What Coworking Europe 2025 taught us about the future of flexible workspaces

Shared Access was proud to sponsor this year’s Coworking Europe conference – a two-day gathering of operators, designers, technology providers and workplace strategists shaping the future of flexible workspace. Across the keynotes and panel discussions, one message was clear: the coworking sector will continue to play a defining role in how businesses approach space, community, sustainability and technology.

Here are our key reflections.

Business leaders are still unsure how to use office space – a major opportunity for operators

In his energetic keynote, Joachim Gripp, CEO of Design Offices, highlighted a challenge many leaders are grappling with: businesses remain unsure about how much office space they really need – and how to extract the greatest value from it.

Workspace strategy was once the remit of facilities teams. But as Gripp highlighted, those decisions have now moved to MD and CEO level – a clear sign of how strategic workplace planning has become.

Gripp also pointed to another industry challenge: in the push to stay competitive, some operators have made short-term decisions that don’t support the long-term health of the sector – for example, letting space at unsustainably low prices. It’s a pattern seen in other industries too. In some markets, mobile network operators have entered price wars, driving down the cost of data but ultimately undermining their own profitability and the investment needed to maintain strong networks.

For coworking operators, the message is clear. Those who can help companies understand their requirements, design the right environment and optimise how space is used – while maintaining sustainable pricing models – will stand out as genuine strategic partners rather than simple space providers.

Coworking spaces appear to be evolving in two directions

From conversations across the event, our impression is that coworking models are gradually diverging.

On one side, many operators continue to succeed with broad, sector-agnostic spaces built around flexibility, convenience and community. On the other, we’re seeing increasing interest in more specialised environments – from tech to creative industries – where operators can shape spaces and services around the specific needs of that sector.

The ability to anticipate sector requirements will, in our view, become an advantage for those operators pursuing specialisation. It’s not a universal trend, but it does reflect the growing maturity and segmentation of the coworking market.

Connectivity is a utility – not a bolt-on

One message cut through confidently: connectivity is as fundamental as any other utility. Members expect mobile coverage and digital performance to simply work – everywhere, all the time. And when it doesn’t, the consequences are real. As several speakers noted, poor mobile connectivity remains one of the most common reasons tenants leave a space. It’s no longer a “nice to have” – it’s business-critical.

This is especially important as coworking spaces evolve. Teams are now using the office differently: coming in less frequently, but arriving in larger groups to collaborate, workshop and connect. These larger-than-planned-for groups put additional pressure on digital infrastructure. Operators need to understand this impact and ensure their spaces – and their connectivity – are genuinely fit for this new purpose.

This reinforces our long-held belief that seamless mobile connectivity underpins productivity, wellbeing, safety and community engagement within coworking environments. Whether delivered through our traditional in-building systems or via our infrastructure-efficient BTS Hotel model, our goal remains the same: to give operators reliable, sustainable, future-ready mobile coverage with minimal complexity.

Location remains important – but perspectives differ

Joachim Gripp spoke with real conviction about the unmatched value of central urban locations, stressing that they’re consistently letting faster and delivering superior returns.

While this was one speaker’s viewpoint rather than a universal conclusion, it reinforced a broader theme: operators increasingly consider accessibility, amenity and neighbourhood character when positioning their spaces. Workplace decisions are no longer only about square footage – they’re about where people want to be and how spaces integrate with the environments around them.

Sustainability needs renewed focus – and coworking can help lead the way

In the panel featuring Shared Access’ Leonie Shipton, sustainability took centre stage. The collective view was clear: although sustainability has slipped down some clients’ agendas, coworking operators are uniquely positioned to bring it back into focus.

By designing more efficient buildings, managing communities with wellbeing in mind and helping companies measure and improve their environmental impact, coworking operators can drive meaningful progress – and in doing so, strengthen their appeal to both prospective members and landlord partners. This is a key area of opportunity for operators to stand out.

Shared Access supports this through energy-efficient infrastructure and connectivity solutions. Our innovative BTS Hotel model – one of several ways we deliver in-building mobile coverage – reduces duplicated equipment and power usage across buildings, helping operators enhance their ESG performance. Even outside this model, our optimised in-building systems help minimise environmental footprint while maximising reliability.

Coworking should contribute to the neighbourhood around it

Another takeaway was the rising expectation for coworking operators to make a positive contribution to the communities beyond their walls.

A strong example is Impact Hub Berlin, which has built its coworking model around social and environmental impact. Its space in CRCLR House was created using circular-economy principles and reused materials and the team regularly hosts community-focused events, supports impact-driven start-ups and partners with local organisations to tackle neighbourhood challenges. It’s a brilliant reminder that coworking can be much more than a place to work – it can become a catalyst for local regeneration and meaningful connection.

This neighbourhood-first mindset is set to influence the next generation of coworking spaces.

Looking ahead

Coworking Europe 2025 showed a sector that is evolving quickly, responding to new business expectations, new ways of working and new sustainability challenges.

For Shared Access, the event underscored the role that digital infrastructure plays in enabling coworking spaces to thrive – ensuring they remain productive, resilient, sustainable and ready to support diverse communities.

As we move into 2026, we look forward to supporting more operators with mobile connectivity solutions that elevate member experience and power the next wave of innovation in flexible work.