Spaces

Overview

Spaces is a flexible workspace brand founded in the Netherlands and now part of International Workplace Group, commonly known as IWG. It provides private offices, shared working areas, meeting rooms and related business services. Customers range from independent professionals and small companies to larger organisations seeking offices without the commitments associated with a conventional long-term lease.

The brand places particular emphasis on interior design, communal areas and opportunities for members to meet. For a prospective franchisee or property partner, however, the underlying business is the provision and management of workspace. Its performance depends on occupancy, achievable pricing, customer retention and the cost of delivering serviced accommodation, rather than simply on the popularity of coworking.

History and growth

Spaces was established in Amsterdam in 2008. Its original proposition combined professional office facilities with a less formal environment than the traditional serviced office, including shared spaces intended to encourage interaction between businesses. The concept emerged as demand grew for workplaces that could accommodate smaller firms, mobile workers and changing organisational structures.

The business became part of the Regus group in 2015, before the group adopted the IWG corporate name. Access to a larger international platform supported expansion beyond its Dutch base. Spaces developed into one of IWG’s principal workspace brands, alongside Regus, while retaining its own visual identity and emphasis on collaborative working environments.

Its development also reflects a broader change in flexible workspace demand. Companies increasingly use serviced offices for project teams, regional offices and distributed workforces, not only as temporary accommodation. Hybrid working has added another source of demand, although it has not removed the cyclical risks associated with office property.

Global footprint

Spaces operates internationally across Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and other regions. Its centres include city-centre addresses and locations serving business districts and residential catchments. Availability varies substantially by market: a global brand presence does not mean that every territory is open to franchise development or that every existing centre is independently operated.

For context, parent group IWG reported a network of around 3,500 locations in more than 120 countries as of 2023. Those figures cover its wider brand portfolio and must not be treated as Spaces-only totals. A separately verified, dated count of Spaces centres and countries is not provided here.

The distinction matters when assessing scale. A potential operator should examine the actual Spaces presence in the proposed catchment, alongside other IWG brands, rather than treating the parent group’s entire estate as directly comparable competition or evidence of local demand.

How the franchise model works

IWG has expanded through a mixture of company-operated locations, franchising and partnerships with property owners and investors. Spaces sits within this wider development platform. The precise route available depends on the country, building and proposed relationship; a property partnership should not automatically be described as a conventional franchise.

In a franchise arrangement, the local business operates under an agreed brand and system, subject to contractual obligations. A management or property partnership can allocate investment, operating responsibilities and returns differently. These distinctions affect who pays for the fit-out, employs staff, carries property liabilities and bears the risk of weak occupancy.

IWG’s platform includes sales channels, technology and operational systems supporting its workspace brands. The services supplied to an individual partner, and their associated charges, depend on the agreement. Prospective partners should establish whether an offer specifically grants the Spaces brand, which territory it covers and whether additional centres form part of the development commitment.

Investment and requirements

A standard global Spaces franchise fee and all-in investment range are not publicly disclosed. Figures quoted for another IWG brand, another territory or an individual property project should not be assumed to apply. Prospective franchisees should request the relevant franchise disclosure documents, where applicable, together with the proposed commercial terms and a site-specific investment schedule.

The principal cost categories typically include securing the premises, design and fit-out, furniture, technology, professional services, staffing and working capital. Building condition, floor area, local construction costs and landlord contributions can materially alter the funding requirement. A conversion of existing fitted offices may have different economics from an unfinished floor or a standalone building.

Requirements also depend on the relationship being offered. A landlord contributing a property has a different role from an entrepreneur operating centres. Relevant capabilities include property assessment, business-to-business sales, hospitality-style service and day-to-day facilities management. Any minimum capital, experience or development requirements need confirmation directly from IWG.

What franchisees should consider

Location analysis should extend beyond an attractive address. Transport access, nearby employers, competing office supply, building quality and the mix of private offices and shared areas all influence demand. The strongest-looking market may still be difficult if competing operators offer heavy discounts or conventional landlords provide unusually flexible lease terms.

There is also a potential mismatch between long-term property costs and shorter customer commitments. Operators need to understand how the proposed agreement allocates rent, service charges, utilities, maintenance and capital expenditure. Occupancy alone is an incomplete measure: revenue per occupied office, concessions, customer turnover and service costs also shape performance.

Contract scrutiny should cover brand standards, refurbishment obligations, reporting, customer ownership, pricing responsibilities and the treatment of enquiries generated through group channels. Territory protection, renewal, termination and exit provisions deserve particular attention. Independent professional review can help clarify these obligations without assuming that every Spaces opportunity follows the same contractual template.

Competitive landscape

Spaces competes with international flexible workspace operators, local coworking businesses and landlords offering managed or fitted offices. Relevant external competitors include WeWork, Industrious and The Executive Centre, although their geographical coverage and customer propositions differ. Conventional office leasing remains an alternative for businesses with stable space requirements.

Regus is an important comparison within the same parent group, rather than an independent corporate rival. Both brands address flexible office demand, but Spaces places greater emphasis on a design-led, community-oriented environment. A potential partner should test whether that positioning supports local pricing and occupancy rather than assuming that brand differentiation alone creates a commercial advantage.

Outlook

Spaces is exposed to the continuing shift towards flexible corporate occupancy and distributed working. IWG’s emphasis on partnerships provides a route for expansion involving external property owners and operators. Nevertheless, demand varies by city, neighbourhood and customer segment, while office-sector weakness can create both attractive property opportunities and greater competitive pressure.

The central assessment is therefore local and contractual. Brand recognition and a wider operating platform may support customer acquisition, but neither guarantees a successful centre. The suitability of a Spaces opportunity depends on the proposed building, realistic trading assumptions, the allocation of investment and risk, and the detailed obligations agreed with IWG.