SPACES site in Madrid plays host to CBRE Proptech showcase.
TAKING pride of place in the bustling business district of Chamartín in Madrid, a striking building is set to host a global event that will once again underline a thriving and growing business relationship.
When the real-estate company Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis (CBRE) decided it needed to set up a new facility in the Spanish capital for its hugely successful Proptech Challenge, it turned to flexible-workspace provider IWG and its design-driven SPACES brand located right next to CBRE’s existing Spanish HQ.
Given that the two companies have been working hand in hand in Spain to build a continued path to success in the ever-popular flexible workspace market, the move came as no surprise – with CBRE often advising IWG on new-lease acquisitions.
Through its Regus and SPACES brands, IWG operates across 58 locations in Spain, with more sites due to open before Christmas, and CBRE is one of its closest partners in the market. “CBRE is our major partner in Spain for both providing enquiries and presenting buildings for our expansion in the country,” says Philippe Jimenez, Spain Country Manager and Vice President Sales South Europe and Brazil for IWG.
The two companies have forged such a successful partnership that not only has CBRE helped IWG open new sites in Spain but CBRE has taken things one step further and leased office space from IWG too. One such site is the striking SPACES Castellana. Having undertaken a new project and needing premises urgently, CBRE found it right next door. “In the last two years, we opened 16 centres introduced by CBRE,” says Jiminez. “Besides this, we host them in our Regus Malaga centre and most recently in our SPACES Castellana centre.”
Based right in the heart of bustling Madrid in the Chamartín district, SPACES Castellana offers flexible workspaces for entrepreneurs and professionals in its business club. Featuring a climate-controlled environment, super-fast Wi-Fi, freshly brewed barista-style coffee and superb transport connections, the facilities are perfect for companies of all sizes, with CBRE finding a true home from home for their House of Proptech event.
Launched in 2017, the first year of the competition witnessed over 220 applicants compete for €25,000 in prize money, with 80 leading projects presented to CBRE’s senior team.
Following the latest move, their House of Proptech project is now based at the SPACES facility and enables them to run events and host meet-ups related to Proptech – the disruptive sector of “property technology”. Now in its third year, the event is billed as the biggest European competition of its kind and has been established to try and find the best digital talent in the world of commercial real estate.
In the showcase, CBRE aims to find emerging businesses and ideas with the potential to transform the real-estate industry with what it calls “creative, innovative and disruptive thinking”. To host an event of this kind of global standing involved more than just a standard lease agreement too, with CBRE having very specific needs and their longstanding partners IWG being only too willing to help out.
The two companies even partnered up to design and collaborate on the fitout inside the site. IWG created a custom-made solution for their partners, closing off part of the sixth floor of the building so CBRE could utilise one large, open-plan space to be used exclusively by them.
With the event set to be a huge success once again, and continued expansion and partnership planned in Spain and beyond, Jimenez says the future is bright on either side: “Our relationship with CBRE is very sound and profitable for both parts,” he says.
For more information on SPACES click here.
