Coworking - The Business Factory - a successful business model in Brasov in Coresi Business Campus

In 1999, game designer Bernie DeKoven first used the term coworking to define a new collaborative work environment that could offer a range of options to meet the individual needs of people working in the same space. But it took some time for the coworking environment to take shape, with the first spaces available for rent for a few days or hours appearing 6 years later in San Francisco. Around the same time, the coworking scene was also taking shape in Europe in the Berlin café St. Oberholz, which offered its guests free internet access. The concept subsequently spread worldwide, and between 2006 and 2015 the number of coworking spaces doubled every year. In Romania too, especially in recent years, the phenomenon has gained momentum, with the country hosting office hubs in the country's largest cities, including Brasov.

The Business Factory, the creative coworking hub launched by Ceetrus in Coresi Business Campus, has been a success since its opening two years ago, with vacancies filling up quickly. As a result, the developer of Cartier Coresi - Romania's largest urban regeneration project - has expanded the project, doubling the surface area of office space to around 3,000 sqm in 2022 and more than 250 office spaces of various sizes, after a total investment of more than €1.3 million. It is located on the ground floor of the H1 office building, a 15,000 sqm Class A building, part of the Coresi Business Campus Brasov, which hosts both national and international companies.

The Business Factory, with its ultra-modern design, state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, is the place where freelancers, entrepreneurs, employees of various companies, consultants, specialists, etc. work together, sharing equipment and sometimes ideas and expertise in various fields.

"For an agency that needs a continuous boost of creativity, coworking space gives us just that. One great thing about The Business Factory is that anytime you can put your work 'on hold', socialise, take advantage of the cafes and restaurants next to the building and come back with new strength and especially inspiration. At the Coworking, when there's work to be done, everyone works - when there's a break, we have time to network and relax.", ne spune Alexandru Vițalariu, Managing Partner @ Grin.

Coresi Business Campus coworking spaces offer the ideal working environment for people who value creativity, a flexible working style, freedom of action and socialising, because they combine the independence of freelancers with the familiarity and sense of community of a traditional office.

"Coworking is about networking, energy, cool projects and interesting colleagues. It's about creativity and innovation, ideas flow much more easily here than at home. You have everything you need to succeed: good coffee, fast internet, elegant and quiet meeting rooms. For me, it was the best choice." says Ioana Bran, training and organisational development company coordinator.

The project aimed, in the first phase, to contribute to the development of the business environment, the entrepreneurial environment and local leadership by facilitating networking among coworkers in thematic events. Subsequently, the formula proved successful, with the concept bringing together entrepreneurs from all over the country and abroad, as well as offering an alternative departmental organisation for large companies.

"In the Miele Smart Home Development Center we use a fully flexible workplace, focused on the value we bring to people and projects, not on location and fixed time. We decided to enhance the employee experience and offered colleagues an alternative to work collaboratively and be close to their homes. That's how we joined The Business Factory Coworking, a location that has improved the workplace and collaboration of people on Miele development teams. We appreciate the modern facilities, designed for collaborative activities, in probably the best tech campus in Brasov.  

With the expansion of Miele's development capabilities in Brasov, starting in July 2022, we have decided to triple the office capacity in The Business Factory. Miele is growing in The Business Factory and by doing so we are giving colleagues a new perspective towards having the best employee experience! " says Răzvan Ciolacu, Director Software Technology, Miele Smart Home/Electronics.

"Professionals who find themselves in our coworking space at The Business Factory have all the freedom to make their personal mark, generate more value and complete successful professional projects, all the more so as this space is integrated into the ecosystem of the largest urban regeneration project, Cartier Coresi, a neighborhood with multiple functionalities: office area, regional shopping center, residential area, coworking space, community hub and hotel." says Flavia Fițoiu, operational manager of Cartier Coresi.

Coresi Business Campus, with an area of 60,000 sqm, offers companies a versatile and flexible space to work with various services and facilities. The whole complex creates opportunities to work in a space designed to attract and retain talent, with the campus featuring spaces for recreation and sports activities and a rich agenda of community events and projects.

In such a setting, in a very short time, The Business Factory has set up a new and growing business community in Brasov.

What facilities does The Business Factory in Coresi Business Campus offer?

• Offices with flexible partitioning, design, ergonomics in class A office building
• Shared workspaces
• 24/7 Access
• Parking spaces
• Bookable/rentable conference and/or meeting rooms
• Wifi
• Multi-purpose machines available at the common
• Shared kitchens and toilets with administrative costs included
• Lounge area for recreation and informal meetings
• Library of business, management, finance and personal development books
• Outdoor recreational area with basketball courts, table tennis tables, etc.

With this wide range of services included, business experts anticipate that coworking environments are, in fact, the future of work in almost every industry. Although coworking spaces are primarily aimed at entrepreneurs, consultants, NGOs, designers, etc., large companies have also created collaborative coworking environments to encourage engagement and creativity among their employees and increase overall productivity.

For Ceetrus, The Business Factory represents an innovative project dedicated to the business community, a new component in the Coresi district, which successfully completes the master plan designed on the principles of sustainability and sustainable development in the heart of Brasov.

The best way to work is to cowork!

Extra info

Ceetrus was established in Romania in January 2012 and owns a portfolio of 23 shopping centres nationwide and the mixed-use project Cartier Coresi - the largest urban regeneration project in the country.

Cartier Coresi integrates the unity of the three entities developed by Ceetrus: Coresi Shopping Resort, Coresi Avantgarden (together with Kasper Development) and Coresi Business Campus (together with Ascenta). Our goal is for it to become a meeting place of innovation, entrepreneurial courage and community attitude in support of people. The Coresi project, developed on 120 hectares, brings together daily, in an integrated eco-system, more than 10,000 people working or living in the Coresi district, and Ceetrus' mission is to develop and animate the district in harmony with the city and the region by improving the mix of functionalities and living experiences in the district in the coming years.

Cartier Coresi was achieved both by rejuvenating old industrial buildings and by creating new landmarks, making it the first multi-purpose project of this scale, bringing together commercial, residential, office, entertainment, community and public space functions within a 10-year period, leveraging and multiplying local opportunities.

In January 2021, the French group owned by the Mulliez family announced the creation of the services company Nhood, which acts on behalf of the Mulliez Family Association companies - including Ceetrus.