Why we Invested in deskbird – powering the future of workplaces

Hybrid work, shared desks and flexible office environments are no longer emerging trends post‑COVID – they’re now the default for how modern companies operate. Yet while workplaces have transformed, the tools supporting them haven’t kept pace.

As real estate costs rise, the efficient use of space has never mattered more, and employee expectations continue to evolve. Workplace leaders often lack the data to understand how offices are used and how people work, while employees lack the visibility they need to coordinate effectively with their teams.

Solving these challenges requires more than a booking tool. It demands an integrated platform built for the realities of today’s workplace. That’s why we’re excited to back deskbird. The team is building the operating system for the modern office – bringing people, spaces and schedules together in one intuitive experience. With seamless integrations across HRIS (Human Resource Information System) and IT ecosystems, employees can instantly see who’ll be in the office, align with colleagues, and plan meaningful in‑person days. At the same time, organisations gain a powerful analytics layer across utilisation, attendance and workplace efficiency – turning the office from a cost centre into a strategic advantage.

Deskbird has already scaled to more than 10,000 offices and 250,000 users, including global enterprises such as Samsung, Deloitte, Philips and Airbus. Founders Ivan Cossu and Jonas Hess recently closed a $23m Series B round to cement their position as category leader.

At Octopus Ventures, we back founders reimagining the future of work – and deskbird stood out for several reasons:

• A category‑defining team: Ivan and Jonas bring deep product intuition, operational excellence and a clear vision for the future workplace.
• Strong retention: deskbird achieves top‑quartile retention among existing customers, signalling strong product value and genuine customer love.
• A differentiated approach: the platform goes far beyond desk booking, offering an integrated and intelligent solution that delivers proven ROI.
• A market hitting its inflection point: with hybrid work firmly established, companies now need sophisticated tools to support this shift at scale.

Looking ahead, the next phase of deskbird’s evolution is powered by AI. By continuously learning from workplace usage patterns, the platform can forecast space needs, optimise office footprints and reveal how teams naturally collaborate. These insights help organisations refine layouts, reduce unnecessary costs, and maximise the return on every square metre of space.

With our support, deskbird will accelerate its expansion across the UK and Europe, continue to push the boundaries of what AI can enable, and help more businesses unlock the full potential of their people and spaces.

We’re incredibly excited to see what’s next for deskbird. 

If you’re building something bold, drop me an email on [email protected], would love to hear from you!