1800 Coworking Spaces worldwide
Seven years ago, the first coworking space, at a fragile one-day old, was officially referred to for the first time as a ‘coworking space’. 2,557 days later, the global count of coworking spaces stands at 1,779. This number almost doubled since last year, with much of the growth attributed to Spain, Australia and Japan. Europe has also officially taken over the US as having the most coworking spaces.
Photo competition: People who need a better place to work
We know you’re out there. The number of independent workers around the world is exploding. Small businesses contribute an ever increasing amount to the economy and society, and the spaces that support them are an important part of the global entrepreneurial and creative ecosystem. Coworking spaces are creating opportunities for startups, entrepreneurs and freelancers everywhere. It’s time to celebrate that.
50,000 freelancers strike back: petition against retirement tax succeeds
The petition against Germany’s planned €350 monthly freelancer retirement tax has succeeded. More than 50,000 people signed the e-petition, forcing the Bundestag’s petitions committee to schedule a hearing on the issue. Meanwhile, it has emerged that the labour ministry will pay a million euros to the McKinsey consulting firm to write a report on how the law could be most efficiently implemented.