Program

November 27th

09.00 - 18.00
Porto Coworking Tour - More than 12 coworking and co-living spaces open their doors for a personal visit to the Coworking Europe delegates (Self-Guided)

Self-guided Coworking Tour of coworking and co-living spaces in Porto.

More than 12 creative environments to visit within Porto and the Great Porto area at your pace.

 

Check out the Coworking Tour Map and Calendar to be published for delegates.

(Participating coworking spaces will be listed with the time slots available for a guided visit)

Ending after 6.00 PM.

18.30 - 21.30
Coworking Europe 2023 pre-conference Meet-Up

You can join an informal Meetup with delegates already in Porto.

Hang out to warm-up with the conference crowd.

November 28th

08.45
Registration and Morning Coffee

09.50 - 10.00
Word of Welcome

  • Porto Municipality (TBC)
  • Vertical Coworking

 

Arquivo Room

10.00 - 10.15
Presentation of the Deskmag 2023 Coworking Survey

  • Keynote – Deskmag 2023 Coworking Survey

    Presentation of the main findings in the Deskmag 2023 Coworking Survey

    • Carsten Förtsch, Deskmag (Berlin)

    The Arquivo Room

10.15 - 10.30
Main trends in the European coworking market and what to expect in 2024

Keynote – The European Coworking Industry main trends in 2023-24

The most important trends seen in the European Flex workspace market in 2023 and what to expect in 2024.

  • James Rankin, Head of Research at Instant Group

The Arquivo Room

10.30 - 10.45
How to make flex offerings naturally integrated in hybrid workspace new employers' policies

Keynote –  Cushman & Wakefield

  • Emma Swinnerton, Head of Flex Workspace EMEA at Cushman & Wakefield

The Arquivo Room

10.45 - 11.30
Is flex working breaking the glass ceiling of traditional office rental ?

Panel –

Moderated by Jean-Yves Huwart, SocialWorkplaces.com

  • Dan Zakai, CEO Mindspace
  • Rebecca Nachanakian, Head of WeWork Southern, Western Europe and Nordics

The Arquivo Room

11.30 - 12.15
Coffee Break & Demos

Take a break or follow the interactive Live Demo.

12.15 - 13.00
Are joined Co-living and Coworking products paving the way for the next generation of flex services ?

Keynote – Is the trend for mixed Co-living and Coworking proposals paving the way for the new generation of flex services ?

  • Vertical Coworking / Feel Porto
  • Selina (TBC)
  • TBC

Arquivo Room

12.15 - 13.00
Pricing policy - How to manage your coworking product pricing in times of high inflation? Lessons from now and for the future

Panel –

TBC

D. Maria Room

12.15 - 13.00
Keynote - TBC

Keynote – TBC

 D. Luis Room

13.00 - 14.15
Lunch Break

Eat something & network!

14.15 - 15.00
Technologies to optimise coworking management's processes. What are the latest evolutions and possibilities ?

Panel – TBC

Moderated by Jean-Yves Huwart

The Arquivo Room

14.15 - 15.00
How to recruit, build the best coworking management team and minimize the risk of professional tiredness?

As Coworking grows as an industry, so does the battle for talent. How has the recruiting process evolved over the years? What are the soft skills to pay the most attention to in 2023? How to handle multi-tasking the best? Shall hospitality and sales actions be endorsed by the same people? In what ways are coworking operators using to not only attract but also retain their talents? How are operators developing internal mobility programs to upskill their teams? Is part-time an option? Shall one hire in their communities? All those questions and more will be addressed by best-in-class practitioners who will share their experiences and tips.

  • Naiara Chaler (Attico)
  • TBD

Keynote + Q&A

D. Luis Room

15.10 - 15.55
Expansion - Are residential areas the new field of growth for new coworking spaces locations ?

Panel-

As the coworking industry continues to grow and mature, operators are exploring new frontiers to expand their businesses. One of the emerging trends is the establishment of coworking spaces in residential areas, which offer a range of benefits for both operators and members. What is the potential of residential areas as the new field of growth for coworking spaces? Is there room for existing brands to partner up with residential housing promoters? What is the business model or coworking spaces in residential compounds, blocks, or apartment buildings? Should the service be open to neighbors? Is this mixed model limited to sub-urban areas or will any new construction integrate a coworking spot in the future, as hybrid working becomes the norm? Whether you are a coworking space operator looking to expand your business or a real estate developer, this session will provide valuable insights into the evolving landscape of the coworking industry.

