Coworking has become a familiar concept in today’s working world, shaping the way freelancers, remote employees, contractors, and ambitious startups come together to do their best work.
Although the term ‘coworking’ was popularised around 2005 and largely credited to software engineer Brad Neuberg and his collaborative workspace in San Francisco, the idea had been quietly forming for years before. At its core, coworking has always been about more than just shared desks. It responds to a deep human need: the desire to work independently while still feeling part of a community.
Since 2013, the European Coworking Assembly has been dedicated to supporting and championing the coworking movement across the continent. As a non-profit, we work to connect spaces and individuals, fostering an ecosystem built on fairness, opportunity, and sustainability. Our mission is to carry out projects which create the world we want to see, amplifying the voice of our community, ensuring that the infrastructure that is the coworking movement is not only strong, but truly inclusive.
Through the work we do, we are lucky to meet so many important teams and people that have been integral to making coworking the movement it is today. One of those spaces is Locus Workspace, which recently celebrated its milestone 15th Birthday in May.
We’re excited to share the story of Locus’ beginnings in a special six-part series, written by founder Will Bennis. In this honest and engaging journey, Will unpacks what drew him to coworking and the moment of inspiration that sparked the idea for Locus.
His founding story has inspired us to reach out to the wider community and invite you to share your own #FounderStory with us.
What inspired you to start a coworking space of your own?
How has coworking met or exceeded your expectations, and what are the unexpected gains you have gotten from the industry?
Where and when did you start, and how has the space evolved since?
Let us share your story and celebrate the wins and learn from the challenges others have experienced. If you were not a founder, but perhaps a community manager or a loyal first member, we would love to hear from you, too.