Established back in 2020, Nooka Space has the goal of redefining the hybrid working style through an innovative business model that offers the world’s first network of proximity offices. Recently, the company announced that it is one of the selected participants for this year’s edition of Vienna Startup Package program organized by Vienna Business Agency.
The initiative helps startups from countries all over the world to discover more about the Austrian ecosystem and expand into it. The organizers invite up to 20 companies every year to go through an intensive 4-week program full of coaching, networking, and practical workshops. The chosen companies have the opportunity to visit Vienna, get familiar with the local ecosystem, and build connections with relevant stakeholders.
“The participation in the Vienna Startup Package program is an amazing opportunity to discover the Viennese business environment and get professional support from top stakeholders, investors, and companies from the local startup ecosystem,” says Nooka Space’s co-founder – Sandu Băbășan. He also shares that this is another step toward achieving the company’s business goals and accelerating its presence at the international level.
How did the idea behind Nooka Space come up?
The company offers individual working pods that allow professionals to have a private space equipped with everything necessary for them to do their job. The workplace flexibility that Nooka Space provides can ensure long-term benefits to both employees and employers, but also to local authorities who seek to implement smart city programs.
The idea for creating Nooka Space was born in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the changes taking place in the global labor market. “The massive transition to remote work during the pandemic has been a necessity for most companies globally, and now, as hybrid working becomes a norm, there is an increasing need for flexibility,” points out Sandu Băbășan.
The decision for creating Nooka Space was based on a wide range of international studies and research showing that the hybrid system is here to stay and will be the preferred working model for employees. Relying on the findings of these surveys they launched the Space concept which proposes an innovative, flexible, and efficient way of working by creating a fully equipped and secure network of hi-tech proximity offices, which can be easily rented through a mobile application at affordable costs.
What are Nooka Space’s plans for the future?
Currently, the company is offering its services in 7 European countries including Ireland, Switzerland, Italy, France, and Romania. Nooka Space has put an ambitious plan for rapid expansion with the aim to start operating throughout the whole of Europe.
One of the main focuses for the expansion of the company is the DACH market. This is the reason Nooka Space decided to apply for the Vienna Startup Package. “Austria is a strategic market for Nooka Space, and we hope this program will enable us to jointly develop innovative strategies for rapid expansion,”points out Băbășan.
As well as expansion to the DACH region, Nooka Space’s co-founder shares with us that another big goal for 2022 is to expand into other major European countries such as the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, and Belgium. The strategy of the Romanian startup also includes developing a strong network of both outdoor and indoor proximity office spaces.
What makes the business model unique?
Nooka Space’s business model is very versatile, built around the concept of flexibility and urban mobility. But what makes it stand out is that the company’s proximity offices integrate the functionalities and logistical resources required for an office with state-of-the-art technologies.
Nooka Space’s business model addresses companies that strive for professionally facilitating hybrid working and local authorities that would like to implement smart city programs, healthy work environments, and fewer emissions in the city. The other main targets for the company are real estate developers who want to offer additional facilities to residents as well as organizations from the HORECA industry, airports, and self-employed people or individuals who simply need flexibility and desk time for a few hours a day or a few days each week.
The company offers the options for renting, booking based on hourly rates, buying, and sharing revenue, thus contributing to the concept of flexible spaces, which allows users to manage and customize their working conditions simply and conveniently. Nooka Space provides different models of proximity offices, which depending on the locations, can be outdoor, indoor, or modular offices.
