CommunityOffice
CommunityOffice GmbH is a Basel-based Swiss consulting firm (founded 2021) that helps municipalities, NPOs, and real estate owners develop community-oriented coworking spaces via a proprietary six-phase, bottom-up methodology, primarily across peri-urban and rural Switzerland.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersBasel, Switzerland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CommunityOffice does
CommunityOffice GmbH is a Basel-headquartered, Swiss private limited company founded in 2021 through the spin-off of VillageOffice's regional coworking division. The firm provides consulting and project development services to public institutions (municipalities, cantons, regional development bodies), non-profit organizations, and real estate owners for the creation of community-oriented coworking spaces, with a deliberate focus on peri-urban, rural, and alpine regions rather than major urban centers. Its core offering is a "One Stop Shop" built around a proprietary six-phase bottom-up development model (Assess, Explore, Test, Conceptualize, Execute, Operate), delivered through combinable modules covering potential analyses, market studies, development concepts, operating and spatial concepts, business plans, funding advisory, communication/marketing strategy, and tool/communication-channel setup and training.
The business operates primarily on a project-based, quote-based professional services revenue model with no publicly disclosed pricing or subscription product. Customers are predominantly Swiss public-sector entities engaged on a per-project basis, with co-financing frequently sourced via federal programs such as the Neue Regionalpolitik (NRP/Regiosuisse) and partners including SAB and Schweizer Berghilfe for mountain-region projects. In parallel, CommunityOffice operates three owned coworking spaces — Green City Office and Green City Coworking in Zurich, and Rhizom in Basel — which serve both as showcase assets and as a smaller direct-revenue stream. Distribution is consultative and referral-driven, anchored in a network spanning more than 20 municipalities across multiple cantons and a broad set of public and corporate reference partners. The company has ~8 named professionals and reports no outside funding, no subsidiaries, and no AI/ML technology components.
CommunityOffice firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CommunityOffice
- Legal name
- CommunityOffice GmbH
- Website
- https://communityoffice.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CommunityOffice GmbH is a Basel-based Swiss consulting firm (founded 2021) that helps municipalities, NPOs, and real estate owners develop community-oriented coworking spaces via a proprietary six-phase, bottom-up methodology, primarily across peri-urban and rural Switzerland.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CommunityOffice industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Coworking Space Development Consulting
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Business Service Centers (56143)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)
Keywords
Where CommunityOffice is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Basel
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
CommunityOffice business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Consulting and Development Services: Professional consulting services for coworking space development including potential analyses, studies, market analysis, development concepts for municipalities, NPOs, and real estate owners. Services include feasibility studies, business plans, operating concepts, and project-specific team assembly.
- Workshops and Training: Workshops and consultations for communication and marketing strategy, tool setup, training in application use, and ongoing operation support.
- Tools and Communication Setup: Setting up tools and communication channels for clients, training in their use, and operating as required.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
CommunityOffice product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CommunityOffice provides consulting, analyses, studies, and development concepts for public institutions, NPOs, and real estate owners to establish coworking and shared workspace projects in Switzerland. Its offering is structured as a One Stop Shop with flexible modules combining expertise (feasibility studies, market analyses, development concepts) and building blocks (operating strategies, business plans, spatial concepts, marketing strategy, community software, management systems) delivered through a six-phase bottom-up development model. The company also operates its own coworking spaces in Zurich and Basel as living examples.
Product overview
CommunityOffice is a coworking space development company offering a unified portfolio centered on its One Stop Shop concept for coworking and shared workspace projects. The core offering combines expert analyses and concepts (potential studies, market analyses, development concepts) with building blocks and tools (operating strategies, business plans, spatial concepts, marketing, community software, management systems). The company also operates three physical coworking spaces under its own brands (Green City Office, Green City Coworking in Zurich, and Rhizom in Basel) and runs Coworking Talks as a community engagement program. The development methodology follows a structured six-phase bottom-up model tailored for municipalities, NPOs, and real estate owners in peri-urban, rural, and alpine regions. The company emerged in 2021 from VillageOffice's regional coworking division.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Coworking Space Development Consulting Full-service consulting for municipalities, NPOs, and real estate owners to develop coworking spaces, from individual properties to regional projects, using a six-phase bottom-up development model.
