, market moves, and undercurrent trends with other industry leaders.
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🎉 Coworking celebrations.
🅱️ work.life celebrates 1 year of being a B Corp #
Sophie Turnbull shares the milestone and what they’re doing this year towards their Sustainability Strategy.
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✊ Coworking impact.
⚙️ Why modern makerspaces are more than hobby shops #
In a Q&A Dorothy Jones-Davis, ED of Nation of Makers, says makerspaces further expand the definition of what a collaborative, flex space can be for a community.
Coworking news & views.
🏡 The 15-min-city’s suburban cousin #
Sara Maffey digs into a recent SOM study and American Planning Association article by Patrick Sisson, which explores the growing concept of 20-minute suburbs. I’m fascinated, as this sits nicely alongside the growing trend of suburban coworking and flex space demand and offerings.
📬 Why coworking and flex spaces 2023 goals should include VO growth #
Sofia Stolberg shares how and why coworking spaces can focus on growing their virtual office business in 2023. ICYMI: 40% of their coworking spaces’ revenue is made up by Virtual Offices and managing that is what led to building and spinning out PilotoMail.
📹 Another benefit of having creative media members #
Lisa Skye shares a video by Devon Christopher Johnson of BleuLife Media that digs into why they’ve been members of Primary in Manhattan since 2019. Some of the best videos highlighting coworking membership are made by creative firms who cowork. Coincidence?
Lisa also shares that Primary is still thriving in FiDi across 75k sqft. Which is also lovely to hear.
🎳 10 trends that may shape coworking in 2023 #
Coworker shared 10 trends they believe will shape coworking moving forward.
In short they are Coworking-as-a-Service, technology, innovative layouts, perks, nichification, emphasizing human connection, digital marketing, corporate coworking and multi-location networks.
🎟️ 85% vote in favor of loyalty card for PAYG hot desks. #
Karen Tait asked if The Residence should explore a loyalty card for drop-in customers. 85% said they should, and from what I understand they’re already designed and printed and ready for use.
🥞 24hr flex space + pancakes!? #
Craig Loeber shares a photo of meeting space available at IHOP. Whilst it’s a funny notion from a pancake place, we’ve already seen flex space made available from banks, coffee chains and luxurious retail brands on 5th avenue. So maybe something to keep an eye on.
💂♀️ The coworking journey of one London’s most influential connectors #
Bernie Mitchell was recently asked to share his "coworking journey" (or how he got into the coworking movement) to someone outside the industry. What I love about this is the journey started from a meetup, to being a member, to running spaces and communities, to well… everything he’s up to now.
🏆 Competing and thriving in a crowded urban market #
Andy Block shares a Q&A with Katharine Chestnut about how bootstrapped Alkaloid Networks is thriving in a city with 9 WeWork locations.
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💻 Coworking technology.
🗳️ Another panic-inducing poll around software #
Craig Baute put out a poll asking which coworking software spaces settled on, and how just asking the question drives many operators into a panic.
Side notes: a) there are many many other options than in the poll (see the list of software I compiled back in Feb 2020 for eg) and b) half of the options in the shared poll are deeply integrated with Syncaroo already, which makes me smile.
⛔️ German aggregator and management system bows out #
The German aggregator and workspace management app Independesk has stopped its operations at the end of January.
🇪🇸 UAE-based platform acquires Spanish counterpart #
Booking platform Hotdesk has acquired YADO as it eyes global expansion.
Coworking data.
🇬🇧 71% y-o-y increase in flex office occupancy in London #
The Workthere UK Market Snapshot for 2022 shines a light on a number of interesting metric from on of the top 5 flex workspace markets on the globe.
Not only did London see a 71% increase in occupancy levels, but flex space occupancy in regional markets also jumped from 68% at the end of 2021 to 88% in 2022.
🇺🇸 Is Miami now the top US coworking market? #
Bisnow highlights some fascinating numbers and anecdotes from practitioners and brokerages around flex spaces in Miami. According to The Instant Group, the city has seen a 143% increase in demand last year since pre-pandemi, and spaces like Quest Workspaces have opened 3 new locations and expanded 2 others last year.
I should note the article title calls Miami the coworking capital of ‘the world’, but according to my numbers… Miami is home to 1.6M sqft of space but Bengaluru in India has over 10.6M sqft.
☀️ Space manager and would love to go to Barcelona? #
Cost Action CA18214 (the research team sharing the scientific outcomes on New Working Spaces) is running an international survey on new working spaces 2023. It takes 15 min to complete and you can win a ticket+accommodation to join their meetings in Barcelona this September!
Coworking market moves.
🇬🇧 New 14M hub opens in Northampton #
Oxford Innovation Space announces the opening of a brand new £14 million hub (they manage) to support start-up businesses in creative industries in Northampton.
🇦🇹 Vienna-based network saw 2.3x growth since 2020 #
Local provide andys shared their 2022 numbers, and alongside some great members and sales volume growth, it’s lovely to see them grow from 3 locations to 7.
🇺🇸 A landlord taps an operator to create a consistent national experience. #
Jamie Hodari shares that Nuveen have partnered with Industrious to run shared spaces in 64 of their office properties across 13 states.
🇬🇧 Management-agreement driven firm adds 2 new locations #
Dan Silverman shares that Spacemade are introducing location 13 and 14, and that they’re now refered to as "the fastest-growing operator on pure management agreement in the UK".
🇮🇳 Local operator expands into Ahmedabad #
Smartworks have announced they’re expanding into another "Tier-II city" in India. The 56k sqft location joins 38 locations in 12 cities.
🇪🇸 14 new coworking locations planned in Spain #
IWG is reportedly investing €15M during 2023 into launching 14 new locations in Spain (article in Spanish)
🇬🇧 US operator acquires UK-based conference provider #
Convene have acquired etc.venues, bringing in their 16 locations in NYC and the UK, bringing the total network size to 38 locations.
🙋♀️ Network acquires startup and appoints founder as CPO #
Brooke Markevicius shares that The Riveter has acquired their startup Allobee, which will be merged into a product called Riveter Work, and that they’ll be starting as the Chief Product Officer at the network.
🎙 Coworking conversations.
Karina Patel discusses social media for community builders with Cat Johnson on the Coworking Out Loud podcast
Alex Neil shares his behind-the-scenes perspective on coworking trends with Jamie Russo on the Everything Coworking podcast.
Cid Rhomberg digs into her hospitality mindset and big bet on meetings and events with Jamie Russo and Giovanni Palavicini on the Flex Uncensored podcast.
📆 Coworking events.
🇪🇸 CWSC returns in May #
May 9 & 10: Coworking and Coliving conference in Valencia
