The 1st European Tour of Women’s Coworking SpacesÂ
Europe has seen the emergence of dozens of coworking spaces designed by and for women, at an increased pace since 2017 in the wake of #Metoo. The first pan-European investigation into this phenomenon reveals a thriving movement that transcends borders and cultural particularities. 30 pioneering coworking spaces and communities have been featured in this movement that invites women entrepreneurs and freelancers to come together, help each other and experience new forms of sisterhood in rethought work environments.Â
Experts from the European Coworking Assembly, Jeannine van der Linden and Tash Thomas to name a few; have been featured as part of the European Tour of Women’s Coworking Spaces directed by French entrepreneur and digital nomad Ivanne Poussier.
This is a premiere in Europe, which has given birth to a book: Sisters in Arms, women in search of inclusive coworking space. Immersive, this study gives a large place to the testimonies of leaders and members, complemented by the insights of experts and academics.
A More Inclusive Future of Work.
Based on 6 months of field research in the heart of 30 coworking spaces created by and for women across 22 cities in 13 countries, the book highlights new places and ways of working that respond to the specific challenges of entrepreneurship and freelancing for women.
“Reflecting the diversity of their creators and members, women-focused coworking spaces present multiple faces,” writes Ivanne Poussier.
Her study does not reveal a specifically European model, but rather a declination of six model types — parent-friendly, clubs, women-first, women-only, work collectives & diversity promoters — drawing a landscape of great richness.
Abundantly illustrated, the book also invites readers to delve into the heart of the most secret coworking spaces in Europe, in order to take an inventory of their facilities (layout, equipment, decoration), identify good practices in terms of community animation and reflect on key levers to build a sustainable business model in a niche market.Â
The ebook is available in English on Amazon US, CA, UK, DE, FR, ES, NL and in French. An excerpt can be found on Sisters in Arms. Â
The printed version is available in French and will be available in a few weeks in English. Stay tuned.
About the author
Ivanne Poussier is an entrepreneur, consultant and trainer, specialized in digital learning and neoworking. She teaches at the Institut Supérieur de Gestion (ISG) in Paris. Since 2016, she has been exploring new ways of working and learning in the digital age and has focused on the role of collaborative workspaces in the development of communities of learning and practice among women. CEO and co-founder of Ada Coworking (a women-focused coworking space to be opened in 2021 in Poissy in the Paris suburbs), she toured Europe from September 2019 to February 2020.
