Listen: Experts analyze KC’s evolving coworking and real estate market
March 22, 2017 | Meghan LeVota
What happens when the real estate market responds to a city’s surging entrepreneurial community?
That was the subject of Startland News and Think Big’s March Innovation Exchange, which focused on Kansas City’s coworking boom and its intersection with area entrepreneurship. More than 300,000 square feet of coworking space will become available in the area over the next two years as Plexpod Westport Commons, WeWork and other firms open spaces.
From its cultural impact on the Kansas City business community to the factors driving demand and design — there was a lot to cover in KC’s coworking. If you weren’t able to make it to the event, we’ve clipped together the important parts you missed. In the conversation we hear what the surge means for area experts, including:
- David Brain, Brown Cow Capital
- Bob Berkebile, Principal Emeritus of BNIM
- Adam Wacenske, general manager of WeWork’s southern region
- Matt Druten, co-founder of Edison Spaces
- Sarah Fustine, director of strategic partnerships at Think Big
- Katy Sullivan, Project Lead at Contract Furnishings
Hope you enjoy!

2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Ready to bet big? Kansas wants to help entrepreneurs win more federal innovation grants
Kansas innovators now have access to a new tool designed to help them compete for major federal funding. The Kansas Department of Commerce has opened applications for the state’s SBIR and STTR Matching Program, which provides financial support and hands-on guidance for entrepreneurs pursuing federal innovation grants. The matching initiative is part of ACCEL-KS, a…
New Maker of the Year: Why this mom’s side hustle for the girly girls couldn’t stay at home
A hobbyist venture that began with making shirts for her kids has earned Julie Swopes a spot on Made in KC’s shelves for her Chiefs- and Royals-inspired tees — along with one of the local-first retailer’s top honors: KC New Maker of the Year for 2025. “I’m just a stay-at-home mom that has turned her…
Don’t be a stranger: When this Crossroads refuge closes, another chapter begins for Afterword (and the space it leaves behind)
With two more Open Mic Nights and more than a month left on its lease at Afterword Tavern & Shelves — a cozy corner hotspot where patrons leisurely bond over drinks and good reads — the popular Crossroads third-space isn’t finished telling its story despite losing the space to its new landlord, said Kate Hall.…
Exporting KC to the world: Esports leader revs come-from-behind global takeover amid World Cup’s big draw
As the metro bundled up and showed out Friday, getting its latest taste of what the 2026 World Cup has in store, the Kansas City Pioneers dropped new heat — raising the thermostat on their commitment to seize the moment brought forth by the global gathering as a net for esports. “Now is the time for…
