Use/space

What Use/space does

Use/space is a privately held Dutch two-sided marketplace platform, headquartered in Amsterdam, that matches unused office space in commercial buildings with social and cultural organizations seeking venues for activities. The company serves two primary customer segments: office building owners and operators ('hosts') — including major commercial real estate firms such as ASR Real Estate, Bouwinvest, Edge Workspaces, Vastint, B.Amsterdam, Startdock, D-dock, Goldman Sachs, RJB, and the Municipality of Amsterdam — and mission-driven nonprofit organizations ('activators') including NGOs, foundations, cultural institutions, youth organizations, and community groups. The platform addresses the structural mismatch between the estimated 70% of office building common areas (reception halls, meeting rooms, canteens, atriums, gardens) that stand unused outside core business hours and the acute shortage of affordable, accessible venues faced by social organizations in Dutch city centers.

The platform operates as a web application (usespace.nl) with a mobile-facing app (app.use-space.com) handling space-seeker registration, a host management dashboard for space providers, and a published directory of available spaces across Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Utrecht. Technically, the platform incorporates a background verification system for new user applicants, real-time usage dashboards for hosts, and a curated matching process coordinated by five in-house 'Social Curators.' A notable structural feature is the formal integration with the BREEAM-NL In-Use sustainability certification, whereby participating building owners earn 4 certification points per activation.

Use/space operates with a 9-person team led by co-founders Mare Santema and Thomas van Leeuwen, supported by COO Charlotte Roland and a branding role. Revenue is generated through a sliding-scale contribution fee of €20–€500 per activity charged to social organizations based on their financial capacity and activity scale, with hosts receiving managed services including account management, ESG/BREEAM-NL reporting support, and impact reports as part of the partnership. The company is self-funded (no disclosed external investment) and has been recognized with the 2025 'Amsterdammer van het Jaar' award for co-founder Mare Santema.

Name

Use/space

Legal name

UseSpace

Website

https://usespace.nl

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Use/space is an Amsterdam-based two-sided marketplace platform connecting Dutch commercial office building owners with social and cultural organizations, matching underutilized office spaces with nonprofits seeking affordable venues for community activities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workspace Marketplace

NAICS

Facilities Support Services (561210)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Hybrid Work Enablement & Desk/Room Booking Operations (BPABAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Workplace Strategy & Space Standards (BPABAFAA)

Keywords

• Workspace marketplace
• Commercial real estate activation
• Space sharing platform
• Community space booking
• Underutilized office spaces

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Contribution Fee (Bijdrage): Social organizations (participants) pay a contribution fee per activity match, calculated based on the organization's financial capacity (annual revenue and number of employees), and the scale/duration/frequency of the space use. The collaboration is entered into free of charge, with fees charged only upon successful matching. Fees are cost-covering for mediation services, never disproportionate.
2. Host Onboarding Services: Office building owners (hosts) are onboarded as partners and receive services including a personal account manager, ESG/BREEAM-NL reporting support, and an impact report. Revenue from hosts is not explicitly itemized but is implied as part of the platform's value delivery to building owners seeking ESG credentials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Use/space operates a digital marketplace that matches unused office spaces (canteens, meeting rooms, atriums, rooftops, reception halls) in commercial buildings with social and cultural organizations needing venues for events, workshops, and community activities. The platform handles user onboarding, background verification, space matching, and ongoing coordination between space providers (hosts/building owners) and space seekers (activators/social organizations), charging a sliding-scale contribution fee of €20–€500 per matched activity.