  • Josie Baum (ARC Club)
  • TBC

Arquivo Room

 
 
 
 

15.10 - 15.55
How to improve your sustainability effort through labelisation? The B. Corp case

Panel

How is getting a certification helping with marketing, talents, and members’ attraction and retention? Is the process of getting certified all worth it? This panel will discuss the example of the B. Corp certification, one that seems to be the most popular across the coworking industry.

  • Manuel Bastos (HEDEN)
  • Cliff Ho (The Commons)
  • Teresa Jackson (Collabor8te)
  • Charles Armstrong (The Trampery)
  • Mike Bascombe  Incendium, part of The Instant Group)

D. Maria Room

 
 
 
 

15.10 - 15.55
How Can ChatGPT Help Coworking Spaces Drive Marketing Success?

Keynote – In today’s digital age, marketing plays a crucial role in the success of coworking spaces. Leveraging the power of ChatGPT, a cutting-edge language model, can provide invaluable assistance to coworking spaces in driving marketing success by optimizing communication, content creation, and customer engagement strategies.

  • Matthias Zeitler (Coworking Bansko + Coliving Semkovo)

D. Luis Room

15.55 - 16.30
Coffee Break & Network

Take a break & network!

16.30 - 17.20
Is the rise of vertical-profession focused spaces the next big thing for the coworking industry growth?

With the maturation of the flex workspace market, new opportunities arise to develop new vertical-profession-focused coworking models. Medical houses operated by dedicated coworking brands are popping up in Switzerland or Germany. Barber shops, dentists, lawyers, barbers, and many more professions could soon mutualize facilities and become hosted in specialized coworking environments. The discussion will bring together operators active in different fields. They will tell about why they see an opportunity in vertical-profession-focused coworking spaces, how coworking best practices can be implemented to operate those facilities at best, what are the main differences and challenges, for those considering going into more segmentation, and many more questions.

Panel

  • Joachim Aziri (InstaCare)
  • Alexander Sporre (Stories)

Arquivo Room

16.30 - 17.20
Direct sales, SEO, online aggregator, brokerage, local prospection, events : how to build the right sales arsenal to maximize coworking lead generation?

How to generate sales leads for different coworking products ? How to address the multiplying of online platforms and aggregators ? Can brokers become coworking space operators best friend also for smaller prospects ? What has the rise of hybrid working demand change in the overall market ? Is local prospection more rewarding than national campaigns ? Is still events a thing to bring new leads in ? Do SEO, Social media or email marketing strategies need to adapt to a more competitive flew workspace environment ? When to hire a direct sales team ? Shall operator consider to bundle offerings with third parties (smart mobility, etc.) ? How to address bigger tenants demand or multi-location needs ? Many practical question will be addressed during this high level session gathering operators and online service providers.

Panel

  • Ed Bouterse (Workthere),
  • Nir Kelner (Brain Embassy)

D. Maria Room

16.30 - 17.20
When Coworking Spaces can gather strengths to provide good in times of crisis - The case of the terrible 2023 earthquake in South-Eastern Turkey

Keynote – The Turkey Earthquake, how coworking brought dramatically needed support.

  • Han Spaces (Istanbul)

The D. Luis Room

19.30 - 23.00
Networking Cocktail and Drinks

Networking Gathering offered at Lionesa Business Hub

Welcome word by Lionesa Team and networking activities.

Location : Rua Lionesa, 446 ADM, 4465-671 Leça do Balio

Good opportunity to have informal chat with the delegation and enjoy the Porto delights.

 

23.00
Closing or more for those who want

November 29th

08.45 - 09.15
Registration and Cloakroom

09.15 - 09.40
Unconference Explanation and Presentation

Unconference explanation and presentation – Propose a topic to be discussed between peers and vote collectively on the best proposals.

Infante Room

09.45 - 10.30
Remote Workers, local integration, and Inclusion - How can coworking spaces bring a positive difference by integrating international digital workers into local communities?

Panel –

The rise of remote work and hybrid work models has allowed workers to break free from the constraints of location and work from anywhere. However, as the number of remote workers continues to increase, new challenges emerged. How to integrate these workers into local communities? How to promote inclusion? How can coworking address and promote cultural diversity? How can they help integrate remote and hybrid workers into local communities? Shall coworking spaces communicate about the net economic good international workers bring or shall it remain a task for the authorities? Can skilled refugees find a local coworking space safe spot? 

