Latest news with #Spaces
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
IWG plans to open 40 new centers by 2025-end, pushes for partnership model
NEW DELHI: IWG , flexible office space provider, plans to open 40 new centers by 2025-end, in addition to the 10 centers it opened up between January-April 2025, said Marc Descrozaille , regional CEO of the company. "We have been in India since 2004 and and it took us all these years to get to 105 centers, with Regus initially, and later with Spaces and HQ. Conditions have changed after covid, both on the demand and the supply side. Clients want to be able to work from different office spaces. And therefore we expect growth going forward," he said. The company has recently introduced a partnership model. Operating the business has changed completely. Hence we are moving from being tenants to being partners. "We are operating the space, bringing in the clients and managing all distribution while landlords are investing into the space." Even though the company is growing its partnership model, the legacy lease and sub-lease model is still important to them and they plan to keep running existing centers on the same model unless landlords specifically want to move to the new model. "As of now, the convention model contributes about 75-80% of our overall revenue. At some point of time the ratio will be 50:50," said Descrozaille. He however admits that the margins typically for this new model will be smaller. "But on the other hand, IWG will not make the upfront investment." Descrozaille took over as the regional CEO of the Indian subcontinent in January 2025. Post that, he says that their primary focus has been on capitalising on the current market momentum. Despite being the largest player globally, flexible workspaces still account for only about 3–5% of the overall office real estate market. There's a clear opportunity to significantly scale that share, potentially up to 30% over the next five years, as projected by several industry reports. "Equally important is ensuring we have the right talent in place to support this growth. That means investing in our people—developing internal capabilities, building succession pipelines, and aligning our teams with long-term goals," he said. As for the opportunity in India, he says that as a market India today is in the top 15 for IWG in the world, the ambition, very much respecting and looking at the opportunity of the market altogether, is to be in the top three or four in the next five years. "One element which is very unique to India is the size of the market. In other countries when we think of expanding, we think of moving from tier-I to tier-II cities, but in India we can even go to tier-III and tier-IV cities. So it's very much a volume game, which is quite unique in terms of the size in India compared to anywhere else, said Descrozaille. Currently, the company has three brands in India. "We can probably introduce Signature but as of now there are no plans to bring in more brands. In 2024, we opened centers in 13 new cities. We are also moving to tier-II, tier-III cities."
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cardi B Reveals The One Thing Still Missing From Sophomore Album Ahead Of Release
Cardi B's sophomore album isn't ready, and it's not entirely her fault. When speaking with fans on Instagram Live this week, the rapper confessed that her featured guests are the real culprits behind the delay. 'I really need these f**king features,' she explained without namedropping anyone specific. 'And it's like I'm not really trying to press or go crazy on these artists because I love them down. But it's like come on now! I need that! I need that right now! Helloooo! Y'all don't want to miss this opportunity. I'll sing this s**t myself! But I really need y'all and I need y'all to hurry up and I love y'all. I feel like nobody would want to miss being on this album.' The Bronx native admitted that with some past releases, she wasn't particularly confident. However, that's not the case with her highly-anticipated second album. 'These motherf**kers almost cried listening to my s**t. They were like 'I feel like there's no skips' […] It's iconic. This album is so good. I put my whole p***y on it. I rapped with the bottom of my p***y, so hurry up!,' Bardi quipped while urging her collaborators to 'not miss out on this moment.' While she understands being busy, she really hopes her guest stars don't forgo this opportunity. The untitled follow-up to her Grammy-winning debut album, Invasion Of Privacy, is described as being 'for the books.' Cardi teased, 'Like the production, the production, the feelings, the words, the rap— it's just, it's really there. Y'all not even understanding.' As far as who's on the project, the mother of three said on Spaces back in March, 'The features on my album are really good. I don't have a lot of features but I'm working with artists— some that I have worked before and some that I haven't worked before. And the ones that I have not worked before, I feel like it's gonna really, really surprise y'all.' She is remaining tight-lipped about who she's worked with, but promised to give fans some hints about who's who. Cardi also hinted that the LP will be 'messy' while speaking to a range of emotions. No title or release date has been announced. More from Every Post-'Invasion Of Privacy' Cardi B Feature, RANKED Cardi B Says Her "Gorgeous" New Boyfriend Loves Her "From Head To Toe" Cardi B Claims Her Next Album Is About To Get "Messy"
Times
06-05-2025
- Business
- Times
Office provider IWG shrugs off Trump trade war with record sales
