We at Wezoo had an incredible experience at last year’s Coworking Europe Conference in Porto, and now we’re excited to attend the 2024 edition in Sofia! Taking place from November 13-14, the event promises again to bring together key players in the coworking industry to share knowledge and insights. As we prepare for the event, we’re looking ahead to some standout talks we don’t want to miss, and we’ll be sharing them with you. We feel these sessions are key to staying on top of coworking trends, and we’ll explain why each one is unmissable.
Essential talks on Wednesday November 13:
- Carsten Förtsch, Deskmag
- Emma Swinnerton, Head of Flex at Cushman & Wakefield
- Dr. Joachim Gripp, CEO Design Offices
Essential talks on Thursday November 14:
Bonus:
Carsten Förtsch, Deskmag
The conference starts with Carsten from Deskmag, who translates the coworking world into numbers for us. Yes, it’s still early in the morning and it’s a lot of information to take in, but don’t miss it! Last year, he gave us plenty of fresh insights, and this year will be no different. He’ll be diving into the latest facts and figures on the coworking industry in Europe, covering key topics like profitability, occupancy, and revenues—whether you run a big or small space.
Wednesday 10:00 -10:15
Emma Swinnerton, Head of Flex at Cushman & Wakefield
Carsten’s keynote will be quickly followed by Emma Swinnerton from Cushman & Wakefield, bringing another high-quality analysis. Emma will dive into the latest shifts in coworking tenants for 2024, exploring who the new occupiers are and what they’re looking for. She’ll also highlight key differences between competitive markets like London and emerging coworking spaces across Europe.
We’re eager to see how her findings stack up against Carsten’s data. As we noticed in Porto last year, coworking market figures are open to interpretation.
Wednesday 10:15 – 10:30
Dr. Joachim Gripp, CEO Design Offices
It’s a long stretch this Wednesday morning, as right after Emma, we’ll hear from Joachim Gripp, CEO of Design Offices. He leads Germany’s largest flex workspace operator, with nearly 50 locations across the country, and his keynote promises valuable insights.
Joachim will cover what has worked for Design Offices, where they’ve faced challenges, and what’s next for the flex office market. He’ll dive into key issues like pain points in Germany and Europe, real estate owners’ reactions, long leases, and the influence of KPIs in an uncertain economic climate. He’ll also touch on why some city markets thrive while others don’t, and the importance of creating team spaces that foster interaction and creativity.
One thing’s for sure: we won’t be missing this keynote. Design Offices is no ordinary workspace operator, and we’re excited to get a behind-the-scenes look at how they’re navigating the industry.
Wednesday 10:30 – 10:45
Tech innovation in the flexible workspace
The next day of the conference, we’re firstly excited about the panel on tech innovation, and for good reason. It aligns perfectly with our own focus at Wezoo on driving tech innovation in the industry, so we’re particularly keen to hear what Miro from OfficeRnD and Manisha from Nexudus, among others, will have to share.
The panel will dive into the future of tech innovation in flexible workspaces, covering everything from AI and automation to smart access systems. It promises to be a forward-looking conversation, giving us a glimpse of what’s on the horizon. With experts from leading tech companies, this session will explore the latest developments and answer pressing questions about how technology will shape the future of coworking.
Thursday 09:45 – 10:30
The Mindspace journey
Just like Joachim’s keynote on Wednesday, Thursday brings us another exciting keynote from one of Europe’s largest coworking players: Mindspace.
This keynote is not to be missed, as Yotam Alroy from Mindspace and Tom Sleigh from Colliers will take us through the journey of how Mindspace has grown to become one of the biggest global coworking players. They will share valuable insights on the challenges faced along the way, including learning from strategic mistakes and failures, and how these experiences ultimately made the company stronger.
Oh yeah, since we recently started offering Mindspace locations through our platform, we felt this keynote deserved an extra shout-out!
Thursday 12:10 – 13:00
Kristelina Staykova, Entract127
The final panel we are particularly looking forward to is the one featuring Kristelina Staykova from Entract127. While we are not entirely sure what to expect from this session, at Wezoo we firmly believe that the pricing of coworking spaces will play a significant role in shaping the industry in the coming years. This makes us especially eager to gain more insights during this discussion.
The panel will address a key question: whether flex workspace and coworking prices should be higher overall, given the value that is being delivered. This promises to be a valuable conversation, and we hope to hear Kristelina, though her participation is yet to be confirmed.
Thursday 15:10 – 15:55
Bonus
So, we’ve now shared what we see as the essential talks of the Coworking Conference in Sofia. Now it’s time for a few more tips.
Coworking Tour
First up, don’t miss the Coworking Tour. If you’re already in Sofia on Tuesday, this is an opportunity you’ll want to take advantage of. More than a dozen coworking and co-living spaces will open their doors to Coworking Europe delegates for a personal visit. A Coworking Tour Map will be published for delegates, helping you plan your visits. Participating coworking spaces will be listed along with the time slots available for guided visits.
Coworking Europe Party
Don’t forget about the Coworking Europe Party at Feel Better. It’s simple: just don’t miss it! The party takes place on Wednesday night from 19:00 to 23:00, and it’s the perfect opportunity to unwind, connect, and celebrate with fellow attendees.
Meet Wezoo
Wezoo will also be attending, and we’re excited to meet up with you at the conference. We would love to tell you more about what we do as a company and how we can be of value to you.
Start by connecting with us on LinkedIn, or if you can’t wait, use the button below to schedule a 1-on-1 meeting with Tjeerd.
Connect with the team:
Tjeerd Bongers, Co-founder & CEO
Richard Miles, COO
Frerik Bongers, Co-founder & CPO
