The exciting thing about the collaborative economy is that it is constantly reinventing itself. Following in the footsteps of Airbnb, which enables leisure and business travellers to find accommodation in private homes at reduced prices, the number of initiatives is increasing. And French entrepreneurs are proving imaginative, as demonstrated by MagicEvent, on the business-only accommodation market for trade fairs and business trips, and Bird Office, which lets companies rent out their underused meeting spaces. Another made-in-France platform is now looking to bridge the gap between these different concepts, by offering private individuals the chance to rent out their flat or house as a co-working space. Under the slogan "My home is your office", Office Riders defines itself as a sharing platform where professionals can rent the space of a private individual to work in. Its target audience: start-ups, freelancers and business travellers looking for a comfortable place to hold a meeting, an event, or even a photoshoot or showroom. Their argument: "liveable" spaces, at lower cost, for flexible requirements. Individuals can give their homes a new lease of life while they work in the office, or feel less alone in their "home office" ....
Like the American giant, the platform enables members' identities to be verified, their profiles to be consulted and discussions to be held with them before accepting or rejecting a booking. Riders" - as the site's users are called - can also access full information about the accommodation, including whether the facilities will be suitable for the purpose of the event. As far as prices are concerned, the site 'recommends' a range of between $8 and $20 per person per day, although it points out that top-of-the-range accommodation with original or state-of-the-art facilities may of course be less generous... The platform, for its part, earns between 5 and 10% on each booking. A new player to keep an eye on in this sharing economy, which is increasingly targeting business customers.
