One of the more interesting questions around the growth of the coworking is the role coworking chains will play.
Deskmag has an interesting article on small coworking chains, which points out that there quite a few small coworking chains in the U.S. and Europe. Almost all consist of 2-4 facilities.
There is also one example of a large coworking chain - The Hub - which has over 4,000 members in 25 locations across 5 continents. The Hub uses a franchise-like model to expand and grow.
Central Coworking in London is a good example of a coworking facility hoping to become a large chain. Although brand new, it's owner plans to open 30-50 branches across the UK.
We think coworking chains will succeed. The economies of scale, learning curves effects and operational efficiencies that work for other types of chains will also work for coworking. Smart coworking facility operators interested in growing are already proving this to be the case.
This does not mean that independent coworking facilities will disappear. There is plenty of room in coworking market for both types of organizations to succeed.
