Since 2020, FirstOffice, part of Corem Property Group, has rapidly grown to become a significant player in the Swedish coworking market. With 44 facilities and more than 43,000 square metres of workspace across nine cities, they have established themselves as a flexible and modern solution for small to medium-sized businesses. We got an interview with their business unit manager who shares an insight into the business and the future plans as they now take over from Helio in Time Building and invest in Kista.
Carolina Leeman, business unit manager at Corem with a overall responsibility for FirstOffice
”We will run the facility in the same spirit as previous operators, with a focus on fostering an active community."
An active community at a prime location
The moving dust has barely settled when we sit down with Carolina Leeman, who is the business unit manager at Corem and has overall responsibility for FirstOffice.
- We’ve had a lot of inquiries for Kista but haven’t had a suitable option to offer until now,” Carolina explains.
Time Building is located on the main street, Kistagången, right in the heart of Kista, offering a prime location. The new facility will offer many on-site services, something tenants have been asking for, with a staffed reception, conference facilities, restaurant, and gym.
- We will have an active community with after work, coffee, breakfasts, and group workouts to ensure tenants enjoy being here.
Many in Kista are familiar with Helio. What will change when you take over?
- It is a process of course, but our idea is to run this facility in the same spirit as Helio and work closely with our tenants. We’ll also be making some improvements in line with the FirstOffice concept, but we’ll keep as much as we can since sustainability is something we emphasise here in Kista. The main advantage is that tenants will gain access to our other nine locations, with meeting rooms included in the rent. We hope and believe that our tenants will see this as a plus, but overall, it will be similar and in the same spirit.
"It is a full-service property with everything from reception to restaurant and gym, which we’re excited to offer our tenants."
Flexibility for growing businesses
FirstOffice primarily caters to smaller businesses looking for anything from a single workplace up to 20, but through their partnership with Corem, great flexibility is offered for companies looking to expand. Partly by providing access to all facilities in nine major locatons, but also by
being able to quickly scale up or down as needed.
– We help businesses grow and develop by offering tailored solutions that make it easy to adapt workspaces to match the company’s size and needs,” Carolina continues.
Companies can rest assured that everything from technology to the working environment is fully optimised and can then put all their energy into developing their business instead.
- We will activate this property in various ways with the ambition of creating a meeting place in Kista where we bring people and businesses together.
What about coworking and the availability of meeting rooms?
- We will offer flexible coworking solutions, both for those who need access to a workspace for a day and for those who want to rent a place with a month's notice. The coworking spaces will be available in different variants – from simple drop-in spots in the lounge to more ergonomic workstations with adjustable desks on the first floor. For those who rent a coworking space or an office room, access to smaller meeting rooms within the office hotel is included. Additionally, there is a larger conference facility on the ground floor, where Corem provides conference rooms for up to 90 people, complete with full on-site conference services.
Kista a place with great potential
FirstOffice's new facility in Time Building is located close to both major established companies and Kista Innovation Park, offering an exciting environment. With proximity to Kistamässan and within walking distance to both the metro and commuter trains, it’s easy to reach.
- Kista is the perfect location for many workers, and I really enjoy working here myself, says Carolina.
She thinks that Kista has a unique advantage when it comes to transport, being close to the E4, E18, Stockholm City, and Arlanda.
- Kista is also one of the world’s leading clusters for both large established tech companies and small innovative startups side by side. We strongly believe in Kista and its potential for continued innovation, concludes Carolina.
With this new venture in Kista, FirstOffice looks forward to welcoming more businesses!
