Sponda Oyj : to open a new MOW hub in Tampere

Sponda Plc                                                                      Press release 17 January 2018 at 11:15

Sponda to open a new MOW hub in Tampere

Sponda's award-winning coworking concept MOW (Mothership of Work) is expanding as Sponda opens a new coworking space in the Ratina shopping centre in Tampere in autumn 2018.

MOW in Ratina will provide flexible working space for 300 entrepreneurs and employees in the best location in Tampere. The coworking space will be established in the former Autotuonti building that will be completely renovated. This functionalist building will have a direct connection to the Ratina shopping centre. In true MOW style, the two-storey space will have lounge areas, more quiet areas with work desks, meeting rooms and spaces suitable for various types of events. In addition, the services provided by MOW, such as office technology, IT support and lobby services, will be available to everyone working in the premises.

The MOW hub to be opened in Ratina is Sponda's first coworking space located in a shopping centre, further expanding the operating environment of MOW. The hybrid concept in Tampere is a novel approach to bringing MOW closer to people and services. Sponda has previously established two MOWs in Helsinki - one in the city's creative centre on Pieni Roobertinkatu and the other in Ruoholahti, area favoured by large companies.

Pia Arrhenius, Sponda's Senior Vice President, Corporate Planning and Coworking, believes that MOW will be the edgy newcomer in the office space market in Tampere. "As a major growth centre, Tampere is an excellent location for us to expand our coworking concept. Tampere has a large number of big and small companies, and MOW is the perfect meeting place for these companies. MOW in Ratina will be a hub for top entrepreneurs in the city's best location, with all the services of a modern office readily available. In addition, the premises will be connected to the lively shopping centre and its services, ensuring that everything you need can be found under the same roof," says Arrhenius.

Major emphasis in the future of communal and flexible office premises

Sponda is confident that the demand for flexible and communal working spaces will grow. In addition to opening new MOWs, the company has made significant investments in its coworking business, which will be celebrating its second anniversary this February. The coworking hubs were established as a separate business unit at the beginning of this year, and Pia Arrhenius, was appointed as the head of the coworking unit. Arrhenius has steered Sponda's MOW concept since the very beginning, and she sees the revolution in work as a major driver for change in the office space market.

"The future of working life is a hot topic of discussion in the office space market, but the revolution in work is already happening. At Sponda, we are boldly creating new working spaces and ways of working. Companies need flexible spaces without having to commit themselves for years, and all the necessary services are already thought through and available. There are also small entrepreneurs and employees who, instead of working remotely, want be part of a supportive community that helps them in their work. That's exactly what MOW is," states Arrhenius.

More details on the opening of Ratina's MOW in the autumn will be published later. The Ratina shopping centre, which will be opened on 19 April, is the largest shopping centre in Tampere and will be            a major concentration of services and businesses.


More information: Pia Arrhenius, Senior Vice President, Corporate Planning and Coworking, +358 40 527 4462

Sponda Plc is a property investment company specialising in commercial properties in Finland's largest cities. Sponda's business concept is to own, lease and develop retail and office properties and shopping centres into environments that promote the business success of its clients. The fair value of Sponda's investment properties is approximately EUR 3.9 billion, with a total leasable area of around 1.2 million m².