The first office is a milestone — and a trap if you overcommit. Here is the Berlin playbook we see working across the 173 buildings in our catalogue.
Stage 1: credibility without a lease
A virtual business address (from ~€50/month) plus coworking day passes carries most teams through incorporation and the first hires.
Stage 2: your own door
From three to four people, a private room in a serviced centre — typically €600–1,200 per month in Berlin — gives you focus and a place to bring investors, still on monthly terms. Areas like Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Prenzlauer Berg offer the best energy-to-price ratio.
Stage 3: the real lease
Past twelve to fifteen people the per-desk maths flips: a classic lease at the market median of ~€26/m²/month becomes cheaper than flex. Negotiate a three-year term with a break option rather than five rigid years.
All three stages live on RentOfficeToday — filter Berlin by type, size and budget, and deal directly with owners at every step.