The Coworking Wiki
The shared knowledge of the industry.
A preview of our structured knowledge base for coworking operators. Vendor landscapes, glossaries, comparisons, best practice and operational templates - built with the community, maintained by the Institute.
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Open knowledge
Index
GLOSSARY · TEMPLATES
Browse by category
The index.
CAT-00
Start Here
Foundational primers for anyone entering the coworking industry: business models, unit economics, and the vocabulary you need before choosing tools or signing a lease.
4 articles · OpenCAT-01
Access Control
Physical / Operational: Cloud-based and mobile-credential systems controlling entry to buildings, floors, offices, and amenities, syncing access rights with membership status.
1 article · OpenCAT-02
Security & Surveillance
Physical / Operational: Cloud-managed and hybrid video surveillance with AI analytics; often bundled with access control.
1 article · OpenCAT-03
Networking & Connectivity
Physical / Operational: Network hardware plus cloud management, guest WiFi captive portals, RADIUS authentication, and bandwidth management.
1 article · OpenCAT-04
Sensors & Occupancy
Physical / Operational: Sensors and analytics measuring real occupancy and utilization of desks, rooms, and zones for space optimization and automation.
1 article · OpenCAT-05
BMS & Smart Building Tech
Physical / Operational: Centralized control and optimization of HVAC, lighting, power, and life-safety, increasingly with AI-driven energy management.
1 article · OpenCAT-07
Meeting Room Tech
Physical / Operational: Video-conferencing room hardware and door-mounted scheduling panels showing availability and enabling on-the-spot booking.
1 article · OpenCAT-08
AV & Digital Signage
Physical / Operational: Displays, projectors, sound, and cloud-managed digital signage for wayfinding, community announcements, and event promotion.
1 article · OpenCAT-10
Printing & MFP Management
Physical / Operational: Cloud print management connecting member devices to printers with usage tracking, quotas, secure release, and automated billing.
1 article · OpenCAT-11
Phone Booths & Acoustic Pods
Physical / Operational: Modular soundproof booths for calls, video meetings, and focus work; the leading category is dominated by Nordic/European makers.
1 article · OpenCAT-12
Smart Lockers & Parcels
Physical / Operational: Cloud-managed lockers for member storage, parcel/package delivery, and device handoffs with mobile/keyless access.
1 article · OpenCAT-13
Furniture: Desks & Task Chairs
Physical / Operational: desk and task-chair vendors for coworking, compared on durability tier, adjustability, sit-stand, trade programmes and APAC availability.
1 article · OpenCAT-14
Furniture: Soft Seating, Tables & Fit-Out
Physical / Operational: lounge, collaborative, cafe and acoustic soft-furniture vendors for coworking, compared on durability standards, contract tier and APAC availability.
1 article · OpenCAT-30
Coworking Operating Systems
Business Software: The core operating system unifying members, bookings, billing, CRM, access, and analytics. This is the integration hub for the entire stack.
1 article · OpenCAT-31
Member Management & CRM
Business Software: Lead capture, sales pipeline, member lifecycle, and contact management, sometimes native to the platform, sometimes separate.
1 article · OpenCAT-32
Billing & Payments
Business Software: Recurring billing, metered usage, invoicing, taxes, and payment processing, usually via the management platform plus a payment gateway.
1 article · OpenCAT-33
Booking & Reservations
Business Software: Real-time availability and self-service booking of desks, meeting rooms, and resources, with rules, credits, and dependencies.
1 article · OpenCAT-34
Accounting & Finance Integ.
Business Software: Integrations posting invoices, payments, and revenue data into accounting systems for reconciliation and reporting.
1 article · OpenCAT-35
Analytics & BI
Business Software: Dashboards and analytics on occupancy, revenue, member engagement, and operational KPIs across one or many locations.
1 article · OpenCAT-36
Community Platforms
Business Software: White-label mobile apps and member portals for community feed, directory, events, perks, and messaging.
1 article · OpenCAT-37
Marketing & Listing Platforms
Business Software: Aggregators and marketplaces that list spaces, generate leads, and enable on-demand bookings; a key acquisition channel.
1 article · OpenCAT-38
Broker & Space Aggregation
Business Software: Brokerage, flex-space aggregation, and multi-location/franchise management platforms.
1 article · OpenCAT-39
Visitor Management
Business Software: Visitor check-in, host notifications, badge printing, and compliance/NDA workflows.
1 article · OpenCAT-40
Workplace Experience Apps
Business Software: Hybrid/enterprise workplace apps overlapping with coworking: desk booking, wayfinding, and employee experience.
1 article · OpenCAT-41
Helpdesk & Facilities Ticketing
Business Software: Facilities ticketing and computerized maintenance management for cleaning, repairs, and asset tracking.
1 article · OpenCAT-42
IoT Integration & Middleware
Business Software: Middleware platforms that connect sensors, devices, and business systems across the building stack.
1 article · OpenCAT-43
AI Tools for Coworking Ops
Business Software: AI-driven tools for operations, member engagement, pricing, energy, and analytics.
1 article · OpenCAT-44
DIY & No-Code Stack
The no-code tools small and pre-launch coworking operators run on before graduating to a dedicated coworking platform.
1 article · OpenCAT-90
Resources
Reference materials for coworking operators: glossary, templates, and other operational resources.
2 articles · OpenLatest additions
Recently published.
Start Here
Are Coworking Spaces Profitable?
Are coworking spaces profitable? What IWG, WeWork and APAC operators report, the seven levers that decide it, and a self-check for your plan.
ReadStart Here
How Much Does It Cost to Start a Coworking Space?
The cost to start a coworking space, line by line: fit-out by city, furniture, tech, deposits, legal and the cash to reach stable occupancy.
ReadResources
Coworking Space Business Plan Template
A copy-and-adapt coworking space business plan template: eleven sections, what each must prove, and what lenders, landlords and investors look for.
ReadFurniture: Desks & Task Chairs
Furniture: Desks & Task Chair Vendors
Directory of 26 desk, sit-stand and task-chair vendors for coworking, compared on BIFMA, EN and AFRDI durability, warranty terms and APAC reach.
ReadFurniture: Soft Seating, Tables & Fit-Out
Furniture: Soft Seating, Tables & Fit-Out Vendors
Directory of 19 lounge, cafe and acoustic soft-furniture vendors for coworking, compared on BIFMA X5.4 and EN 16139 durability, warranty and APAC reach.
ReadStart Here
How to Start a Coworking Space: Concept to Opening Roadmap
How to start a coworking space: the stages, decision gates and realistic timelines from first idea to open day and stable occupancy.
Read