Product overview

Use/space is a Dutch platform operating under a unified product that connects unused office spaces with social and cultural organizations. The core offering consists of the Use/space Platform (website), the Activator Portal (app.use-space.com for space seekers), and the Host Dashboard (for space providers). The platform facilitates 'Matches' between office building owners seeking to optimize their unused spaces and social organizations needing venues for activities. Space types include reception halls, meeting rooms, canteens, roof gardens, and atriums. The platform charges a contribution fee (€20-€500 per activity) from space users based on their financial capacity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Use/space Marketplace Platform A two-sided marketplace platform that connects unused office spaces (hosts) with social and cultural organizations (activators), facilitating 'Matches' between space providers and seekers. The platform serves commercial real estate owners in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Utrecht.
• Use/space Activator Portal Web application for social organizations ('activators') to register, submit space requests, and coordinate bookings. Charges contributions between €20 and €500 per activity based on organizational financial capacity and space requirements.
• Use/space Host Dashboard Management dashboard for space providers (hosts) offering real-time data, verified user management, personal account managers, and annual impact reporting. Hosts can manage bookings and coordinate with social organizations.
• Available Spaces Catalog Public directory of available office spaces across Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Utrecht including WTC Rotterdam, Laurierkwartier, Clubspace, Central Park, DB55, DS51, AIR Offices, Edge Stadium, WTC Zuidas, and other partner buildings.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24,670 m² of office space activated for social and cultural activities
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers27 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• ASR Real EstatecoreOthersASR Real Estate is one of the major commercial real estate owners in the Netherlands that opens its office buildings through Use/space, making underutilized spaces available for social and cultural activities. ASR Real Estate's participation supports its ESG strategy by activating idle building spaces for community benefit.
• BouwinvestcoreOthersBouwinvest, a Dutch real estate investment manager, participates as a host by opening its office buildings through the Use/space platform, enabling social organizations to access its spaces during off-hours for community events and activities.
• Edge WorkspacesflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdge Workspaces is a flagship partner of Use/space, with multiple Edge buildings (EDGE Stadium, EDGE Olympic, EDGE Olympic in the Olympic District) actively hosting social events. Edge's founder Coen van Oostrom is quoted as a strong supporter: 'Met Use/space maken we van gebouwen echte 24-uurs plekken.' Edge Spaces have hosted De Philharmonie rehearsals, Shakti.ism workshops, fashion shows, and more. Edge's smart building technology combined with Use/space's community activation creates a differentiated offering.
• VastintcoreOthersVastint, a European real estate company, participates as a host partner, opening its office spaces through Use/space for social and cultural initiatives, supporting its sustainability and community engagement goals.
• B.AmsterdamflagshipOthersB.Amsterdam is a major flagship host partner, with the building having facilitated dozens of activities including job markets for homeless individuals (9 people found employment), community Christmas lunches, and crisis relief training. B.Amsterdam represents one of the most active spaces in the Use/space network.
• D-dockcoreOthersD-dock, a coworking and hospitality space operator in Amsterdam, participates as a host by making its spaces available for social and cultural events through the Use/space platform.
• StartdockcoreOthersStartdock operates multiple historic Amsterdam buildings (Singel, Keizersgracht, Herengracht) and serves as a host partner, providing spaces for community events such as the Share Network female empowerment event.
• Goldman Sachs (GS)minorOthersGoldman Sachs is listed as a space partner on the 'host' page, suggesting it opens certain office spaces in Amsterdam for social activities through the platform. No additional details on the scope or depth of this partnership are available in the source material.
• Gemeente Amsterdam (Municipality of Amsterdam)coreOthersThe Municipality of Amsterdam is a public-sector host partner, opening city-owned office spaces and buildings for social and cultural use through Use/space. This partnership supports Amsterdam's urban development and community-building objectives.
• RJB (Rijswijkse Bedrijfsgroep)minorOthersRJB is listed as a space partner on the 'host' page, indicating it participates in the Use/space network by opening office spaces for social and cultural events, though limited additional detail is available.
• BREEAM-NL (Dutch Sustainability Certification System)coreOthersUse/space has a formal integration with BREEAM-NL In-Use certification, whereby building owners who host social activities through the platform earn 4 BREEAM-NL points, directly supporting their sustainability certification. This creates a structural incentive for building owners to participate in the platform and provides a regulatory-linked competitive moat.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Robin: Workplace-experience platform providing desk/room booking, space analytics and hybrid-work enablement for office occupiers. Comparable in delivering the booking and analytics tech layer Use/space uses, but targets tenants rather than underutilised community activation.
• Spacemade: UK flexible-workplace operator focused on activating underutilised building space with community programming. Comparable in its mission to bring life to empty commercial space, though operator-led rather than pure marketplace model.
• Knote: Workplace analytics and space-booking platform for CRE owners. Adjacent comparable: uses real-time space-usage data and ESG dashboards that mirror Use/space's host-facing value proposition (BREEAM-style impact reporting, utilisation insights).

Broad incumbents

• Industrious: US premium flexible-workspace operator operating across multiple building types. Comparable in activating underutilised office assets and providing managed workplace services, but operates its own inventory rather than a marketplace.
• Peerspace: Large US marketplace where hosts list unique and event spaces (often in office buildings, lofts, retail) for hourly booking by event organisers and creatives. Same two-sided marketplace structure for activating non-residential space, with a much broader demand base.

Direct peers

• Hubble: UK-headquartered marketplace for flexible office space, coworking and event venues. Overlaps directly with Use/space in providing on-demand access to unused commercial workspace via a digital marketplace with host- and seeker-side flows.
• Liquidspace: US-based two-sided marketplace matching unused commercial office and meeting space with on-demand users. Closest direct peer to Use/space — same space-matching, transaction-based model serving underutilised office inventory, though larger and US-focused.

Regional players

• Meanwhile Space: UK-based platform connecting landlords of vacant commercial property with community and social-sector tenants on interim leases. Highly comparable mission and activation model to Use/space, but UK-focused and lease-based rather than event-based matching.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInnl.linkedin.com/company/usepace-com
• Instagraminstagram.com/usespace.official

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Use/space