GCUC Africa Building the Future of Work from the Inside Out

We are going to Africa.

Not to copy and paste a conference. Not to export a model. But to elevate something that already exists and deserves a global platform.

In our recent GCUC Podcast conversation with Antonette Benting, the force behind GCUC Africa, one thing became clear. This is about building from within.

Africa is not a single story. And GCUC Africa is not a replica of anything happening elsewhere. It is a locally driven platform designed to support coworking operators and community builders across the continent.

Why Africa Why Now

Antonette has been in the flexible workspace industry since 2003, long before coworking became mainstream. She has seen the evolution from serviced offices behind closed doors to vibrant community-driven spaces rooted in collaboration.

But Covid exposed something deeper.

Across many regions in Africa, working from home was not always realistic. Reliable infrastructure is not evenly distributed. In that context, coworking became more than convenience. It became accessible. It became enablement.

Coworking is not a trend in Africa. It is a catalyst.

Africa’s Superpower Resilience

When asked what Africa does not get enough recognition for globally, Antonette answered without hesitation. Resilience.

The ability to make something from nothing. The ability to build in environments where resources are limited. The instinct to share because sharing is necessary, not optional.

Africa also has the youngest population in the world. And increasingly, that talent can work for international companies while remaining rooted on the continent.

As Antonette said simply, the future excites her because Africans can now earn a global income while living and building at home.

That changes everything.

Why GCUC Africa Must Be Different

What works in one country does not automatically work in another. Even within South Africa, what works in Johannesburg may not work in Cape Town.

Across the continent, there are hubs, coworking spaces, startup ecosystems, funding challenges, and enormous regional diversity. Some spaces rely heavily on grant funding. Others operate on revenue driven models, but in isolation.

GCUC Africa is about bringing operators together so they are no longer building in silos.

It is about asking

What are we doing well
What can we replicate
What can we improve together

This is collaboration over competition, adapted to African realities.

What Success Looks Like

When we asked Antonette what success looks like for the first GCUC Africa in Cape Town, she did not talk about ticket numbers.

She talked about impact.

Success is someone walking away and implementing something new in their space. Success is hearing that attending GCUC Africa contributed to the growth of their business and, more importantly the success of their members.

Because at the end of the day, coworking is not about square footage. It is about people.

We shared a story during the podcast about overhearing three young women in a coworking space in Austin talking about how lonely they felt working from home and how just being in a shared space changed that.

That is the ripple effect we are after.

If GCUC Africa helps even one operator create a stronger connection and belonging in their community, that impact multiplies.

Save the Date

GCUC Africa will take place September 16 and 17 2026 in Cape Town.

Spring in South Africa. Ocean dips. Wine country. Safari experiences. A city with remarkable food and breathtaking landscapes.

But more than that, it is a gathering of builders.

Operators from Kenya Ghana Nigeria Mauritius Rwanda Morocco South Africa and beyond.

This is about representation. Ownership. And ensuring Africas future of work is shaped by the people who live it every day.

If you care about the future of coworking globally, you should care about what is happening in Africa.

Start planning.

Come be part of the ripple.

This is not just another event.

It is a movement coming into its own.

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