CO3 Social Office plans four more offices next year

PUCHONG (July 27): CO3 Social Office Sdn Bhd, which recently launched its first co-working space known as CO3 Social Office, is already planning its next offices.

“We want to expand CO3 Social Office to four other locations in the coming year,” said its chief executive officer Yong Chen Hui.

“The first CO3 Social Office here in Puchong is to prove the concept, whether the whole co-working space is acceptable in Malaysia and the good news is that we managed to achieve 80% occupancy rate as of last month,” Yong said at a press conference at the grand opening of the co-working space today.

The next CO3 Social Office will be at Jalan Semangat, Petaling Jaya, next to Sin Chew Media Corp Bhd. It will have about 50,000 sq ft of space and can accommodate up to 1,000 users.

“We are still in the midst of identifying the next three locations,” said Yong.

CO3 Social Office is co-founded by a group of Malaysian and Bruneian entrepreneurs, and Sin Chew Media Corp. The minimum leasing period is one month and membership starts from RM500 per month.

Housed in a three-storey shoplot in Bandar Puchong Jaya, the 22,400 sq ft CO3 Social Office in Puchong can fit up to 380 users.

“This is the largest co-working space in Malaysia. Our target audience is anyone who needs an office to work in,” added Yong.

On what sets CO3 Social Office apart from other co-working spaces in the Klang Valley, Yong said it is the “intangible spirit” of CO3 Social Office.

“Many people thought it is the facilities [that set us apart] but that’s not what CO3 Social Office is about.

“First, we provide freedom where ideas can travel freely here; second, we are promoting a flat structure here; and third, we hope to encourage trustworthiness among the members here where it is completely safe for them to leave their smartphones here and no one would take it,” he said.

Meanwhile CO3 director Eugene Wong said CO3 Social Office is also a community where talent development programmes such as in-residence and visiting mentors, volunteer efforts and relevant events can be held to add variety and value to an employee’s work life.

“We are building a community. All members [of CO3 Social Office] can interact with each other and this is a good place for business-matching as well as to explore different opportunities.

“This whole environment is to promote entrepreneurship and exchange of ideas,” he said.

Bruneian artiste and one of the eight co-founders cum director Wu Chun said CO3 Social Office is “bringing something new to Malaysia”.

“I believe this will be something that appeals to the younger generation,” he said.