Pakistan’s Startup ecosystem raised a grand total of $350 million in 2021 while freelancers alone raised a total of $216.78 million in the fiscal year 2021-22. This rising shift to tech has also increased the number of remote workers and self-employed individuals.
Most freelancers and remote workers work from their homes which gets distracting and it’s hard to maintain discipline. Most of the pre-work of a startup happens in the founder’s houses or meeting up in public spaces. These early-stage professionals can’t afford an office setup anytime soon thus the inefficiency, lack of productivity and obstacles remain.
This situation calls for shared working spaces that can be booked for a day, week or month. To cater for the increased demand for well-managed and sustainable workspaces, the concept of coworking space was introduced in Pakistan. These are offices having desk setups, individual or team offices, meeting rooms, halls and all other office infrastructure along with the technical equipment that can be booked by individuals, companies or entrepreneurs to have a smooth hassle-free work experience.
However, these coworking spaces not only provide the basic infrastructure but form communities that mentor each other, socialise and collaborate on projects. We have gathered a few of such shared workplaces operating in Islamabad.
Here are the 6 best coworking spaces in Islamabad:
- Popcorn Studio
- Cowork 24
- Ivy coworking
- Twinhub
- WeCreate
- Kickstart
Popcorn Studio
With the aim to provide an equipped office space that would be light on the pocket, Popcorn Studio started its operations in 2016 and now stands as the largest co-working space network. It has offices in different locations of Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and Faisalabad.
It offers a multi-storey building with each storey designated to a specific category. The first floor has offices, meeting rooms and halls for freelancers, remote workers and early-stage startups. The basement however is for corporate offices. In addition, it conducts workshops, events and mentoring sessions to keep the members connected.
Along with their branches, popcorn studios have collaborated with many cafes that allocate half of their seating space to popcorn studios membership holders and also gives discounts on the menu. Popcorn studios work through QR code entrance both in the offices and collaborating cafes.
General Information
- Location: Kural Chowk, Rawalpindi
- Contact information:
- (051) 8737115
- 03177672676
- info@popcornstudio.co
- Preferred for: Small Teams, Entrepreneurs and Startups
- Additional features: Free usage of workshop hall and training centre
- Timings: 24 hrs/ 7 days a week
Payment Plans
| Kettle Corn | Kernel Corn | Gourmet Corn |
|---|---|---|
| PKR 5000/month 80 hrs/ month | PKR 8,500/month 180 hrs/ month | PKR 10,500/month 300 hrs/ month |
Cowork24
Cowork24 aims to create an environment that increases productivity, innovation, and collaboration. It provides facilities such as brainstorming conference rooms, work desks, recreation spaces, hall bookings for events or meetings. This reduced real estate costs along with access to innovators and experts give the newbies a good headstart into the industry.
They provide a fully-furnished and equipped workspace. So, all you’ve got to do is turn up, plug it in and get started with your work. The feature that sets cowork24 apart from other co-working spaces is its economical prices that are easily affordable for low-income individuals that seek office space.
General Information
- Location: Kural Chowk, Rawalpindi
- Contact information:
- (051) 8737115
- 03177672676
- info@popcornstudio.co
- Preferred for: Small Teams, Entrepreneurs and Startups
- Additional features: Free usage of workshop hall and training centre
- Timings: 24 hrs/ 7 days a week
Payment Plans
| Daily | Weekly | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| PKR 500/day | PKR 2,500/week | PKR 7,500/month |
| Quarterly | Monthly (Team of 3 or more) | Private Offices (4-6 persons) |
| PKR 5,800/month | PKR 5,000/month/person | PKR 36,000/month |
Ivy Co-working
IVY Co-working offers meeting facilities and workspaces that are fully equipped and feature the latest technologies and business services. It has its branch in professional business centres at the most convenient location in Islamabad. You can reserve desk spaces, private offices or board rooms as per your requirements instead of conducting meetings in restaurants or pricey hotels.