D. Maria Room

 

09.45 - 10.30
Real Estate: How to give second life to old buildings in a sustainable way by implementing flex coworking concepts?

Panel

How are coworking spaces tackling the issue of climate change through innovative strategies and sustainable practices? Green building design, renewable energy sources, waste reduction, and how to foster a culture of sustainability within the coworking community.

  • Leon Reiner (Impact Hub Berlin),
  • Val Pietri (Apocapoc),
  • Raquel Traba Galisteo (TRIPLE)

Moderated by Pauline Roussel

D. Luis Room

09.45 - 10.30
Why are regional hubs the future of the coworking industry? - Lessons and challenges of growing coworking brands in second-tier cities

 
Panel
 
While the coworking offering skyrocketed first in major metropolitan areas, there is a growing demand for such spaces in second-tier cities. Coworking is now growing everywhere. Expanding a coworking brand beyond the capital city can be a daunting task, but there are valuable lessons to be learned from those who have successfully navigated this territory. Is the marketing approach different? Has the strategy to be focused on one main regional hub or does a multi-regional footprint make sense? Do lower real estate costs necessarily mean higher margins? Can operators sell to national or international tenants while not having a presence in a country’s capital city? How about a holistic hybrid working approach (satellite office in the whole country)? Regional city center or regional city suburbs – what is the most relevant?
  • Miguel Ricardo (Sitio),
  • Andreas Widmer (Westhive),
  • Lisa Zeitlin (Cityspace)

The S. Joao Room

10.40 - 11.25
Growth acceleration - What are the models toolbox to leverage partnerships, reduce upfront cost and speed up expansion?

Panel – As the coworking industry continues to grow and evolve, operators are faced with various real estate models to choose from when establishing their workspace without having to source too much capital. From leasing to revenue-sharing, join-venture, shared agreement, build-to-suit, and franchising, each model comes with its unique advantages and long-term implications that coworking operators need to consider carefully. What are the long-term implications of different real estate models for coworking spaces? How to find the right balance between short-term gains and long-term costs? How to surround yourself with the right legal support? What is the guarantee level to reach to be able to start a fruitful discussion with a conservative landlord? This conversation will be about the practices and arguments that maximize the chance to sign up a mutually meaningful deal between a landlord and an operator.

D Maria Room

10.40 - 11.25
Dealing with events in coworking spaces - Engaging while not being too Intrusive + making it a great marketing tool to bring new people in?

This session will be discussing the art of building a community strategy that strikes the right balance of engagement. It will look at community-building best practices through physical event organization as well as with online engaging actions. What are the effective engagement tactics? How to spot the right event topics for your community and the communities around? How to use technology smartly to generate weak and strong links between members, or between members and outsiders? What to pay attention to to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all? How to keep in touch with people and follow up with those who bring value to the space and community? How to become a magnet for the local ecosystem?

S Joao Hall

 

10.40 - 11.25
Unconference - Session 2 / Topic to be curated collectively in the morning

Second topic collectively voted for in the beginning of the day.

Peer group conversation

 

11.25 - 12.10
Coffee Break & Network

Take a break & network!

12.10 - 13.00
How to build on your difference as an independent coworking player and strengthen your own footprint?

Panel – Independent coworking operators still represent, by far, the biggest portion of the coworking offering in Europe. As the flex workspace market matures, national and international bigger players are taking more market shares. They develop networks and standards that become appealing to all kinds of member tenants. What can the independent operators do to keep a competitive advantage on their local level? How can they differentiate, in terms of marketing, positioning, tactics, and strategy? Is the focus on a geographical backyard the key? Or is a vertical niche strategy the best option, regardless of the geography?

  • Carlos Goncalves, (Avilla Spaces)
  • Sarah Travers, (Workbar)

The D. Maria Room

12.10 - 13.00
How and can the remote and rural coworking model be an economical success?

As the coworking industry expands beyond urban centers, remote and rural coworking models are gaining traction. This panel will invite leaders in the rural movement to share their insights and strategies on how to create economically viable coworking spaces in remote and rural areas, addressing the unique challenges and opportunities associated with these locations.

Panel

  • Hans-Peter Sander (CoworkLand)
  • Maria Svensson Wiklander (Gomoronn)
  • Joao Mendes (DNA Portugal)

D. Luis Room

12.10 - 13.00
How to automate coworking space management and increase productity the best to optimize user experience and revenue generation?

