New Co-Working Space in Medini, Iskandar Puteri for digital communities in the Johor State

• Common Ground Iskandar Space accommodates up to 290 seats/working desk.

• Networking opportunities via Common Ground’s network Nationwide and Regional.

• More than 100 events to be curated in next 12 months.

Iskandar Puteri, 10 February 2022: Iskandar Investment Berhad Ventures (IIBV), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) today opened a co-working space in Medini, Iskandar Puteri. The Common Ground Iskandar Space (CGIS) is a collaboration between IIBV and Common Ground Works Sdn Bhd (Common Ground).

This co-working space is positioned to provide the local Johor digital start-up community with networking opportunities nationwide and at regional levels in Southeast Asia, to boost their business growth. More than 100 businesses and social events will be expected to be curated at CGIS in the next 12 months. All start-ups and SMEs in Johor are also encouraged to participate in and be part of these programmes.

The opening of CGIS marks another milestone for IIB to develop and implement an IR4.0-based technology ecosystem. The CGIS will be part of Iskandar NEXT (New Economy, Experience & Talent) platform, an initiative to position Medini, Iskandar Puteri as the centre of digital economy and talent development in Johor, YAB Dato’ Haji Hasni Mohammad, Menteri Besar Johor who officiated the opening ceremony said, “I applaud the opening of CGIS here in Iskandar Puteri. This latest initiative marks another milestone for IIB to develop and implement technology-based ecosystem in support of Johor’s Vision 2030 and digital aspiration, as well as the Nation’s ‘MyDigital Blueprint’. I am excited to see Johor becomes the highest producer of digital start-ups and future unicorns. The collaboration is indeed momentous as it represents the seriousness of both parties in furthering the adoption of IR4.0 in Johor towards transforming Iskandar Puteri into a Digital Hub of the Southern State.”

Spanning across two floors at Medini 6, Iskandar Puteri with 14,500 square feet of space, the venue offers up to 293 seats for co-working membership in the venue over a mix of shared “hot desks”, “fixed desks” and private offices facilitated with meeting rooms, event spaces and lounge setting.

Meanwhile, Datuk Khairil Anwar Ahmad, President and Chief Executive Officer of IIB said, “The establishment of co-working spaces will help boost start-up innovations and freelancers within the region, providing the perfect platform with fully functional and collaborative co-working facilities for the industry to flourish. The pandemic has become a catalyst in accelerating the digital transformation which resulted in many app-based platforms giving rise to Gig Economy. IIB is proud to be able to provide this platform to the digital communities in Johor and help accelerate their business growth”

IIB’s effort in providing a collaborative space for Johor’s digital nomads started with IIB’s own Iskandar Space which was established in 2017. This collaboration with Common Ground proved IIB’s seriousness in enhancing the ecosystem further.

Embodying the belief in nurturing and championing a synergistic business ecosystem, CGIS carries its own proprietary app that connects members with the latest partnership benefits and daily events, as well as with thousands of other members across all of Common Ground’s venues across Southeast Asia. The app also enables users to book meeting rooms, flights, hotels, airport transfers, Human Resource services, financial services, and more through its Common Hub feature. The establishment of CGIS would also provide networking opportunities, Nationwide and at regional levels in Southeast Asia for the Digital Communities in Johor, helping accelerate their business growth.

“We are very excited to be working with IIBV on this newest Common Ground space, our first in Johor,” says Juhn Teo, co-founder of Common Ground. “As Malaysia’s largest co-working community, it is always rewarding to be able to grow our network to new locations and members. We’re looking especially forward to working with IIB, whose vision of innovation and development is one that aligns very closely with our own. Our driving mission for CGIS is to encourage the spirit of entrepreneurship in Johor and the region, supporting local start-ups and SMEs.”

Opening with 40% occupancy, CGIS is currently home to Synapse Innovation Sdn. Bhd. a Malaysian based AI and Data Analytics company who is recently acquired by Aerodyne Group, a Malaysia-headquartered international DT3 (Drone Tech, Data Tech, and Digital Transformation) solutions provider, and various other Tech companies, Education Providers, as well as entrepreneurs.

CGIS in Medini opens its doors to technopreneurs and co-workers alike, bolstering the spirit of entrepreneurship in Johor and the region. More information on CGIS and upcoming events can be found here.