The market for coworking - Germany

1.1 Introduction

Coworking concerns the management of shared workspaces where professionals from different industries and companies can collaborate. These spaces usually offer services such as Internet access, meeting rooms or kitchen facilities. One of the first coworking spaces (called "San Francisco Coworking Space") was founded in San Francisco in 2005 by Brad Neuberg.

Worldwide, the coworking market is experiencing rapid growth. The growth rate (CAGR) of this market in the last 2 years(post-Covid period) is over 20%. Today, there are about 23,000 coworking spaces worldwide. These spaces are mainly located in major cities and metropolitan areas, which are in high demand due to the growing demand from companies and freelancers looking for workspaces while still achieving savings (compared to renting traditional offices).

In Germany, the coworking market has expanded rapidly. Today, there are more than 1,000 coworking spaces in Germany, while in 2013 this number was for the entire European Union. The German coworking market has many unique features. Although Germany is a rather decentralized country, these spaces are mainly concentrated in big cities like Berlin, Munich and Hamburg. Moreover, traditional companies are adopting this new standard for their offices to create spaces that encourage more flexible working models. Nevertheless, the typical customer profile in the coworking sector in Germany consists mainly of startups and freelance workers.

Regus is the leading company dominating the coworking market in Germany. However, there are also many independent providers offering such spaces, gaining popularity especially in cities like Berlin.

More recently, specialized coworking spaces have been gaining popularity in Germany. Industry-specific structures such as those in the healthcare or technology sectors are emerging, enabling the formation of effective ecosystems that provide important synergies for the various companies in these spaces. In addition, sustainability and employee well-being are becoming more prominent, with spaces offering ecological facilities and relaxation areas.