The serviced office space provider IWG generated record sales in March, prompting an increase in returns to shareholders as it reassured markets that the fallout from President Trump's trade war has not had a direct impact on the business. IWG, which rents out serviced office space under brands including Regus and Spaces, reported a 2 per cent increase in revenue to $1.05 billion in the three months to the end of March as it continued to cash in on the growing popularity of hybrid working. The group's solid performance prompted bosses to increase its share buyback to $100 million, up from $50 million. By the end of the first quarter IWG said it had 202,000 'rooms' — equivalent to small offices — open, compared with
Forbes
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Algeria Bets On Web3: How Lamina1 Is Powering The Next Generation Of African Creators
When the hype around Web3 and the metaverse cooled, many wrote off the entire category as another overfunded Silicon Valley fantasy. But in Algeria—far from the conference stages of San Francisco or Dubai—a very different story is playing out. There, a government-backed initiative is making a calculated bet on blockchain, immersive media, and creator-driven platforms. And at the center of it is Lamina1, the Layer 1 blockchain co-founded by author Neal Stephenson, whose 1992 novel Snow Crash coined the term 'metaverse.' Numidia Valley is focused on creating a infrastructure for education, gaming, entertainment, and IP ... More ownership in an economy that skipped many of the analog systems of the 20th century. The project, launched through a new initiative called Numidia Valley, offers a rare, concrete example of what some call 'Media 3.0.' Its focus is infrastructure — a foundation for education, gaming, entertainment, and IP ownership in an economy that skipped many of the analog systems of the 20th century. 'Algeria doesn't have the legacy infrastructure to overcome. It can leap directly into digital-native creative economies,' says Yasmina Kazitani, co-founder of Numidia Valley. 'And Lamina1 is the only platform we've found that truly centers creators.' Algeria has ambitious plans. With the youngest population in Africa and a strong pipeline of STEM talent—80% of whom are women, according to Kazitani—the country is investing in skills development, startup incubation, and digital IP exports. The Lamina1 partnership includes three pillars: deploying blockchain-based creative tools in universities, supporting local game development through Lamina1's platform, and launching fan engagement hubs like a digital clubhouse for Algeria's national soccer team. Rebecca Barkin, CEO of Lamina1. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder These projects all live inside Spaces, Lamina1's flagship product is a of Web3-native YouTube-meets-Patreon for immersive content. Unlike centralized platforms, Spaces are creator-owned environments where distribution, community, and monetization are tightly integrated. Creators receive grants in Lamina1's native token (L1), which can be staked for yield, used to reward fans, or converted into stablecoin for production financing. Smart contracts handle royalty splits and real-time micropayments automatically. 'This is what YouTube might look like if it was owned by its creators—not Google,' says Rebecca Barkin, CEO of Lamina1. 'We're not here to chase trading volume. We're building infrastructure for immersive IP and community-driven storytelling.' That distinction is crucial. Lamina1 has avoided many of the traps that plagued early Web3 ventures: speculative tokenomics, play-to-earn gimmicks, and a narrow focus on DeFi. Instead, it positions itself as a creator-first stack for immersive entertainment, built by and for the people making 3D games, animated series, virtual concerts, and AI-generated films. AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 16: Neal Stephenson speaks onstage at 'KEYNOTE: Neal Stephenson' during the ... More 2022 SXSW Conference and Festivals at Austin Convention Center on March 16, 2022 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Amy E. Price/Getty Images for SXSW) When I spoke to Neal Stephenson earlier this week he was blunt about the stakes. 'If millions of people are going to spend time in the metaverse, they need a reason to be there. And that reason will be content—games, music, stories. We created Lamina1 to make sure those people can actually get paid.' For Algeria, the partnership is more than symbolic. It's a strategic move to build sovereign creative capacity using global infrastructure. Ministers Noureddine Ouadah (Startups) and Yacine Oualid (Vocational Education) are backing the project as part of a broader push to make Algeria a tech and culture hub for the African continent—linking startups, government, and international partners like Lamina1 in a long-term strategy. Lamina 1's CBO, Geraldine Pamphile, took the lead for the company after traveling to Algeria last December. 'Partnering with the Algerian government and Numidia Valley allows us to support a thriving ecosystem of creators, developers, and entrepreneurs who will shape the future of immersive digital experiences. We are excited to help bring these innovations to life and contribute to Algeria's vision for the future.' If it works, Algeria could become a template for digital development in regions often excluded from the first wave of Web2. And Lamina1, rather than chasing the next meme coin or metaverse land sale, may emerge as the backbone of a new kind of internet—one where creators, not platforms, hold the keys.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A new kids' show will come with a crypto wallet when it debuts this fall
