Chinese Coworking Provider Ucommune Expands Global Footprint

• Ucommune (formerly URwork) has revealed global expansion plans with multiple coworking locations in Taipei, Hong Kong and Singapore.
• Ucommune will launch its first coworking location in Taiwan with partner Hao Kang Bao She Community Cooperation, the largest local WeChat charity group.
• In addition, Ucommune plans to open 20 more coworking spaces in major Taiwanese cities over the next two years.

Beijing 5 Jan 2018 – URwork (Beijing) Venture Investment Ltd (known as Ucommune) is pleased to announce the establishment of multiple coworking locations in Taipei, Hong Kong and Singapore. This move comes one month after its successful C round of funding which raised $179 million and the recent rebranding.

Ucommune has chosen Taipei to establish its first coworking location in Taiwan with partner Hao Kang Bao She Community Cooperation, the largest local WeChat charity group. Located in the central CBD area of Taipei’s Xin Yi district, the space is the first international coworking space of its kind in Taiwan spanning 2,000 square meters with 200 workstations. The space is scheduled to open in April 2018.

The partnership is largely motivated by scale, integrated service platform and enhanced competitiveness. “Ucommune is inarguably Asia’s largest coworking operator in terms of total square meter of locations. Through the partnership, our members can tap the global resources of Ucommune while enjoying crafted and comfortable working space on Ucommune premises. This creates instant value for our global members,” said Mr. Xu Zhengwen, founder of Hao Kang Bao She Community Cooperation, and deputy head of Taiwan Chamber of Commerce in mainland China.

“It’s a strategic step that bolsters Ucommune’s global position. It’s a win-win partnership that can tap the shared strengths of Hao Kang Bao She Community Cooperation and Ucommune to improve the overall operational effectiveness and standard,” said Mao Daqing, a former real estate executive with 23 years of experience in the commercial and residential real estate under his belt. “To date, Ucommune has set up a connected global network through Link China program, where Ucommune members can expand their global presence rapidly.”

He added that Ucommune has plans to open another 20 locations in major Taiwanese cities over the next two years.

In addition, Ucommune Beijing has confirmed its intention to set up its inaugural location at Grand Millennium Plaza, a 30-floor highrise in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. Spanning an area of 1,400 sqm, the space provides 200 workstations and will start operating after Chinese New Year in 2018.

Plus, the second Ucommune space in Singapore will open in April 2018. It will span an area of 1,400 sqm and provide 300 workstations. The Beijing-headquartered shared office provider had opened his first centre in June 2017 at Singapore’s JTC LaunchPad @ one-north. The space spans 640 square metres (6,889 square foot) and offers long-term leasing, hot-desk and short-term leasing solutions to SMEs from Singapore and China.

The company’s new facility in Singapore forms a chain with its 100 other locations in 30 cities as part of the expanding global network. Ucommune offers quality and efficient service to members as it grows a strong network of partner service suppliers who brings more expertise to the Ucommune community members.

Ucommune Beijing’s coworking spaces incorporate cutting-edge IoT technologies and a proprietary platform to cater perfectly to high growth SMEs that value operational efficiency. Its broad range of cross-industry services integrate HR, IT, accounting and marketing functions to provide a premium platform that facilitates business expansion and growth for start-ups, that targets mainland China.

SMEs and MNCs are starting to embrace the concept of co-working after experiencing its benefits and Ucommune is responding to their demand by increasing their global footprint.

Mao deems that the future working landscape is centred around decentralisation, digitalisation and decarbonisation. Through shared coworking spaces, profitable organisations can contribute to cutting the carbon footprint substantially while enjoying the benefits of community synergy and digital technology which improves operational efficiency.  

“At Ucommune, our purpose had been and will always be to build a healthy eco-system. We will achieve this through collaborating with more synergistic parties in the eco-system,” he says. “Collaboration-based eco-system lowers the entry barrier and operational cost. This is conducive in architecting a more wholesome eco-system. China is moving fast on this front,” Mao adds.