Found8 offers members 30% off fees for 3 months amid Covid-19 outbreak

CO-WORKING operator Found8 on Saturday said it will offer all active members in Singapore 30 per cent off fees for May, June and July, to support them amid extended circuit-breaker measures.

In response to queries from The Business Times, the company's spokesperson said that although full membership fees had been charged for April, it hopes that the "longer relief will help cover the difficult situation this month that members faced".

Found8 has over 1,000 members spread across five co-working spaces in central Singapore, and a space in KL Sentral in Kuala Lumpur.

"We have decided to take on the bulk of responsibility of supporting our members by taking this relief primarily out of our own pocket," said co-founder Grace Sai, adding that the company has only received rebates from some landlords.

Forced to suspend services for another month till June 1, co-working spaces are facing more pressure to provide rental relief for members, according to previous reports from BT.

Some co-working spaces in Singapore, including major operator WeWork, had drawn flak from its members for not offering rebates or membership suspensions for a service they are no longer using.

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"A crisis like this tests the value system of co-working operators, and whether they are truly as member-centric as most claim to be during good times," Ms Sai said.

For its members of Found8 KL Sentral, the company said it is currently working on a relief package in line with its landlord and the Malaysian government's relief schemes.

"This is a crucial time for startups and SMEs. We hope that with this relief, Found8 members will be able to see through these difficult times and stay with us as they continue to innovate with solutions for the local and global community," co-founder Michelle Yong said.