Access management, booking, ordering, billing, communication… With a lot of operational tasks, running a coworking space can be repetitive and low in terms of added value. Technologies have entered the lives of many spaces a long time ago. What is the state of the art in terms of technology enablers? What about the integration with all-in-one management tools? Aside from technology, are there process best practices to implement to level productivity up and avoid redundancies? Will AI applications help in the future? hat about data management to improve space allocation? Event production and community management: are there ways to make things faster and better? What to outsource and what to keep in-house? Can technology support upsell and revenue per user average increase? This panel will look at different levels of automation that streamline processes, reduce costs, and enhance customer experience.

Keynote + Q&A

  • Ben Kolp (The Living Room)
  • TBD

S Joao Hall

12.10 - 13.00
Unconference - Session 3 / Topic to be curated collectively in the morning

Third topic collectively voted for in the beginning of the day.

Peer group conversation

Oprah Room

13.00 - 14.15
Lunch Break

Eat something & network!

13.50 - 14.15
Keynote - TBC

TBC

14.15 - 15.00
Global brands with local flairs - How to adapt to local culture and socio-economical realities when building an international or national presence?

Keynote + Q&A

Looking at how The Social Hub integrates itself into foreign markets. What did they learn from the experiences of setting up spaces in Portugal, Spain, and Germany? How do they build experiences across the different locations?

  • Jason Steere (The Social Hub)
  • Maria Piovano (The Social Hub)

The D. Luis Room 

14.15 - 15.00
Sponsored Workshop - Optimising the office space

Learn more on the new way of running coworking spaces with a seamless and delightful user experience.

The S. Joao Room

14.15 - 15.00
Unconference - Session 4 / Topic to be curated collectively in the morning

Fourth topic collectively voted for in the beginning of the day – Peer group conversation

 

15.10 - 15.55
International nomad working - How to accommodate an audience of short term members while addressing their specific needs?

Panel 

The global pandemic has accelerated the shift towards flexible and remote work, leading to the rise of hybrid working models and an increase in digital nomads seeking to work and live in new locations. Coworking spaces have been quick to adapt to this new reality, leveraging hybrid working and nomad visas to attract and retain members. Which coworking spaces that are leading the way in this regard and what strategies have they adopted to cater to the changing needs of the workforce? Is it really good economic value for local operators? How to have to make integrate and benefit the whole ecosystem?

  • Matthias Zeitler (Coworking Bansko)
  • TBD

The D. Maria Room

15.10 - 15.55
How to manage a merger between two coworking operators. Testimonials : IDEA Spaces & NOW Lisboa and StartDock & X

 A focus on how to create a successfully merged entity looking at strategies, best practices, and considerations for successfully merging between coworking operators, including navigating cultural differences, operational integration, member retention, branding, legal and financial considerations, leadership, and lessons learned.

Keynotes with Q&A

  • Joao Simoes (IDEA Spaces) /
  • Thom Wernke (StartDock)

The D. Luis Room

15.10 - 15.55
Unconference - Session 5 / Topic to be curated collectively in the morning

Fifth topic collectively voted for in the beginning of the day.

Peer group conversation

15.55 - 16.30
Coffee Break & Network

Take a break & network!

16.30 - 17.15
Workspace design - How to lay out space at a time of asynchronous work and work hybridity?

Keynote + Q&A

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the way we work, with many organizations transitioning to remote work or adopting hybrid models. There is a growing demand for flexible and collaborative workspaces that can help employees safely and comfortably return to the workplace. What are the key elements of designing an open workplace in 2023? What is currently becoming a must or a nice to have to meet workers’ demands? Francisco Vazquez works with a lot of corporates and keeps track of the change in needs they are experiencing. How can it be translated into the Flex workspace offering of today?

  • Francisco Vasquez Medem (3g Group)

The D. Luis Room

16.30 - 17.15
"Around The World in 250 Coworking Spaces" - Presentation of a unique book on coworking, community and design.

The D. Maria Room

16.30 - 17.15
Unconference - Session 6 / Topic to be curated collectively in the morning

Sixth topic collectively voted for in the beginning of the day.

Peer group conversation

 Room

17.30 - 18.00
Wrap-up Unconference and Conference

Short presentation of the findings of the unconference and say good bye.

Last words and interactive last say session

 

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