{
  "id": 6127636,
  "title": "My startup worked out of 5 different spaces in a year. Here's how we found our dream office.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/my-startup-worked-out-of-5-different-spaces-in-a-year-heres-how-we",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-07T10:02:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/petra-labs-startup-dream-office-5-workspaces-2026-9"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sami Akkawi, the 26-year-old cofounder of Petra Labs, described how his startup outgrew five different office spaces in just one year.\n\nOffice #1: Akkawi's Dumbo apartment lounge was the startup's first workspace, featuring a pool table and portable monitors. However, the chairs were uncomfortable and lacked adequate privacy.\n\nOffice #2: Petra Labs then moved to Akkawi's Lower East Side apartment lounge, which offered meeting rooms and phone booths. The space saw increased foot traffic and a memorable encounter with a contestant from The Bachelor.\n\nOffice #3: The company then relocated to Afore's San Francisco office, where they had their own monitors and snacks. Despite the motivation from neighboring startups, the hot phone booths were a drawback.\n\nOffice #4: In SoHo, Petra Labs rented a WeWork space for five months. While they enjoyed amenities like free kombucha and a rowdy Italian startup neighbor, the cramped space and lack of natural light were problematic.\n\nOffice #5: Finally, Petra Labs secured their current SoHo office through a real estate agent and Tandem. The new space features a conference room with a Costco couch, an open layout with tall ceilings, and abundant natural light. However, the startup is outgrowing the two-year lease and faces a personal guarantee obligation from the landlord.",
  "summary": "Sami Akkawi's startup, Petra Labs, began in his cofounder's apartment lounge. After a VC workspace and a WeWork, it found its dream office.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}