CoworkingSpain Conference 2022

This week we have attended the CoworkingSpain Conference (CWSC) in Valencia where we have had the opportunity to press the vitality of the coworking ecosystem, the flex and coliving.

First of all is to say that the organization of the conference has been excellent by Manuel Zea and Marc Navarro. Congratulations!

We have had the opportunity to attend a good number of presentations that have been touching different aspects of the sector, from the current state to the trends that are expected for the coming years.

The industry in 2021

The first thing to say is that it is in good health and that its future is more than promising.

Manu Zea opened the sessions by giving an overview of developments over the past year. Despite the difficulties derived from the pandemic, 2021 has been a record year for the coworking market. With more than 1,335,000 m2 available, only in fixed and flex positions, it would reach 131M€.

I would also highlight the granuralization of the spaces. 60% of the total m2 is in the hands of 12% of the spaces (with an average of more than 1000 m2 per space), while spaces smaller than 200 m2, represent 45% of the total coworking spaces with only 10% of the total m2.

Madrid and Barcelona continue to be the Tier 1 cities in Spain, but Tier 2 cities such as Valencia, Malaga and Seville are growing significantly. In this regard, interesting data pointed out by Sarah Colwell and Pablo Ochoa (The Instant Group) revealing that Madrid and Barcelona are in the top 6 European cities in the startup ecosystem but that Spain is where the sector is growing the most in Tier2 cities.

He also provided a lot of interesting data Carlos Almansa (Nexudus) on the habits and usage statistics of the spaces managed with his software platform that can be found in his Nexudus Insights report.

Coworking and Coliving

The sessions focused on two areas of interest:

The world of coworking, in all its aspects, from the experiences and recommendations of large and small operators, to the analysis, perspectives and expectations of the market. Coliving and hospitality. We will dedicate a separate article to everything related to coliving, digital nomads and the approach of hospitality to flex workspaces. Particularly interesting were the presentations of Carlota Lago (LAR group, wonderful project they are creating in the PTM of Malaga) and Carles Nogués (TSH, and his ambitious and innovative hospitality project). Both big players (Loom, WeWork, Utopicus, Attico, CBRE) and independents (Wayco and Vortex among others) have been represented in the sessions.

Trends in flex work and coworking

It is worth highlighting the agora that starred Maria Montis, from LOOM, focused on Operations in Flex Spaces and that, thanks to the enormous experience and sympathy of Maria, the attendees were encouraged to share their anecdotes, experiences and doubts, in an anecdotal full of lessons on the operations necessary to make a coworking space a successful one.

Muhannad Al Salhi, general manager of Wework for Spain and Portugal spoke about the momentum of the sector worldwide and the inexorable implementation of hybrid models (work anywhere) "imposed" by people and to which companies and operators must adapt through the "intentional office". In this model, operators offer different styles of spaces adapted to people's needs.

A similar message was given by Jesse Derkx, from CBRE, focusing on the requirements of large corporations to adapt to flex models and the importance of brokers as eekox for these corporations.

Aúrea Rivela (from Utopicus) introduced us to the current situation of Utopicus, and gave way to a detailed study of the typology of companies that work in flex offices, and the evolution that has been seen in recent years.

Nacho Cambralla (CEO of Wayco), Cristina Trilles (CEO of Vortex Coworking) and Dania Cotlear Stuart (Head of Jeff Works) showed the strength of the sector in the host city.

Gabi Espin (Co-Founder and CEO) and Naiara Chaler (Ecosystem Manager) of Aticco showed their vision far beyond the operation of the spaces themselves, looking towards the creation of ecosystems and communities of value around them.

Special mention to the initiatives in rural coworking by Laia Benaiges (l'Espai La Magrana) who presented her space and the activities carried out there to create a community with added value for its users.

For her part, Rocío Vielva, director of the Work Café network of Banco Santander explained the concept of the new banking office that lies behind the concept and design of the Work Café and its offer of flex workspaces, which, without a doubt, are here to stay.

Also very interesting was the intervention of Estela Martín (SincroGO) regarding the new Telework law and the important changes that would be necessary in it so that it is really a law to promote Telework and not an obstacle.

From Custom Suite, Javier Reina showed us the best way to adapt coworking spaces in Shopping Centers, without a doubt a clear and adequate vision from his own experience.

And to finish, and not with the mention of all the speakers, Raquel Traba, showed us how to build from the foundations a sustainable coworking, and no one better than her with her own example in Madrid Triple Coworking.

Ukraine in the heart. The courage of the sector.

A mention from the heart to Igor Dzhebyan and Vika Zhurbas-Litvin of the Ukraine Coworking Association. Through a tour of coworking spaces in their country they showed us the horrors of the war unleashed by Russia and the courage of the operators and coworkers who have reconverted their spaces into places of solidarity and resistance.

Waiting for the 2023 Conference

Despite the number of presentations full of ideas, creativity and data, the best part of the conference was undoubtedly the networking sessions, coffees and meals. In those moments, from eekox we have been able to exchange ideas and proposals with the best representatives of the sector in Spain (thanks María, Paloma, Anna, Gabriel, Oscar, Juanjo, Rocío, Carlota, Mar, Patricia ...... for the shared coffees and meals) and also from abroad. Jeannine Van der Linden told us about her experience as an accidental entrepreneur and her coworking concept that she has transferred to her 9 spaces in the Netherlands (De Kamer).

We can't wait to go to the Coworking Spain Conference in 2023!!!