All Forum Posts by: Justin Ng

There was one startup company in NYC, the very first, that had leased out some floors several years ago and subleased the excess to other startups. I forget which it was, except that it is over a billion dollar valuation now. 

It might've been WeWork, the current leading provider of shared office space. They've grown nationally and coordinate/office-match around a central app database, much like Uber or AirBnB. I believe most of it is standard commercial space up for sublease, with plans to renovate for attached "dorm-space" catering to the mid-20s startup crowd.

PivotDesk is another recent startup that works on matching mature companies with startups in need of space. 

And Regus PLC is a shared-space company with leases on more traditional offices that has been in the business since the dotcom.

There's a small field of startups fresh with cheap capital in similar manner, looking to shake up traditional office-leasing. It's been an issue in Silicon Valley since the late-00s: landlords holding out on startups as the rental market heated over; startups frustrated with the multi-year lease while trying to get even the most basic product off-the-ground and uncertain if they'd even be around in a year.