Wondering about Oneder? A chat with Oneder CEO David Kaiser

New kid on the block Oneder emerged onto the coworking scene in September 2023, when co-founders David Kaiser (former Head of Real Estate at WeWork) and Dan Cohen (who founded Purpose Group) opened their first coworking space in Old Street.

They later took on Hoxton coworking space Shoreditch Exchange, which soon gained a reputation for its varied events program, but with the slogan ‘Come for the work. Stay for the people’, it’s clear that community is what sets it apart. Building a community is about ‘giving people space to do stuff they’re passionate about’, says CEO Kaiser — and he’s not wrong. Oneder’s growth over the past year has a lot to do with its dedication to facilitating inspiring, member-led events, and bringing in a team of friendly faces to host them.

Last week, Oneder opened the doors to its third location in London Fields, with a view to supporting Hackney’s already-thriving creative scene. As Kaiser put it, ‘our London Fields location is very proudly for the local community. I don’t think there’s a better building in Hackney that offers the amenities that this one does’.

We sat down with Kaiser to get the inside scoop.

Emily: What inspired you to start up Oneder having worked at WeWork for so long? Was there something you felt was lacking in the industry?

David: So it was a few things. A lot of what WeWork did previously was really powerful to see — people enjoying space. And I think that’s even more important nowadays where people are coming into the office very intentionally. We’re going through this phase of ‘back to work’ or ‘stay at home’, so giving people a reason to want to come to work was a huge part of what we wanted to build.

I think space should be fun but functional — we want to make work ‘Onederful’, which means creating really vibrant spaces where you can connect with people and not feel alone. We’re huge believers in mixed-use space, so really blending what space can be used for. Across our small-but-growing portfolio, we have gyms, cinemas, event spaces, podcast studios. I think, in that sense, we’re pushing the boundary more than most, and that really has an amazing effect on people when they’re looking around a space and using it and knowing they don’t have to sit at a desk.

As for the functional bit, we also want a space where people can be productive. And so, fundamentally, we’re providing the important services — whether that’s Internet or cleaning or, you know, printing — and just making the boring stuff really easy so companies don’t have to think about it, but then also providing a variety of spaces they can work. So you’ll see in our buildings there’ll be a wide range of different areas, loud, quiet, shared, private, lots of phone booths, lots of meeting rooms.

I think another thing is that landlords, especially in the last few years, have wanted to deliver a flexible workspace and didn’t necessarily know how to or didn’t have the team behind them to do it, so understanding that different buildings and different areas need different products is really important.

Emily: I’d love to know a bit more about the story behind your name and branding. With the name Oneder, are you hinting at ‘oneness’ and a sense of community?

David: So it’s called Oneder for three reasons. One is because it’s about the individual. Member experience is a massive focus for us, and I think you want to make sure you focus on everybody in a company. Whether it’s the CEO, a PA, a marketing person, a lawyer, or an analyst, they should all have a good experience in the space, whereas in traditional real estate, there’s very much a focus on C-suite individuals and what works for them.

Two, we want to bring a sense of wonder to people’s days. So, like I said before, there’s an element of fun as soon as people walk in. Our spaces really are vibrant and amazing; people walk in and they’re like, ‘Wow!’ — you can see the wonder on their faces.

And then sort of the third part of Oneder is the ambition to build a London-wide business; people will be able to wander around our spaces. So, you know, the transient worker — one day they’re in west London, one day they’re in east London, one day they’re hosting an event for a hundred people, one day they’re recording a podcast. The idea is that everything is frictionless and easily bookable.

Emily: Can you tell me more about the events program at Shoreditch Exchange? How do Oneder events help foster community?

David: Sure. I mean, Valentine’s Day is an example where the team has done such an amazing job of putting together a program of events — there’s even an anonymous love box where you can post if you’ve got a crush on someone in the building.

We’ve always said we really want to listen to our members, and the world of work is changing so quickly. You don’t want to just sit in your office and guess what’s going on. The best way [to get involved] is to interact with members of the team, who are really well-trained to do that. I think because the team is so approachable, [when it’s come to organising events], it’s been quite organic, that process.

A lot of our initiatives are actually brought from the community. I mean, [for example], there are three DJs, and we obviously do lots of parties here, and they came together and said, ‘Can we throw a big party on the roof?’, and we said ‘Sounds great!’, and everyone loves it. I think that’s how you build a community — by giving people space to do stuff that they’re passionate about.

Emily: Is there a Oneder event you’ve held over the last year or so that’s really stood out to you?

David: I think the hackathon with Encode that we had, which was a three-day event. Over a thousand young, brilliant, ambitious people attended, and they loved it. And it’s amazing the feedback we get from the individuals, but we do also get so many of the CEOs then saying their team loved that event so much, and you really see the power; they go back and they talk about it. We’ve just got a big partnership with Fiverr, who’ve got a huge network of freelancers. They worry about their loneliness, and so they’re going to come in and do programs here, and then our community can meet with them and get discounts from them, so there’s amazing mutual upside there.

Emily: In terms of the future, do you see yourself maybe expanding outside of London?

David: Definitely. There are some key cities we want to grow into. It’s just about finding the right opportunities. We’d like to open a lot more spaces in London, and then maybe next year, we’ll look at key UK cities.

Emily: Going back to your newest space, what would you say stands out about it?

David: Well, I think London Fields is the perfect example of how we’re trying to differentiate ourselves in terms of how we approach buildings. A lot of coworking spaces do the same thing again and again, whereas we try and custom design and build and operate each space, but our spaces are underpinned by the Oneder brand. So I think London Fields for us is like a home for Hackney, very proudly for the local community. And I don’t think there’s a better building in Hackney that has the amenity that that building has, the space to work in, the affordability, and that was really important for that area too.

Kaiser’s vision for Oneder is clear: coworking spaces should be fun but functional, catered to those living in the part of the city they’re in, and — most importantly — community-driven. Let’s run through what’s on offer at two of Oneder’s coworking spaces currently open to the public.

Shoreditch Exchange (Hoxton)

Shoreditch Exchange is just two minutes’ walk from Hoxton Overground, making it a great choice for commuters. Members have access to open-plan lounge areas, meeting rooms, phone booths, pool and ping pong tables, and unlimited barista-made coffee, and the recent addition of a gym means members can now work, exercise, and network all in one place. Recent events at the space include a collaboration between dating app Hinge and storytelling platform Seanchoíche, mystery gigs hosted by Sofar Sounds, and morning yoga sessions. Shoreditch Exchange members praise the ‘friendly and helpful staff’, and hosts of the Encode hackathon described the team as ‘incredibly supportive from start to finish’.

Laundry Studios (London Fields)

Laundry Studios is the latest addition to Oneder’s growing portfolio. Like Shoreditch Exchange, it’s a vibrant hub for businesses, creatives, freelancers and entrepreneurs looking for a beautifully designed space in which to connect and collaborate with like-minded people. Members benefit from 24/7 access to the space, which is kitted out with meeting rooms, breakout spaces, a gym, a private screening and cinema room, bike storage, lounges, kitchen facilities, and showers.

Oneder King’s Cross, along with a second building in Old Street, is set to open in June this year.

With three London locations already up and running and more to come, Oneder is proving that coworking can be so much more than Wi-Fi and a desk in a shared space. By blending work, community, and curated experiences, the Oneder team are creating spaces that people genuinely want to be in — whether collaborating on a project, hanging out at a rooftop party, or grabbing a coffee with a fellow freelancer.