volt.works: Running a Tech-First Coworking Space with Cobot and Salto KS
volt.works is a design-led coworking space in Münster, Germany, using Cobot as the foundation for a fully integrated software and hardware stack – with the Salto KS integration at its center.
Favorite Cobot Features:
The Story Behind volt.works
volt.works grew out of an advertising agency. The founders already ran their boutique creative shop from within the space, and that background shaped everything, from the aesthetic to the technology running the space.
volt.works is clean and modern with a Scandinavian feel – Eiermann desks, Artemide lighting, and acoustic meeting pods that blend into the interior rather than cluttering it. It sits on Münster's Aegidiistraße, above the Promenade cycling corridor, with Lake Aa visible from the balcony. Members can be at a café in five minutes or jogging around the lake in ten.
The offer covers five private offices ranging from 14.5 to 20 sqm, shared desks in a larger open space, a meeting room for up to ten people, and acoustic phone booths for calls. Each space comes with an Eiermann desk, lockable storage, and access to a shared kitchen and espresso bar. 24/7 access via smartphone is standard.
Access Control and Automation Challenges for Small Coworking Teams
When Aaron Hickman and his team planned the space, they had a clear constraint: the four-person team couldn't spend its time on manual onboarding and access management.
The team also wanted a mobile-first entry experience that lived up to both the interior design and the tech-forward thinking that shaped the space.
The third challenge was integration. volt.works needed a coworking management platform that would sit at the center and connect reliably to the rest of the stack – not one that would require workarounds or manual data entry to bridge the gaps.
"We chose Cobot at the very beginning of our journey and selected other hardware and software solutions based on its integrations. It has helped shape our space to be both effective and efficient."
How volt.works Uses Cobot to Run a Fully Integrated Space
The Salto KS integration was the first major building block that's connected to Cobot. Salto's electronic locks fit the interior: the hardware is discreet, and members enter using their phones or smartwatches. There are no physical keys to manage and no access cards to replace. When a membership starts or ends, access permissions update automatically through Cobot – no manual steps required from the team.
WiFi access follows the same logic. Cobot's IronWifi/RADIUS integration checks members in automatically when they connect to the network and handles their access permissions without staff involvement. New members get online without waiting for credentials to be issued.
The result is a four-person team running a 310 sq m space with five private offices, a shared floor, and a meeting room – and still having time to focus on the community they're building. The automation handles the routine, the team handles everything that actually needs a human.
🇩🇪 For a space operating in Germany, it also helps that Cobot is fully available in German (as we are a German company), removing any language barrier for local members signing up or managing their own accounts.
Results with Cobot:
- Fully automated member onboarding, access provisioning, and offboarding via Cobot and the Salto KS integration
- Mobile access via smartphone and smartwatch – no physical keys or cards
- WiFi access is managed automatically through the Radius integration
Advice for Other Spaces Considering Cobot
"Use the integrations. Cobot's connections to partners like Salto KS and Radius have taken a huge amount of day-to-day work off our team's plate – which means we can spend that time on the things that actually make a difference, like building the community."
