Then → Now · 2026
The Asian unconference that inspired the piece has held no full edition since Bali 2020, only co-hosting a 2024 nomad summit in Fukuoka, while the European one it was compared with is heading into its Paris 2026 edition.
What it said (2018) ↓
"Coworking is a BOOMING industry", and "the pie is big enough (and growing) for all of us."
A report from CUAsia 2018 in Penang, with quotes from Ashley Proctor (Coworking Toronto), Claire Carpenter (Coworking Accelerator), Anita Fuzi (Cowork7x24), Lavinia Iosub (Livit) and Ryan Chatterton (Habu).
What happened (2026) ↓
The boom continued until 2019, then broke. WeWork's valuation fell from $47bn in January 2019 to about $10bn, and its IPO was withdrawn in September 2019.
The pie did grow: about 42,000 spaces and 5.5–6 million users worldwide in 2025, according to aggregator estimates repeated by Allwork.Space rather than a primary study (Allwork.Space).
Verdict · Held up: 6 / 10 · Full 2026 update
- Coworking was a booming industry, and that boom would continue.Came true until 2019
- Coworking's boom would carry on, with the industry still growing.Partly true WeWork collapse, COVID closures
- The coworking pie was big enough, and growing, for every operator to share.Partly true total demand grew but many independents closed
- The CUAsia 2018 conference in Penang brought together coworking leaders such as Ashley Proctor and Claire Carpenter.Outdated
Original post · 20 February 2018
A CUAsia Experience: The Whole is Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts
After traveling 30+ hours, via five airports, four planes, two taxis, and a shuttle bus - I arrived in Penang, Malaysia. This was my second coworking conference (the first being Coworking Europe) and I was pumped to experience CUAsia for the first time. From the Coworking Academy, to the unconference sessions, to the late night street food bonding, there was one theme pervasive throughout the entire event - the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Coworking is a BOOMING industry. We all know this. It’s a direct response to the workforce shift happening all over the world. We want to break free from conventional work environments and relationships so we can pursue professional freedom and creativity. Coworking spaces are competing with other spaces to bring in more coworkers. Coworking software companies are competing to secure the highest number of clients, no matter their size or location. Here’s the thing - each of our experiences is unique and incredibly valuable. Ashley Procter from Coworking Toronto said it best, “Don’t underestimate the impact of our collective approach. Talk with others about what you have in common and how you can help. Don’t show off. Ask a lot of questions. Be open, vulnerable, and honest. And remember - ‘Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.’” I think we’re in the right place and time to leverage our collective knowledge, expertise, and energy to successfully make this industry thrive. The pie is big enough (and growing) for all of us. Time to lean in and prove the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts. Also, bonus! Here are some quotes from the conference I’m still chewing on:- “‘Sales’ is not a dirty word. If you run a business, it’s essential to practice your sales skills. It’s one thing to tell people what you’re doing, it’s another to process what they’re thinking and find new ways to hold their attention.” -Claire Carpenter, Coworking Accelerator
- “”Your space should make people feel good and safe. Every element should reflect the local community and the composition of its members. This builds trust.” -Anita Fuzi, Cowork7x24
- “When you own your own space, it’s easy to take on everything, but if you’re the only one taking ownership, you’ll feel lonely. Learn how to share responsibility and trust your team.” -Lavinia Iosub, Livit
- “The technology you use is meant to enhance, not replace. Always ask yourself, ‘Is this technology making it harder or easier for people?’” -Ryan Chatterton, Habu
What happened after this was written
Claims then:
- "Coworking is a BOOMING industry", and "the pie is big enough (and growing) for all of us."
- A report from CUAsia 2018 in Penang, with quotes from Ashley Proctor (Coworking Toronto), Claire Carpenter (Coworking Accelerator), Anita Fuzi (Cowork7x24), Lavinia Iosub (Livit) and Ryan Chatterton (Habu).
What happened since:
- The boom continued until 2019, then broke. WeWork's valuation fell from $47bn in January 2019 to about $10bn, and its IPO was withdrawn in September 2019. It filed for Chapter 11 in November 2023 and emerged in 2024 under majority control of Yardi, with SoftBank holding 20% (Wikipedia; Boston Globe, 30 May 2024).
- The pie did grow: about 42,000 spaces and 5.5–6 million users worldwide in 2025, according to aggregator estimates repeated by Allwork.Space rather than a primary study (Allwork.Space).
- CUAsia: the last full edition was Bali, March 2020; 2021 was cancelled; in October 2024 it co-hosted a Digital Nomad Summit in Fukuoka (Remoters; Japan Digital Nomad; Nexudus blog; Economadia).
- Coworking Europe, the author's "first coworking conference", is still running: Berlin in November 2025, Paris on 5–6 November 2026 (Coworking Europe).
Named spaces/orgs status:
| Name | Then | Now | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| CUAsia | Annual unconference (Penang 2018) | Last full edition: Bali 2020; 2021 cancelled; co-hosted a Fukuoka nomad summit in 2024 | Nexudus |
| Coworking Europe | Conference | Running. Paris, Nov 2026 | coworkingeurope.net |
| Coworking Toronto | Ashley Proctor's space | Domain loads a page unrelated to coworking. Status unverified | HTTP check, 2026-09-30 |
| Livit | Bali operator | Unverified (site returned HTTP 402) | HTTP check, 2026-09-30 |
| Habu | Coworking community app | Unverified. habu.io responds but shows no content, and may be an unrelated company (not re-checked) | HTTP check, 2026-09-30 |
| Coworking Accelerator (Claire Carpenter) | Training programme | Unverified (not re-checked) | — |
Verdict: "Booming": Came true until 2019, then Partly true (WeWork collapse, COVID closures). "Pie big enough for all": Partly true, because total demand grew but many independents closed. Conference report: Outdated.
Headline finding: The Asian unconference that inspired the piece has held no full edition since Bali 2020, only co-hosting a 2024 nomad summit in Fukuoka, while the European one it was compared with is heading into its Paris 2026 edition.
Additional checks · Chrome search, 30 Sep 2026
- CU Asia after 2020: No 2025 or 2026 edition found; listings stop at CU Asia 2020 (Bali), plus the smaller 2024 Fukuoka summit already noted. (confirmed-absent; Google search in Chrome 2026-09-30; remoters.net; CU Asia Facebook)
- Livit (Bali): Operating: Livit Hub Bali listed on its own site and on Hubble (2026); featured in Jun 2026 Bali coworking guides. (confirmed; Google search in Chrome 2026-09-30; liv.it; hubblehq.com)
- Coworking Toronto: CORRECTION: Coworking Toronto is a collective of spaces founded by Ashley Proctor in 2010 (with Coworking Ontario 2011, Coworking Canada 2012), not a single space. Proctor still leads Coworking Canada. (confirmed (re-framed); Google search in Chrome 2026-09-30; coworkingcanada.com; coworkingeurope.net speaker page)
Where these differ from the notes above, these supersede them.
Re-verified 3 November 2026: 5 claims confirmed, 2 corrected, 2 hedged, 0 removed.
Researched 30 September 2026 and re-verified against the sources on 3 November 2026. Sources are linked in each point. Items marked "unverified" could not be established and are not guessed.