“Airbnb for Workspace”: Industrious Moves to Grow with the Flexible Office Market

WeWork’s competitors continue to shake-up the coworking sector as the struggling company navigates through bankruptcy proceedings, lease negotiations, and pressure from Adam Neumann.  

Industrious (one of those competitors) is now reported to have merged its subsidiary Breather with Deskpass — establishing a new combined firm that offers on-demand office spaces akin to what CEO Jamie Hodari calls “an Airbnb for workspace,” according to a recent report published by Business Insider. It’s also reported that the company is still considering whether to combine the two brands.  

This strategic merger is seen as a response to the changing demands of tenants and the modern work patterns of employees, and it strengthens Industrious’ position as one of the leaders in the flexible workspace market. It’s reported that the combined entity boasts an inventory of about “2,000 spaces across 200 markets in the U.S.” serving approximately half a million users.  

The emergence of platforms offering on-demand office spaces is a response to changes in employee work demands. The rise towards greater flexibility and market adaptation to modern work patterns coincides with a broader movement away from traditional office environments towards more accessible and personalized workspaces.  

As the workforce increasingly values the ability to choose where and how they work, such platforms are not only expected to meet current demands but also anticipates the future needs of a digital and distributed workforce.