deskimo Raises $3M to Expand Desk Booking App to Jakarta

Deskimo Secures $3 Million Seed Funding and Expands to Jakarta

Deskimo, a Singapore-based platform facilitating on-demand access to co-working spaces with minute-by-minute billing, has announced the completion of a $3 million seed funding round. This investment will support the company’s continued growth and expansion efforts.

Expanding Market Presence

Alongside the funding announcement, Deskimo is initiating a soft launch in Jakarta, Indonesia. This addition expands the company’s operational footprint to three key markets: Singapore, Hong Kong, and now Jakarta.

Investment Details

The seed round saw participation from several prominent investors, including Y Combinator – where Deskimo participated in the summer 2021 program – Global Founders Capital, Pioneer Fund, Seed X, Starling Ventures, and TSVC. These firms recognize the potential of Deskimo’s innovative approach.

Focus on Hybrid Workforces

Founded earlier this year by Raphael Cohen, formerly the head of Asia for Rocket Internet, and Christian Mischler, a co-founder of foodpanda, HotelQuickly, and GuestReady, Deskimo distinguishes itself by targeting companies embracing hybrid work models.

Rather than a direct-to-consumer approach, the app is offered as an employee benefit. This allows employees who primarily work remotely to access co-working spaces for focused work or calls.

Partnerships and Revenue Streams

Deskimo collaborates with established co-working space providers such as WeWork, The Hive, Executive Centre, and Garage Society. This partnership model generates additional revenue streams for these spaces while providing Deskimo users with a diverse selection of locations.

Jakarta's Strategic Importance

According to Mischler, the decision to expand into Jakarta was driven by the city’s significant traffic congestion and comparatively less developed real estate infrastructure. “Indonesia represents the largest market in Southeast Asia,” he stated.

Furthermore, many of Deskimo’s existing corporate clients had specifically requested access to the platform in Jakarta, making it a logical priority for expansion within the region.

Jakarta Launch and Location Strategy

The soft launch in Jakarta currently includes over 40 workspaces, with plans to incorporate an additional 10 to 20 locations before the year concludes. Deskimo prioritizes spaces located outside of central business districts.

This strategy aims to provide users with convenient access to workspaces closer to their homes. Currently, approximately one-third of Deskimo’s spaces in Hong Kong and Singapore are situated in residential areas.

In Jakarta, this distribution is slightly different, with around 60% of partner workspaces located outside of the central business districts.

Adapting to Evolving Demand

Over the last three months, Deskimo has responded to user feedback by introducing new features, including the ability to reserve centrally located meeting rooms. The company is also piloting fixed-fee subscription options alongside its existing pay-as-you-go model.

Additional features under development include guest access for main account holders, prepaid credit options for corporate clients, and a daily rate cap for users requiring full-day access to a workspace.

“As COVID-related restrictions continue to ease, we anticipate increased demand for co-working spaces,” Mischler noted. “We will continue to expand our offerings to guarantee availability for all Deskimo users.”