A new animated kids' series expected to premiere this year won't be headed for a TV network. Or a streaming service. Instead, the founders of production studio We Ghosted Media plan to launch on a decentralized web platform that uses blockchain technology. And yes, a crypto wallet will be involved. We Ghosted Media — founded by Chris Jammal, an assistant director for "Bob's Burgers," and Jaclynn Demas, producer of hit children's show "Peg + Cat" — is a TV production studio abandoning traditional show release methods in favor of a decentralized approach, commonly referred to as Web3. The studio announced Friday it was teaming up with Lamina1 to launch the new animated kids' series entitled "Owen Nowhere. Lamina1 was founded by "Snow Crash" author Neal Stephenson and launched in 2022 as a Layer 1 blockchain platform designed to give creators an environment to protect, control, and monetize their intellectual property. Lamina1's overarching mission, however, is to build an open metaverse. Stephenson's vision of the metaverse — a concept he coined in his 1992 acclaimed novel — consists of a virtual world where users get their own lifelike 3D avatar. Blockchain technology and the metaverse are buzzwords in the tech world and they have been slow to achieve mass adoption. Introducing a kids' show in this space is particularly bold, considering the production studio will have to figure out how kids will navigate a platform that requires a crypto wallet. But Jammal and Demas are banking on the freedom of a decentralized platform, which allows the audience to interact and even participate, as a selling point that will win over users. The new show centers around Owen B. Gloom, a preteen aspiring content creator on a family road trip, documenting their visits to unusual tourist attractions, starting with the world's largest. The family's dynamic is funny, sweet, and slightly dysfunctional, featuring Owen's adoptive vampire parents, a magical transforming vehicle, a pet cat, and a fish in a stroller. But as Jammal and Demas told TechCrunch, this is more than a show. It's really about their mission to set a "new standard for the future of children's entertainment in the decentralized era." The project will be developed and viewable on Lamina1's yet-to-be-launched Spaces, an offering that enables creators to create their own virtual worlds. In these worlds, creators can build interactive experiences, digital items, and content in various formats, including 2D, 3D, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR). Jammal and Demas envision "Owen Nowhere" as an immersive experience that allows fans to engage with the world and contribute their ideas for the series. The virtual space will also include exclusive behind-the-scenes content, collectible digital assets, and online community-driven experiences like voting. The studio believes that the most attractive feature is the opportunity for viewers to make key decisions for the story, such as suggesting destinations for the family's adventures. "We were thinking [fans could] vote for where the Glooms can travel next. Do you want them to come to your hometown? Maybe they want to buy that souvenir that Owen picked up at the Grand Canyon [as] their own digital asset. Maybe they want to change his outfit. There are so many possibilities of how this can go," Jammal said. While it's clear that this show has all the ingredients to resonate with viewers and hold their attention, there will be challenges, including convincing parents to manage a crypto wallet for their child. Parents may worry that introducing kids to this ecosystem, even indirectly, could expose them to financial manipulation or loss, even if the parents are the ones in control of the wallet. However, some parents are more open to the idea, with some sending their five-year-olds to crypto summer camps. In 2022, Zigazoo introduced NFTs for several IPs, including CoComelon. "It's a big topic of discussion. It's like, 'What permissions do we need in place around it?'" Lamina1 CEO Rebecca Barkin said, adding, "I won't tell you that we have the perfect answer right going to learn real fast as this develops, what protections need to be put in place." Owen Nowhere's digital assets are positioned as a way for fans to be involved in the show and enable them to contribute financially to the show's production by owning digital collectibles-- including artwork, characters, and outfits -- fostering a community of supporters who are invested in its success. "That token can be used as a loyalty token, it doesn't have to be about cash and trading and the traditional crypto stuff. It's about token-gated access and rewarding those who are sharing things, who are making really creative contributions to the community," Barkin explained. While the new series is primarily aimed at kids and pre-teens, it's also designed to appeal to adults. This is similar to how "Bob's Burgers" attracts many adult fans through its hilarious storylines about parenting. "We're not going after that super young demographic," said Barkin. Nonetheless, they may need to approach this with transparency and possibly even parental controls to appeal to their entire audience. Lamina1's Spaces product is slated to launch in the fall. Another virtual world launching on Spaces is "Artefact," a project by visual effects company Wētā, known for its work on the "Lord of the Rings" film trilogy. Lamina1 has raised $9 million to date from notable investors and angels, such as LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and Bloq co-founder Matthew Roszak. This article originally appeared on TechCrunch at Sign in to access your portfolio