- One Stop Shop for Coworking and Shared Workspace Projects Flexible modular offering combining analyses, concepts, development blocks, and operational tools tailored to each client's coworking project needs.
- Expertise and Concepts Advisory services including potential analyses for coworking projects on cantonal or regional levels, market studies, and development concepts for shared workspace projects delivered to public institutions, NPOs, and real estate owners.
- Building Blocks and Tools Development modules and operational tools for coworking operators including operating concepts, spatial concepts, business plans, funding support, communication and marketing strategy, community building, hosting, website setup, social media channels, newsletter/blog, community software, collaboration platforms, coworking management systems, accounting software, and booking platforms.
- Six-Phase Development Model Structured six-phase development approach: Assess (potential analysis), Explore (enable initiation group), Test (trial operation 6-12 months), Conceptualize (business model and organizational form), Execute (implement and remodel), Operate (launch and grow), designed for peri-urban, rural, and alpine coworking projects.
- Green City Office Serviced office for teams and individuals with meeting rooms and event spaces, operated by CommunityOffice in Zurich.
- Green City Coworking Coworking space for individuals, operated by CommunityOffice in Zurich.
- Rhizom Coworking space for individuals and small teams with meeting rooms, operated by CommunityOffice in Basel.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduction in commuter mobility and CO2 emissions through local workspace provision
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use CommunityOffice
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
CommunityOffice technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
CommunityOffice partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered foundational, core and minor.
- VillageOffice (former)foundationalVillageOffice cooperative was dissolved in 2021 after 5 years of activity. The regional coworking division was transformed into the new company CommunityOffice GmbH, carrying forward the expertise and network from the cooperative.
- Regio Appenzell AR - St. Gallen - BodenseecoreRegional organization serving as impulsgeber for sustainable development, working with municipalities Trogen, Teufen, and Herisau on regional coworking network development.
- Seeland.biel/biennecoreRegional organization representing 61 municipalities in Berner Seeland, partnered on regional coworking network development covering 5 municipalities.
- Schweizerische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für die Berggebiete (SAB)coreSwiss Alpine Club working group on regional development, partnered on SmartVillages project and peripheral area coworking development including Coworking Space Ernen.
- Schweizer BerghilfecoreSwiss mountain aid organization providing financial support for mountain region development projects including coworking spaces in Lichtensteig, Ernen, and Adelboden.
- Neue Regionalpolitik (NRP) / RegiosuissecoreFederal and cantonal new regional policy program providing co-financing for regional development projects including coworking initiatives in Seeland, Lyss, and mountain regions.
- Standortförderung ZürioberlandminorRegional economic development organization in Zurich Oberland region, partnered on coworking projects in municipalities like Gossau ZH.
- Standortförderung Kanton AargauminorCantonal economic promotion office in Aargau, listed as reference partner for coworking development initiatives.
- SBB (Swiss Federal Railways)minorSwiss Federal Railways listed as reference partner, potentially for mobility-linked coworking development.
- RaiffeisenminorSwiss cooperative banking group listed as reference partner for regional development initiatives.
- UBSminorSwiss multinational investment bank listed as reference partner.
- HIAGminorSwiss real estate company listed as reference partner.
- Swiss LifeminorSwiss insurance company listed as reference partner for regional development.
- Bundesamt für Informatik (OFIT)minorFederal Office of Information Technology listed as reference partner.
- Kanton ThurgauminorCanton of Thurgau economic development office listed as reference partner.
- Kanton WallisminorCanton of Valais economic development office listed as reference partner.
- Kanton JuraminorCanton of Jura economic development office listed as reference partner.
- Verein la netzwerkminorRegional network organization partnering on coworking development in Berner Seeland region.
