Coworking's model of flexible membership, shared amenity and community is spreading well beyond the office. Meet three businesses running that playbook in completely different worlds: a members' wellbeing estate, a studio network for music and content creators, and flexible maker studios. None call themselves coworking, yet all sell belonging, flexibility and shared space. We'll explore what the sector can learn from them.
Thursday 8 October & Friday 9 October
The agenda is fluid and we reserve the right to adapt programming. Speakers are added as they are confirmed.
Event Schedule
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Guest Arrival & Breakfast
Info
Doors open and registration begins. Grab a coffee, collect your badge and settle in before the day gets underway. A relaxed window to arrive and start connecting with the room.
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Welcome to GCUC UK
Info
A short welcome to open the day and set the tone for what's ahead. Join Emilie Lashmar, GCUC UK Director and Producer, and our MC as we open GCUC UK with an energising welcome.
Speakers
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From Ten Definitions to One Conviction
Presentation
Our industry still trades on a WeWork-era story. Ask ten operators what we do and you'll get ten different answers. In this session, The Beautiful Truth share a number of practical frameworks for building a narrative worth rallying behind. Scott Barry Kaufman's reimagining of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and the Schwartz Values Wheel: both are methods for uncovering what genuinely motivates the people we serve. Attendees leave with a way to build a narrative the whole sector can tell with conviction.
Speakers
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WIN, A Year On: The State of Flex
Presentation
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Places People Thrive In
Fireside Chat
A conversation about designing spaces where people genuinely want to spend time, and the partnerships that make them happen. We'll get into what good design and collaboration look like in practice.
Speakers
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Mid Morning Break
Info
A break to refuel and catch up with others in the room. Coffee and refreshments available before we head into the next session.
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28 Countries, One Stack: Inside WeWork’s Tech Overhaul
Fireside Chat
WeWork's reinvention didn't just require a new business model, it required an entirely new technology foundation. In this fireside conversation, Yardi's Justin Harley speaks with Jigar Shah, CIO at WeWork, about the reality of consolidating a multitude of legacy systems across 28 countries into a single, modern platform.Jigar brings a rare dual perspective: more than two decades in real estate technology, including senior leadership at Yardi, followed by the challenge of transforming one of the world's most recognised flex workspace brands from the inside. Expect an honest conversation about what works, what doesn't, and what the industry can learn from WeWork's journey.Speakers
Session Sponsors
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The Rates Reckoning
Panel
A practical session on the 2026 business rates revaluation and what it means for flexible workspace. We'll unpack the implications and how operators can prepare.
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Lunch
Info
Lunch is served, with plenty of time to eat, network and explore the venue. A longer break in the middle of the day to recharge before the afternoon programme.
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Same Playbook, Different Space: Membership, Flexibility and Community Beyond Coworking
Panel
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Six Leaders, No Script
Panel
Six leaders from some of the industry's most interesting operators. One stage. No moderator, no slides, no pre-agreed questions. Just an open conversation: how a fragmented industry comes together, the fight on business rates, and where the real opportunities are in flex and wider corporate real estate.
Speakers
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Comfort Break
Info
A short break to stretch, grab a drink and move between rooms before the next round of sessions begins.
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Why This Matters
Presentation
A short, personal talk on mental health and wellbeing in the workspace community, and the work being done to support it. A reminder of why this matters and what can be done.
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Defining a Narrative
Workshop
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Workshops and Roundtables
Workshop
A range of workshops and roundtables, with room to dig into the detail, swap notes, and get specific. Bring a real problem. Get real input.
The 5 Pillars that build Brain First Spaces
with Amanda Perry
Building neuroinclusive spaces are no longer a nice-to-have, and yet the challenge can feel overwhelming. Amanda breaks down the 5 areas that need to be considered and the simple steps that we can all take to address them.
Bio
Amanda Perry is an ADHD business mentor, strategist, author, and speaker. Founder of Brain First and host of the Brain First ADHD Business Podcast, Amanda has 18 years of experience building businesses and a deep passion for making entrepreneurship work for every brain.
Beyond Community: Designing Pathways to Belonging
with Cat Johnson
Community is one of the most talked about, and least defined, ideas in coworking.
Drawing on research in belonging, social connection, and human behavior, this interactive roundtable explores a different question: What actually helps people move from simply sharing a workspace to genuinely feeling like they belong?
Together, we'll examine why occupancy doesn't automatically create connection, why different members need different pathways into community, red flags preventing connection in your space, and how coworking operators can intentionally design environments where meaningful relationships are more likely to emerge.
Bio
Cat Johnson is a coworking connector, teacher, creator, and community builder. Founder of Coworking Convos and the Coworking Creators Lab, Cat has 14 years of experience in coworking and a deep passion for spaces of genuine connection.
Speakers
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Early Afternoon Break
Info
A final break of the afternoon to refuel and keep the conversations going before the closing sessions.
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The Lightning Round
Presentation
A fast-paced session of short talks. Quick, punchy and to the point.
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The Data We Don’t Share
Presentation
A session on using data to tell better stories about your space and the community around it. A look at how shared data can strengthen the wider industry.
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Close
Info
A few closing words to wrap up the day and send everyone into the evening. A moment to reflect on what we've covered before happy hour.
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Drinks Reception
Info
The day winds down with drinks and an open floor to carry on the conversations. A relaxed way to end things and make a few more connections before heading off.
