Benefits of coworking spaces that focus on community
There’s a change underway in the world of coworking. People are not just looking for a space to work from, they’re looking for community. We’ve seen it most recently with the closure of Factory Berlin’s largest campus at Görlitzer Park in April 2024. No longer just a startup hub, the company has transformed itself into more of a “curated business club” for working, networking, and events. And, why not? We’re moving into a space now where changemakers are seeking out collaboration and connection. Where they can work not just in parallel with each other, but in sync with each other.
At Impact Hub Berlin, we believe a coworking space today is more than just that. We offer events, parties, programmes, and consultancy all focused directly on our impact community. By being a community-driven coworking space, we help our members drive impact, stay motivated, share knowledge, and build constant growth and development within their sectors. In fact, we believe community is one of the five top things to consider when seeking out a coworking space that’s right for you.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the benefits of coworking spaces that are focused on community and how they can help support and celebrate people working to make change in our world.
Amplify impact and be part of an ecosystem of change
Being part of an active coworking community means thriving and evolving alongside other agents. We know it’s something changemakers are seeking out; to find a way to come together and support each other – even invest in each other.
Being able to do that in a space alongside others in your field can be crucial to success. That’s why, at Impact Hub Berlin, we have four main focus topics within the impact world: Circular Economy, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Green Tech, and Sustainable Food. We seek to create bonds within our community under these four pillar topics. We release trend reports, maintain community management, hold conferences and events on these topics, design and implement venture support programmes, and set up matchmaking formats to link investors and potential partners together.
We believe impact is greatly increased when changemakers are connected with and collaborate on values they share. As Conflict Food co-founder and community member Salem El-Mogaddedi put it in our 2022 Impact Report, “impact multiplies when insights are shared”, and we couldn’t agree more. In the report, we found our community members gave an average of 1.3 hours monthly support to other members while receiving an average of 1.7 support hours in return from other members.
Community can help you stay motivated
One of the biggest challenges many founders and changemakers face is loneliness. Entrepreneurs without a team often have no one to talk to or share ideas with, which can lead to feelings of isolation and ultimately a lack of self-confidence. A 2019 survey found that 77% of founders say running a business has impacted their mental health. Add to this the absence of “water cooler chats” – those forms of non-work communication that help to boost morale and connection – and it can make for a pretty dismal setting for those setting out to create positive change.
This is where a coworking community, focused not just on successes but also on support and collaboration, is key. A coworking community can offer support systems for those who need it most.
Being surrounded by like-minded individuals, who are going through similar scenarios or emotions, can help validate each and every journey. In our 2022 Impact Report, Made of Air Head of Research and Innovation Oliver Gould said working in a social space at Impact Hub Berlin was important for his team’s development.
“The lab (at Impact Hub Berlin) is also a social space for our team to get together with the rest of the Impact Hub community via social events. The sheer number of passers-by and visitors to the lab gives us a sense of community-building.”
Being in an environment surrounded by changemakers working to make an impact helps not just boost mental health but can also inspire and motivate every member’s personal journey.
Learn from and exchange knowledge with other innovators
Connection and community go hand-in-hand. And, in a coworking space where like-minded innovators are working closely with each other, this could prove to be fruitful. Research has shown we’re more likely to have new, creative ideas when we talk to people we don’t know. That’s because the less you know someone, the more likely they are to feel comfortable to challenge your thoughts and ideas. At Impact Hub Berlin, we have community members working in all kinds of areas – from public to corporate, startups to think tanks – each with their own unique perspective and expertise. Being surrounded by diverse groups, not just in work life but also in social life, can help innovators gain a greater understanding of our world and find new ways to talk through ideas, while listening to others share theirs.
At Impact Hub Berlin, community is not just limited to Berlin. We’re part of a global community of changemakers who are open to connecting with and growing alongside others making impactful change in society.
A key benefit of coworking spaces: Growing your business
Being part of a community means you already have a head-start on being able to grow and develop your business idea. Coworking spaces focused on community are crucial for entrepreneurs looking to network and foster innovation with their peers.
At Impact Hub Berlin, we offer networking and collaboration events, partnerships with investors, resources, programmes to help get ideas off the ground, and support from people who know how to make the most out of your idea.
When you work within a coworking community, you’re working sustainably. By finding others who complement your own skill set, you can join forces to drive positive change and impactful growth. We’ve seen entrepreneurs joining forces to tackle real-world issues and others contributing to the development of a social impact business brand.
You also have access to a group of innovators excited to support businesses working in sectors they themselves are also working in. At Impact Hub Berlin, we offer event space to those wanting to hold their own events – inclusive of non-members too! – as well as programmes for fellow community members that offer mentorship, financial support, and potential partnerships.
There are many benefits of coworking spaces that are focused on community. From combating loneliness to driving impact, being part of a community of innovators can offer fresh perspectives and improve productivity. If you’d like to join our Impact Hub Berlin community, we’d love to hear from you and share how being part of our community can help improve your journey towards impactful change.
