Bizworld: Building Community Across Continents with Deskworks
Where the Bosphorus Strait separates Asia and Europe, connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, Istanbul stands as a place of timeless charm and rich history. One city, two continents, three legendary names—Byzantium, Constantinople, and now Istanbul—home to over 18 million people blending architectural wonders, ancient allure, and modern innovation. At its heart lies Bizworld, redefining how professionals connect and grow on both sides of the strait.
Meet Bizworld
In a city that bridges worlds, Bizworld is bridging business and lifestyle. Founded by CEO, Pınar Massena, and COO, Akın Arın, Bizworld is a thriving coworking company with three unique locations designed to meet the needs of Istanbul’s growing entrepreneurial and professional community.
What began as a single villa in the heart of a business district has expanded into a network of dynamic workspaces, offering a mix of offices, meeting rooms, collaborative spaces, wellness amenities, and creative programming.
We spoke with Pınar and Akın to learn about their journey, their vision of coworking, and how Deskworks supports their success.
The Origin Story
Pınar and Akın’s experience in the coworking industry runs deep. Before launching Bizworld, they held executive roles in another shared office company, gaining firsthand insight into the evolving needs of modern professionals. Over time, it became clear they wanted to start a coworking space of their own. They saw the digital landscape revolutionizing traditional work models, and they knew they wanted in.
With a clear vision in mind, Pınar and Akın found two investors willing to entrust them with full business management. One of the investors happened to own a villa in Levent, a major business district in Istanbul. Surrounded by towering office buildings, this 7,000 square-foot, four-story villa, complete with a terraced garden, decidedly became Bizworld’s first location.
“Very quickly, the demand from lawyers, startups, and professional services went through the roof,” Pınar recalls. “So, in 2022, we opened our second location, Maslak, and by March 2024, we opened a third.”
Bizworld Levent
Akın recognizes Istanbul’s growing demand for flexible workspaces.
“Bizworld has the courage to grow and provide what our city needs.”
Thriving During Challenging Times
How did Bizworld expand during the COVID pandemic when others were shutting down?
Akın explains:
“We had everyone wear masks and put up big signs reminding people to be careful, wash their hands, etc. But people were so bored from being stuck in their houses that they needed this. Plus, our first location was primarily separate offices. The terrace was the only open space. Fortunately, this was exactly what was needed at the time. Very quickly, it was nearly full. People were ready for something different, to get out of their isolated homes.”
Pınar adds:
“It’s not just a rented desk in some office somewhere, or even the ecosystem of meetings. It’s about the entrepreneurial relationships and connections that form in the spaces we provide.”
And they decided Istanbul was the perfect place to do it, as there are many startups and tech companies there.
Bizworld Atakent
Furthering Success In a Growing Market
In the beginning, Pınar and Akın had to educate their market quite a bit to help prospects see the value of coworking. Istanbul had only twenty coworking spaces when they started. Now, there are over three hundred, with new ones opening daily–or so it seems.
“Coworking is a way of solving the loneliness of solopreneurship, and our spaces have what it takes to help members meet this need,” Akın explains.
Each of the three Bizworld locations offers something different, catering to the unique needs of the professionals who work there:
Levent
Levent (the villa) has a boutique, small-office vibe attracting lawyers, advertising agencies, and production companies. Some gamers work there too.
Maslak
Maslak is primarily foreign companies and international startups, including many from Russia, the U.S., and Iran.
“Many small companies get investment, scale, and have to move out of our offices as they need something larger,” Akın says. “We are in the middle of this ecosystem, and we help them scale.”
Atakent
Atakent, their newest location, is designed with larger companies in mind, featuring training and conference rooms of 170 and 50 square meters each.
“It has very high ceilings and a partnership with the technology center close by, which quickly fills these rooms,” Pınar shares.
Atakent’s history also makes it unique—it was once a gymnasium.
“We kept the boxing ring and the running track, but incorporated them into the life of an ever-working entrepreneur to help people improve their work-life balance and stay refreshed. We even have a pilates room!”
The key is balancing opportunity and amenities.
For Pınar, “These types of amenities make people feel like, ‘I will start immediately!’. They can do their sport, run the 200-meter track coursing around the office building, work out, shower, and then get to work.”
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Beyond the Amenities
Bizworld hosts a variety of events and activities to drive foot traffic and keep the community excited:
- BizTalks feature famous Turkish thought leaders discussing entrepreneurship, technological advancements, investment opportunities, and other relevant topics.
- Every Wednesday, an artist leads a painting class in the middle of the office. They also teach handcrafting and other creative workshops, often keeping the best art to display around the space.
- Foosball tournaments, darts, karaoke, and outdoor summer movie screenings, all help raise community engagement and create a sense of belonging.
Akın adds, “Because they want to be here, and stay here, they are far more likely to get to work. Therefore, we are open 24/7.”
Beyond events, Bizworld actively supports businesses via a growing Community and Support System. Through partnerships with organizations like Fcn Partners and Startup Academy, Bizworld offers essential services, including company formation assistance, financial consulting, legal advisory, and access to government incentives such as KOSGEB support.
Additionally, Bizworld is working on a membership program that provides legal, digital marketing, and financial assistance, along with website design and other services that help new businesses scale. They even connect their members with governmental experts.
For those looking to enhance their digital presence, Bizworld’s Atakent location serves as a hub for Professional Content & Production Services. A dedicated studio is available for promotional videos, interviews, podcasts, and live broadcasts—helping businesses build their brand and reach their audience effectively.
Bizworld isn’t just selling office space–they are selling a dream, and doing all they can to make it a reality.
The Tech Behind Bizworld
Bizworld leverages Deskworks to streamline operations, build community and stay on top of key business metrics.
Pinar shares, “Through our Deskworks dashboard, we can see everything in one place. And with the KPI Dashboard, we can check how things are going, even from our phones. Plus, the revenue forecast is very helpful.”
“The reports are good. The more you ask, the more you get,” Akın adds. “Also, the quick and up-to-date AR is huge.”
With Istanbul’s fast-paced business culture, having real-time insights is invaluable. Pinar notes, “In Turkey, everyone is a politician, and everyone is an economist. Politics, economics, and football are the only topics people talk about. So it’s nice to have some metrics to use that are outside of those touch points.”
To strengthen connections within its community, Bizworld actively encourages members to update their profiles on the Our Members page, making it a valuable tool for networking. By sharing details like photos, social media, websites, and bios, members can connect and find others who align with their industry or needs.
Bizworld is more than just a coworking space–it’s a booming, creative, tech-savvy community connecting professionals across multiple industries and continents. Thanks to Pınar and Akın, it’s shaping the way people work in Istanbul today, and building a better tomorrow.
