- Flexible space operators are coming up with creative ways to use their space.
- Many are diversifying, while others are focusing on niche requirements.
- From entrepreneurial workshops in Bali to medical space in Europe, here are 7 operators who are reinventing the wheel.
The popularity of coworking is prompting a number of operators to come up with creative ways of utilising space. Some are going niche while others are focusing on diversifying into education and skills training.
Let’s take a look at 7 operators who are reinventing the wheel.
1. WellnessSpace: Co-practicing
Find out more: joinwellnessspace.com
WellnessSpace launched its first location — situated in Houston — in 2020. The concept was born out of the founders’ frustration over how time-consuming and expensive the search for conventional medical office space is — think lengthy leases and arduous fit out processes.
WellnessSpace caters for medical and wellness practitioners who operate independently, or professionals who aren’t part of a large practice. The space’s suites are soundproofed and fully furnished, with daily cleaning part and parcel of the service. The company is HIPAA and OSHA compliant and staff are fully certified.
WellnessSpace isn’t the only coworking operator to specialise in healthcare coworking. With locations in London, Berlin, Paris and Zurich, Stillpoint Spaces is an international community (virtual and in-person) for counsellors, therapists and the psychologically curious.
2. Livit International: Remote Skills Academy
Find out more: liv.it
Livit’s coworking space is situated in Bali, just 250 metres from the beach. That said, it has much more to offer besides its stunning location. Project Getaway enables entrepreneurs to live together and launch successful ventures with the help of Livit’s expertise in startup, scaleup and HR strategy.
Livit is also dedicated to supporting Balinese culture and promotes expat-local integration through a range of initiatives, including a Remote Skills Academy. The Academy is open to people who want to learn to work online and build successful careers in the virtual environment. Upcoming programmes include a ‘Virtual Assistance Course’ and ‘Remote Work Like a Pro’ workshops.
Add image: aws-livit
3. Novel Coworking: Competitive Pricing
Find out more: novelcoworking.com
When Novel Coworking was founded in 2013 it pioneered a new approach to the coworking financial model. Instead of leasing buildings from landlords and renting them out, it decided to purchase the buildings outright. This approach enables them to charge lower membership prices and customise offices with ease. Novel Coworking owns and runs 30 coworking spaces across the United States, from Albany on the East Coast to Seattle on the West.
4. Cambridge Innovation Centre: Incubator/Accelerator
Find out more: cic.com
Cambridge Innovation Centre is a startup ecosystem in the truest sense. As well as a flexible workspace, it runs weekly informal networking events, operates a shared wet lab space and civic innovation space, hosts a community of entrepreneurs focused on making a positive impact and forges partnerships with local organisations to develop critical networks.
In 2018 CIC had an alumni base of 59K+ individual members and 5,000 companies from a wide range of industries.
5. LabCentral: Coworking for Life Sciences
Find out more: labcentral.org
Much like WellnessSpace, the concept for LabCentral came from the frustration experienced by founders Johannes Fruehauf and Peter Parker. The duo began Cequent Pharmaceuticals in 2006 after spending time and resources to lease and fit out their office and lab space.
When they sold Cequent, Fruehauf and Parker started working on new projects in the aforementioned Cambridge Innovation Centre. Tim Rowe, who founded CIC, would later become the the third co-founder of LabCentral, adapting the CIC model to laboratory research to create a new type of coworking space for those working in scientific fields.
6. Creative Works: Apprenticeships
Find out more: creativeworks.space
Like Livit International, Creative Works provides skills training opportunities for the local community — in particular young people and adults engaged in apprenticeships. All members have the opportunity to hire a Big Creative Education apprentice (BCE is the largest creative college in London and provides opportunities for over 1,000 students every year).
BCE’s apprenticeship team is based at Creative Works and members who choose to work with an apprentice can accommodate them in their office at Creative Works for free. Creative Works is a Community Interest Company — as such, the money it makes from business memberships is reinvested into its educational mission.
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7. Flexizone: Multifunctional
Find out more: www.flexizone.nl
There really is something for everyone at Flexizone in Rotterdam and that’s what makes it so unique. The company is the only operator out of 50+ flex operators in the Netherlands to offer a combination of flexible products under the same roof, including:
- Private offices
- Coworking
- Storage
- Studio space
- Workshops
- Atelier space
- Showrooms
- Container units
Although the first Flexizone opened in 2014, the journey began in the late nineties. You can find out more about its journey in our Story of Flexizone article.
Research by PwC reveals that the labour market in the Netherlands is the most flexible in Europe and the number of self-employed people is still growing significantly. Coworking companies like Flexizone who are experienced and multifunctional are best placed to cater to the needs of small businesses from a range of verticals.Of course, there are hundreds if not thousands of other unique coworking models out there today – and many more set to launch next year. If you run one of them and would like to share your story, email [email protected].