- gutundgutminorSwiss consulting firm partnered on MountainLab project development in Adelboden.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CommunityOffice competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Coworker.com: Global coworking marketplace and directory connecting operators with members. Comparable as an industry infrastructure/ecosystem player rather than a direct consulting competitor; potentially a distribution partner for CommunityOffice-developed spaces.
- Deskmag: Leading coworking research, data, and consulting firm producing the Global Coworking Survey. Comparable as an adjacent industry knowledge provider and consultancy serving coworking operators and developers.
Direct peers
- Hoffice: Swiss coworking platform aggregating rural and small-town coworking spaces across Switzerland. Comparable as a Swiss-headquartered rural coworking aggregator/operator, directly competing in CommunityOffice's home market and geography.
- Officebricks: German coworking operator focused on rural and smaller-city locations. Most directly comparable to CommunityOffice in geographic and target-market focus, providing coworking spaces in non-urban German regions.
Broad incumbents
- IWG (Regus / Spaces): Global leader in flexible workspaces (Regus, Spaces, HQ, Signature brands). Comparable as a coworking/flexible-office operator but operates at vastly larger scale, predominantly in urban centers rather than rural/peri-urban markets served by CommunityOffice.
- WeWork: Major coworking and flexible-office operator with a global footprint. Comparable as a coworking operator and brand-builder in the shared-workspace category, though focused on dense urban markets versus CommunityOffice's rural niche.
- Mindspace: Premium flexible-office provider operating across Europe and Israel. Comparable as a workspace operator serving professionals and corporates; competes indirectly for shared-workspace demand though concentrated in major cities.
Emerging players
- Workspace as a Service (Regional Consultancies): Smaller regional coworking consultancies and the SmartVillages initiative (SAB collaboration) operating in Alpine areas. Comparable as fellow specialists applying community-led methodologies to rural coworking, partially overlapping with CommunityOffice's niche.
- Bétonsalon / Plateau Urbain (Paris): French non-profit temporary-occupation platform enabling coworking and cultural spaces in vacant buildings. Comparable as a mission-driven intermediary between property owners and community/coworking operators, mirroring CommunityOffice's vacant-property-to-coworking pipeline.
Regional players
- Coworking Migros (Impact Hub Switzerland): Swiss coworking network and impact-organization community with multiple locations. Comparable as a multi-site Swiss coworking operator with a community/mission orientation similar to CommunityOffice's positioning.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CommunityOffice social profiles
Digital presenceCommunityOffice financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CommunityOffice leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
CommunityOffice funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CommunityOffice M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CommunityOffice
What does CommunityOffice do?
CommunityOffice provides consulting, analyses, studies, and development concepts for public institutions, NPOs, and real estate owners to establish coworking and shared workspace projects in Switzerland. Its offering is structured as a One Stop Shop with flexible modules combining expertise (feasibility studies, market analyses, development concepts) and building blocks (operating strategies, business plans, spatial concepts, marketing strategy, community software, management systems) delivered through a six-phase bottom-up development model. The company also operates its own coworking spaces in Zurich and Basel as living examples.
Is CommunityOffice a public or private company?
CommunityOffice is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CommunityOffice founded?
CommunityOffice was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CommunityOffice based?
CommunityOffice is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does CommunityOffice make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Consulting and Development Services are the primary driver. The others are workshops and Training and tools and Communication Setup.
Who are CommunityOffice's main competitors?
Others on record are Coworker.com and Deskmag. Direct peers are Hoffice and Officebricks. Broad incumbents are IWG (Regus / Spaces), WeWork and Mindspace. Emerging players are Workspace as a Service (Regional Consultancies) and Bétonsalon / Plateau Urbain (Paris). Coworking Migros (Impact Hub Switzerland) is listed as a regional player.
Does CommunityOffice have an API?
No public API is recorded for CommunityOffice.
What industry is CommunityOffice in?
CommunityOffice's product category is Coworking Space Development Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAO, Community Engagement & Participatory Planning, with a secondary code of BPAGALAC, Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts). Its NAICS code is 813 and its SIC code is 8742.