REPORT: What university coworking data tells us

Coworking spaces on campus might be trendy, but they are also strategic. Especially for entrepreneurship centers that serve students, faculty, and even local startups.

A recent academic study, Designing university coworking spaces: A two-study investigation of provider and user perspectives, explored how these spaces function and what makes them work. And while the study doesn’t specifically mention “entrepreneurship centers,” the parallels are undeniable.

If your space supports innovation, startups, mentorship, or cross-disciplinary collaboration, this research is a goldmine. But because you are pressed for time (who isn’t these days?), we pulled out some takeaways and best practices.

The big idea: university coworking spaces are “third spaces” for entrepreneurial learning

Third spaces are hybrid zones—neither classroom nor office—where learning, collaboration, and entrepreneurship happen organically. In the context of higher education, university coworking spaces:

• Encourage interdisciplinary knowledge sharing
• Support startups and project-based learning
• Create a professional, yet safe, environment for experimentation
• Offer informal and formal mentorship opportunities

That’s exactly what on-campus entrepreneurship centers aim to do. But the study also surfaced what makes these spaces thrive—and where they fall short.

The top 5 takeaways for entrepreneurship center directors

Design for multiple modes of work

Students and faculty want spaces where they can toggle between focused solo work, collaborative projects, and casual conversations. That means:

• Open layouts with natural light and greenery
• Quiet zones and private meeting rooms
• Event-friendly areas and makerspaces

💡 Pro tip: Coworks software helps manage room bookings, capacity, and access so these zones are always used effectively.

Community building doesn’t happen on its own

Every respondent—from space managers to students—emphasized the role of community managers and structured programming. The most successful spaces offer:

• Regular networking events
• Peer-to-peer mentorship
• Guest talks, pitch nights, and even “fail fests”

Without facilitation, collaboration suffers. As one academic put it, “Without a manager, it’s very hard to enhance this networking.”

Noise and distractions are real problems

The #1 challenge cited by both managers and faculty? Noise.

Solutions include:

• Zoned layouts (quiet + active spaces)
• Phone booths and acoustic dividers
• Clear community guidelines
• Amenities like noise-canceling headphones

These sound simple—but they’re often overlooked until complaints pile up. We have talked to folks like Sound Masking USA and makes of phone booths and office pods about this.

Students crave more than just a desk

From 3D printers and podcast studios to wellness spaces and childcare options, students described a holistic vision for their ideal workspaces. What they want:

• Tools for making, building, and prototyping
• Spaces that support mental health and belonging
• Tech infrastructure that supports hybrid work

Their feedback highlights how entrepreneurship centers can become full-service innovation hubs—not just study halls.

Digital tools drive engagement and flexibility

Today’s students expect the same convenience from your space as they do from their favorite apps. The study showed strong interest in features like:

• Space availability tracking
• Room reservations
• Member profiles and internal networking
• Event registration
• Community message boards

How Coworks software helps real university entrepreneurship centers thrive

If you’re running an on-campus entrepreneurship center, the software layer matters just as much as the physical space. Coworks supports university innovation hubs in five essential ways:

1. Manage access, equipment and bookings with precision

For spaces with shared tools, labs, or maker equipment, access and availability matter.

At NC State’s Entrepreneurship Garage, Technical Lead Eren Herbert explained, “We have 3D printers, textiles equipment, sewing machines, surgers, plus digital printers and vinyl cutters… We make it available through Coworks.”

“If I need to take a piece of equipment offline, I go into the app and turn off access. I can also set specific equipment hours, where I make certain resources available during specific times of the day.”

For your center, that could mean scheduled use of podcast studios, hardware labs, conference rooms, or any specialized zone.

2. Combine community and operations in one platform

Running a university-based space means juggling memberships, room scheduling, and events. Coworks consolidates:

• Member management
• Room and resource bookings
• Event signups and check-ins
• Analytics on usage and engagement

At the Kricker Innovation Hub at Shawnee State University, Director Amanda Hedrick put it simply, “We needed software, phone booths, Wi-Fi, and access systems. … The makerspace didn’t exist — but it does now, with audio recording studios, photography studios, 3D printers, CNC machines, and more.”

3. Get actionable data for funding and planning

University innovation centers often need to report on space utilization and community impact.

At NC State, Coworks delivers usage analytics that drive decisions: “Coworks software is able to provide data that informs what equipment is used most often, helping the team make planning and purchasing decisions.”

At Muskegon Innovation Hub at Grand Valley State University, the team reported, “We have to report on our business and service metrics… we like to focus on impact.”

Whether it’s grant reporting, internal budgeting, or facility planning, Coworks gives you the insights to back your decisions.

4. Support flexible membership models

University entrepreneurship centers serve diverse audiences—students, faculty, and often local startups. Coworks supports:

• Multi-tiered membership (students, startups, guests, faculty)
• Guest passes and trial access
• Hybrid events and community-building programming

Muskegon Innovation Hub emphasized reaching “underrepresented populations,” while Shawnee State’s hub positions itself as “A central place for community building, innovation, and collaboration.”

With Coworks software, managing these layered audiences becomes intuitive and scalable.

5. Scale without the growing pains

As your center grows, manual processes become bottlenecks. Coworks becomes a force multiplier.

At NC State, Eren Herbert shared, “I touch Coworks every day. And I'm so thankful that Coworks is an all-in-one app… It’s really kind of a game-changer for a space like ours in particular.”

For your team, that means fewer spreadsheets and more time mentoring students, curating partnerships, and building the innovation pipeline.

What this means for your entrepreneurship center

Whether you’re launching a new innovation hub or rethinking your existing space, here’s the big takeaway:

🟢 Students want flexible, tech-supported, wellness-aware spaces.
🟢 Faculty want cross-disciplinary, real-world collaboration.
🟢 Community managers need tools to foster engagement.
🟢 Space alone isn’t enough—you need systems.

Coworks wraps your operations in one powerful platform, designed for the unique rhythms of campus-based entrepreneurship.

Ready to level up your innovation hub?

Coworks software is trusted by institutions such as Davidson College, Montana State University, University of Maryland, and Central Community College. It’s purpose-built to manage the complexities of academic coworking spaces.

See how it works.

Because when your systems support your mission, your students and startups can do the rest.