Coworking communities in Africa are entering an exciting new chapter. As flexible work continues to reshape how people and companies think about offices, operators across the continent are proving that coworking is about much more than providing desks and meeting rooms.
For Paul Keursten, co-founder of Workshop17, coworking has always been about creating spaces where people feel connected, inspired, and supported.
Paul’s coworking journey began in the Netherlands in 2008 before coworking became a global movement. What started as a desire to create a more human workplace evolved into Workshop17, a growing flexible workspace network with locations across Africa.
In a recent conversation on the GCUC Podcast, Paul shared the lessons he has learned from scaling a coworking business while protecting the culture and community that made it successful.
Before Workshop17 existed, Paul was already questioning the traditional office model.
He saw that offices were designed like factories: rows of desks, private offices, and environments built around efficiency rather than connection.
Instead, he imagined workplaces that felt more like homes: spaces where people could have meaningful conversations, exchange ideas, and build relationships naturally.
“The importance of informal conversations, the importance of unplanned meetings, the importance of feeling comfortable so you feel easy to share as a person. That’s where the magic happens,” Paul shared.
That philosophy continues to define successful coworking communities in Africa today.
The value of coworking is not simply access to a workspace. It is access to a network, a community, and opportunities that happen organically.
Workshop17 launched in South Africa in 2012 with a mission to create inclusive spaces where people from different backgrounds could work alongside one another.
The company grew from a single location into a network serving thousands of members and hundreds of businesses.
One of the biggest lessons Paul learned during that growth journey was that community cannot simply be replicated through a checklist.
“You don’t scale community, you nurture culture,” Paul explained.
For operators looking to grow, this distinction is critical.
A successful coworking brand is not built only through:
It is built through consistent human experiences.
Workshop17 focuses on creating a culture in which team members are empowered to provide hospitality, recognize one another, and create meaningful interactions every day.
One of the biggest challenges for any growing coworking operator is maintaining authenticity.
Workshop17 experienced this firsthand when it entered acquisition discussions with WeWork shortly before the company’s planned IPO and the COVID-19 pandemic.
When COVID hit, like many operators around the world, Workshop17 faced enormous uncertainty.
Instead of focusing only on contracts and financial obligations, the company approached the crisis through the community.
They worked with members who were struggling, communicated openly with landlords, and focused on helping their ecosystem survive.
That approach reinforced an important lesson:
Strong communities are built during difficult moments, not just during periods of growth.
External research supports the importance of community and connection in workplace environments. Organizations such as Harvard Business Review have explored how belonging and relationships impact workplace experiences and organizational success.
Africa represents one of the most exciting opportunities in the global flexible workspace market.
With a growing workforce, expanding entrepreneurial ecosystem, and increasing demand for flexible solutions, coworking communities in Africa have the potential to support a new generation of businesses and professionals.
Workshop17’s partnership approach with operators across the continent reflects a broader shift in coworking: collaboration over competition.
Rather than every operator building alone, partnerships can help create stronger networks and better experiences for members.
Paul’s story offers several lessons for operators everywhere:
The Next Chapter for Coworking Communities in Africa
As coworking continues evolving globally, Africa represents a powerful example of what happens when workspace is designed around people first.
Workshop17’s journey shows that the future of work isn’t just about where people work—it’s about how connected, supported, and inspired they feel while doing it.
For operators around the world, the lesson is clear: the spaces that thrive will be the ones that build communities worth belonging to.
Listen & Connect
Connect with Paul Keursten:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-keursten-b6b1625/
Connect with Liz Elam:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizelam
Learn more about GCUC & get your tickets for GCUC Africa:
GCUC Events
https://gcuc.co/coworking-events/
Watch the GCUC Podcast on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@GCUCPodcast/videos
Learn more about Workshop 17:
The future workplace isn’t defined by square footage or headquarters. It’s built around flexibility, experience, and giving people the freedom to work where they perform best.
Read More
The future of flex offices is no longer defined by leases alone. Leaders across commercial real estate are embracing customer experience, enterprise flexibility, hospitality, and operational excellence to create workplaces that people genuinely want to use.
Read More
What can coworking operators learn from hospitality? In this GCUC Podcast recap, Liz Elam and Ben Newton of Patch explore how people-first coworking operations can improve member experience, protect team mental health, and build stronger local communities.
Read More