General Information
- Location: 156 Service Road North, Office B4, Islamabad
- Contact information:
- 051-4438461
- info@ivycoworking.com
- Preferred for: Small Teams, Entrepreneurs and Startups
- Additional features: Top Event Invites
- Timings: 24 hrs/ 7 days a week
Payment Plans
| Daily | Virtual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| PKR 1,500/day | PKR 7,500/week | PKR 15,000/month |
TWINHUB
As the name suggests, TwinHub is the hub for freelancers, entrepreneurs, self-employed individuals and remote workers in the twin cities. It is the creation of a group of engineers who had a hard time finding an affordable workplace in Islamabad. The place features comfortable furniture, the latest office equipment and lightning fast internet with the backup of two connections.
TwinHub offers a wide range of membership options consisting of Daily, Weekly, Monthly or Shared membership plans as per every individual or company’s preferences. The prices are manageable for members in the early stages of their careers. In addition to that, TwinHub incentivizes women’s inclusion by offering them special discounts and ensuring their safety concerns.
General Information
- Location: Twinhub, 4th Floor, Interlace Plaza, I-8 Markaz, Islamabad, Pakistan
- Contact information:
- (051) 8446494
- 0334 8946482
- info@twinhub.pk
- Preferred for: Engineers, Programmers, Freelancers, Entrepreneurs, and Startups
- Additional features: 25% off for women
- Timings: Flexible timings
Payment Plans
| Daily | Weekly |
|---|---|
| PKR 1000/day | PKR 4,500/week |
| Part-Time (6pm-10pm) | Monthly (shared space) |
| PKR 5,500/month | PKR 14,000/month |
WECREATE
Women’s Entrepreneurial Centre of Resources, Education, Access, and Training for Economic Empowerment (WECREATE) is an international community commissioned by the U.S. Department of State.
WECREATE is Pakistan’s first women-only co-working space. It gives women access to a coaching network that guides them about various business building models that help grow new start-ups along with providing them with a physical space that nourishes and supports a local, national and international ecosystem.
Along with facilitating members with tech and infrastructure requirements it also provides them free access to halls and meeting rooms. WeCreate is counted among the leading women-centric coworking spaces in Islamabad, which serves as an ideal platform for women-owned/led start-ups.
The members of WECREATE are knitted together in a healthy community that in addition to supporting each other professionally, organise activities such as Music Nights, movie night, qawali event and workshops to enjoy and elevate themselves as a whole community.
General Information
- Location: F11 – Markaz, Islamabad
- Contact information:
- (051) 2224245
- (051) 8373115
- Preferred for: Small Teams, Entrepreneurs and Startups
- Additional features: Community activities
- Timings: 24 hrs/ 7 days a week
Payment Plans
| Daily | Weekly | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| PKR 1500/day | PKR 6000/week | PKR 15,000/month |
KickStart
Kickstart introduces cost-effective workspace solutions for all sectors be it a growing startup, established business or a freelance agency. It has a prime location and exposes members to a world of innovation, networking, and collaboration.
Besides the essential office infrastructure and equipment, it offers value-added services like Bookkeeping, Digital Marketing and Legal Services to facilitate the members every step of the way. The flexibility of the office plans enables the members to upgrade as their teams grow.
General Information
- Location: Korang Road, I-10, Islamabad
- Contact information:
- 0333-0596162
- solutions@kickstart.pk
- Preferred for: Small Teams, Entrepreneurs, and Startups
- Additional features:
- Digital marketing
- Legal Services
- Bookkeeping
- Timings: 24/7 access
Payment Plans
| Flex Desk | Hot Desk |
|---|---|
| PKR 5000/month | PKR 9000-13000/month (24/7 access) |
| Dedicated Desk | Serviced Office |
| PKR 16,000-25,000/month | PKR 16,000-20,000/month |
These are not the only coworking spaces available in Islamabad, there are plenty more like Regus, The Wing, The Desk, Planet IO, LaunchPad7, The Hive, Coworkin Inn and Hangout to name a few.
One might question if so many coworking spaces for the small area of Rawalpindi-Islamabad are even required? Turns out the booming trend of freelancing and entrepreneurship has got everyone on board. These coworking spaces are all running at full capacity as the demand is surprisingly high.
Most of the mentioned co-work offices have branches in other cities which makes it easier for individuals whose job requires frequent travelling within the country. With the membership of a co-work capacity, you can take up a desk in any of their branches and can easily conduct meetings with clients of every city.
Have a look at these articles featuring the best co-working spaces in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar as well.