My visit to Coworking Europe was not only a first for me, but also a kind of “back to the future.”

Tobias Kremkau from CoWorkLand was the first person to tell me about Coworking about 10 years ago, when we met at The Celt in Dublin as part of his “Coworking & Travel” project. So I was all the more delighted that I was able to facilitate a meeting between Tobias, Pauline Leonard from Connected Hubs, and James Kilcourse from the Irish Embassy in Berlin on the sidelines of Coworking Europe. Afterwards, Pauline and Tobias sat together for a while longer, and I’ll let Tobias speak for himself:

“Today I had the pleasure of exchanging ideas with Pauline Leonard about the Irish Connected Hubs programme – an inspiring conversation about coworking, networking, and strategic approaches, which not only revealed a surprising number of parallels but also impressively demonstrated how much we can learn from each other.

The Connected Hubs programme is an ambitious government initiative with which Ireland is establishing a nationwide network of shared workspaces and innovation hubs in rural areas. It leverages the opportunities of digital and mobile working to strengthen regional development and stimulate new economic activity in small towns and villages. Under the Connected Hubs brand, exactly 400 workspaces and coworking locations have now been networked – local alternatives to commuting, anchor points for local businesses and startups, and vibrant spaces where social interaction takes place.” Infrastructure, modern workspaces, and community come together.

This model offers valuable insights, especially for coworking spaces in small and medium-sized towns – including here in Germany. It demonstrates how government frameworks can significantly strengthen visibility, professionalisation, and networking, and how such hubs can become true drivers of regional development when they are understood as part of local public services. The Connected Hubs programme impressively shows how workplaces can become vital centers of exchange, innovation, and social life in rural areas – perfectly in line with what we at CoWorkLand eG are striving for here in Germany with our #MehrWertOrte (Added Value Places) concept.”