What does it take to build the very first software category from scratch, and keep it thriving for 17 years?
In this episode, host Shiran Katz sits down with Thilo Utke, co-founder of Cobot, the original management software for coworking spaces, to trace how a scrappy Berlin startup became a 17-year category-defining platform.
- Building the First Category: How Thilo and co-founders Alex and Kristina built Cobot from scratch in 2009 Berlin after running their own coworking space and drowning in paper.
- From Payments to Operating System: How a simple way to automate recurring payments grew into a full platform blending real estate management, flexible billing, and hospitality.
- Payments' Hidden Risks: The legal and reputational risks software companies take on when they touch payment data, and why Cobot built custom integrations to keep processing fees low.
- 17 Years, Three Co-Founders, No Outside Funding: How the team stayed aligned through the WeWork boom, the COVID collapse, and the hybrid-work rebound.
Stream the episode now to hear how Cobot built the coworking category from scratch and kept it thriving for 17 years!
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