Which companies a coworking space suits
Not every company belongs at a desk in a shared office. We'd rather tell you upfront when it fits and when it doesn't — it saves us both a conversation that goes nowhere.
The short answer
It comes down to where your work actually happens.
A coworking space works for a company when the actual work happens at a desk: deciding, advising, developing, administering. As soon as goods, vehicles or a large workforce are involved, the center of gravity lies elsewhere — and then we're not the right fit.
Fits well
- Service providers with one or two staff Consulting, planning, brokerage, agency work. The output is created in your head and on your computer, not in a warehouse. A meeting room is on hand for client appointments.
- IT and software development Location-independent, but not placeless. You need a stable connection, quiet, and a room for video calls — that's exactly what's here.
- Start-ups in their early years You don't yet know how big you'll be in two years. At this stage, short terms and no broker fees are worth more than a cheap price per square metre.
Less of a fit
- Trading businesses with off-site storage Wherever the goods are stored and moved is where the center of the business lies. A desk with us doesn't reflect that — and it doesn't replace the warehouse for tax purposes either.
- Haulage and transport companies Vehicles, a yard, on-site dispatch: the business depends on space we don't offer. An office alone doesn't solve that.
- Companies with large workforces If most of the workforce is based elsewhere, most of the trade tax stays there too — regardless of where management has its desk. The reason why is explained just below.
Why that is
Three reasons that tip the balance.
Trade tax follows the payroll
If a company has permanent establishments in several municipalities, the trade tax base amount is apportioned — usually in proportion to the wages paid at each establishment. If you have twenty employees in Cologne and one desk in Monheim, you'll still pay the lion's share in Cologne. For small setups this barely matters; for large ones it decides everything.
Physical operations tie you to a place
Warehouse, workshop, vehicle fleet: wherever things arrive, are stored and loaded, a separate permanent establishment exists — and a desk can't replace that. For purely knowledge-based work, that second location simply doesn't exist.
A fixed desk carries more weight than a rotating one
For rooms to become a permanent establishment, more is needed than just the ability to use them. A desk that's permanently assigned to you and can't easily be taken away stands on much firmer ground than a spot someone else occupies every morning. That's why we offer the Premium plus package.
Not sure?
Ask us — and your tax advisor.
We'll tell you honestly whether we're a fit for your business. Your tax advisor can work out whether relocating pays off; we provide the documents for it. If it's not a fit, we'd rather say so upfront than afterwards.
Next step
Are we a good match?
Give us a short description of your business: what you do, how many people are involved and where they're based. We'll give you an honest answer.
