Cocom — space sharing application

Cities are getting denser and space is getting scarcer, yet a lot of existing space sits unused most of the day: a garden, a desk, an atelier, a music room. Platforms like Airbnb rent out whole homes, not single spaces, and co-living asks people to change their whole lifestyle.

The idea grew out of Claxonn, Jafar’s first venture. If the empty spot in front of a garage can be shared with drivers, so can any other space.

Cocom was built around Property-as-a-Service: access over ownership. BEDJA STUDIO designed the brand and the product end to end, from the first functional analysis in late 2019 through design, development, user testing and a beta launch in 2021.

The result is a native space-sharing app for iOS, Android and web, built on a microservices architecture so it could scale. One profile works for hosts and guests, with map search, chat, following, favourites, reviews, invoicing and gamification. Bookings are insured, and listing a space is free until it gets booked.

Start it @KBC took Cocom into its accelerator, and the company grew from a one-person start-up into a team of nine, with a physical Home Base on the Wapper in Antwerp and a second space project, The Butterfly Effect in Borgerhout. VTM Nieuws, De Standaard, Gazet van Antwerpen, Het Nieuwsblad, HLN, Kanaal Z and Fokus covered it, often as “the Airbnb for day-spaces”.

In 2023 the app won Silver in Digital Product at the Henry van de Velde Awards. The jury: “This digital and highly accessible service responds to the tangible need for flexible space in our society.”