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Published: Nov. 17, 2019, 1:27 a.m.

WeWork moved from the IPO hype which it withdrew from, replacing its founder Neumann as its CEO, taking a $5 billion bailout from SoftBank to last week telling its investors that it lost US $ 1.25 B in the 3rd quarter, on a revenue of $ 934 M.  This loss is up 150% from a year ago which was a loss of US $497 M. Talk about a company that doesn’t lack drama!

The company accounts for 69% of co-working space in the US. Occupancy decreased by 79% as the company added a record 115 000 desks. The solution under the Softbank leadership seems to be focused on larger enterprise customers. It seems the company will overlook rapid growth for sustainable business practices. It will also be interesting to see who will lead the company forward from the range of candidates that they currently chatting to.

Talking about smart cities. Google has announced the launch of its Google Station in Cape Town, South, Africa. This is an initiative that will see residents in several areas including Elsies River, Delft and Khayelitsha get access to the internet. “Google Station will service people with free internet where it’s really needed. People in Langa, Gugulethu, Blikkiesdorp and Philippi are now able to access free internet so that they can live more empowered lives with the world’s information at their fingertips.” This is a quote from the official press release.

South Africa has approximately 31 million active internet users, according to research by Statista. It’s estimated that 20 to 22 million people in South Africa use a smartphone, which accounts for about one-third of the country’s population.

The service, in partnership with Think WiFi, will also be available in more than 100 other locations like shopping malls and universities. Google’s chief business officer David Shapiro said the project would empower communities.

There’s a free software launched by researches from Cornwell University, which will allow developers and architects to improve walkability features in their designs. Urbano (however you want to pronounce it) implements data, metrics and a user-friendly interface, allows for early feedback in the process.

This is aimed at solving around 3.3 million deaths and $ 121 B in economic losses experienced yearly. In the past there has been a trial and error method implemented by these professionals, which tend to be inaccurate when compared with real-time data. Sustainable & livable urban environments of the future can be created through facts and data for decisions to be made.

The three important metrics of the software is Streetscore (calculate how streets are used for certain routes), Walkscore (look at whether popular amenities are within walking distance from your home or office) as well Amenityscore (estimate the usefulness of various services).

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