Sharing services and offices has gained popularity over the past 50 years, especially with the development of business incubators and technology and business parks. A new concept of smart facility management for entrepreneurs arose with the emergence of coworking spaces. 

Coworking spaces are shared work environments where individuals from different professions, and companies work together. These spaces are designed to provide a collaborative and flexible work environment. It gives entrepreneurs a cost-effective alternative while providing networking, collaboration, and personal growth opportunities. While they are not attracting only startups, they usually host young and small companies and creative workers. 

Policymakers have acknowledged the potential of coworking spaces. They contribute to fostering entrepreneurship and support local economic development trends such as attracting digital nomads or smaller teams of businesses moving to the region by providing them with a flexible and state-of-the-art working environment, especially concerning connectivity. 

An example can be found in Ireland, with the Connected Hubs Network. Launched in May 2021, it is designed to simplify the process of sourcing and booking spaces, desks, offices, and events in hubs for different time frames. They have over 300 hubs, offering over 20.000 equipped desks. The Connected Hubs Network brand promotes Ireland globally as an attractive business destination. 

During this webinar, we will explore the success factors of coworking spaces, and how they can contribute to leverage entrepreneurial developments and stimulate the emergence of entrepreneurial communities. 

Keynote speech by Stephen Carolan from the Connected Hubs Network on the policy priority for Ireland (TBC)

Presentation by Eeva Arpala from the CODIL project on the HUBI25 Communal Workspace (TBC)

Presentation by Yesenia Otamendi from the SKALE2CT project on the Local Network of specialised Business Centres (TBC)