Coworking is on the rise, and for good reason—it’s estimated that 40% of the workforce will be made up of freelancers, solopreneurs, and independent contractors by 2020. While freelancers consistently report higher job satisfaction levels than traditional employees, they often face a problem that their in-office counterparts do not: Social isolation.
Any city vying to stand up a tech or innovation hub has to have coworking spaces for budding entrepreneurs, remote workers, and freelancers. Beyond forgoing conventional office spaces and lengthy lease contracts, coworking spaces offer like-minded individuals a sense of community; a place to learn from others; and valuable networking potential.
#WORKPLACE ONE (Toronto, Canada)
They think a workplace should be more than a building with offices inside. They think of a place where teams collaborate, where clients congregate, where creative people do great work, and deliver great results. A workplace is where innovation, productivity and ideas thrive!
They rent workplaces. Shared facilities, with shared services, in prime downtown locations. Short-term, long-term, you decide. They’re flexible and offer many options and a few locations (including 3 in downtown Toronto and a new location in Kitchener Waterloo) that are sure to fit your coworking needs. Rent a desk, virtual desk, or lounge and get busy creating.
#COCOVIVO (Isla de San Cristóbal, Panama)
At Coco-Vivo, daily interactions with the jungle, the ocean and its inhabitants, keeps them constantly in awe of, and eternally grateful to the nature around.
They are there to assist their guests to seamlessly unite with this wild environment - while maintaining a high level of comfort and fun. All of their energy there is generated from Solar panels, their water is collected from the rain, and their waste is composted.
There, freelancers can go swimming, hiking, paddle boarding, or horseback riding, then head back to use the solar-powered-Wi-Fi at a shack on a farm or in the waterfront bungalow to get some work done. Other perks: An inflatable trampoline and fruit trees on the property. Your inspiration has arrived!
#The Box Jelly (Honolulu, Hawaii)
BoxJelly is a coworking space which services monthly memberships, as well as meeting & event space reservations for members and non-members alike.
More than just an office or business center, BoxJelly thrives from the interactions that its members have with one another and the space. The emphasis on community helps to foster a collaborative environment, from which innovation is bred.
#The Factor (Berlin, Germany)
They are a next generation business club fostering innovation. They connect the right people to build relationships that truly matter. Their mission is to empower entrepreneurs to make a real impact and create the world of tomorrow.
Their curated community brings together the brightest minds from all over the globe. Their network includes freelancers, startups from all possible stages and verticals, established corporations as well as investors and leading influencers from politics and science.
It’s more of a campus for entrepreneurs and professionals to come together to launch new ideas.
#KoHub (Koh Lanta, Thailand)
They are a coworking space based on one of the most liveable islands in the tropics. They are a welcoming, fun and productive oasis for people travelling through Thailand. A perfect place for people looking for an island break from the city or location independents seeking a friendly community of like minded people.
Their family style environment is a haven for someone looking to enjoy the island life for a while. They provide the best internet on the island in a relaxing atmosphere. People are often surprised by how big KoHub actually.
#Hubud (Bali, Indonesia)
Hubud [Hub-in-Ubud] is a collaborative working space home to a diverse community of local and visiting creatives, techies, entrepreneurs and businessfolks, changemakers, downshifters and truth-seekers.
At Hubud, over 200 strong are working together to find new ways to thrive. It’s founded by expats in an adopted region, whereas other global counterparts exist in their home environments. The center does much to cultivate international interest in order to change the way individuals and companies work.
#Proximity Space (Montrose, Colorado, USA)
Montrose is on the leading edge of what is possible when a community decides to face the future with intention and innovation. With a gigabit connection and main street frontage, Proximity Space has quickly become an anchor in the evolving downtown ecosphere.
With the launch of the Proximity Space, entrepreneurs and innovators are discovering the power that lies in sharing ideas and letting the creative juices flow. Young people now have a positive environment to study and work on projects together. Travelers have professional and quiet space where they can catch up on their work. New business opportunities are being launched because of the ability to share ideas in an environment that is filled with the latest technology and individuals who know how to turn dream ideas into reality.
#HiVE (Vancouver, Canada)
HiVE is a sustainability-focused concept that brings freelancers and entrepreneurs together. For the nomadic environmentalist, the space offers a community member option to connect with likeminded or “hot desk” for the digital nomad who needs a break from coffee shops.
#Talent Garden (Barcelona, Spain)
Talent Garden in the first international network of coworking with a focus on digital. It is a space for tech/ digital/ creative entrepreneurs, freelancers, startups, companies - all the digital ecosystem members to meet, work, learn and collaborate with each other.
Talent Garden Barcelona is the first campus in Spain, bringing talents from creative industries, digital and tech. It hosts up to 35 members, offers three closed meeting rooms, lounge, creative and game areas, partner offers and extra services needed for the young entrepreneur.
#Pawa 254 (Nairobi City, Kenya)
PAWA254 was created to support and foster young creatives and promote arts and culture geared towards social impact in Kenya. They are a growing collaborative space that brings together students, professionals and enthusiasts from dynamic creative industries to network, collaborate and learn with the primary aim of social impact.
Their mission is to advance the artistic skills of young creatives, promote arts and culture in Kenya and expose the transformative power of the arts through programs, trainings and workshops. Their vision is to facilitate a bold, innovative and thriving art and media landscape to create social change in Kenya.
These are the best coworking spaces we found across the globe. Each one brings something unique to the table. Out of the 10 coworking spaces mentioned, which can you picture yourself thriving in as a freelancer? Do you have a recommendation of a unique space that isn’t on the list? Leave them in the comments!