WeWork CEO sees $1 billion revenue run-rate in 2017

ASPEN, Colo., July 11 (Reuters) - The chief executive of WeWork said on Monday that the co-working office space provider would hit a revenue run-rate of $1 billion next year.

WeWork, one of the biggest 'unicorns' - startups worth more than $1 billion - recently raised more than $400 million at a valuation that sources pegged at more than $15 billion. The company provides office space for startups and others, stressing the community-oriented character of its facilities.

The company's valuation far exceeds that of publicly traded companies such as Regus Plc (Other OTC: RGSJF - news) that also rent shared offices.

Speaking at the Fortune technology conference in Aspen, Colorado, CEO Adam Neumann said that if his company can reach 1 million customers in the United States - which he said was readily achievable - it would have annual sales of $12 billion and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $4 billion.

Neumann, who appeared with his wife and business partner Rebekah Neumann, the chief brand officer for the company, said the company was in the "community" business, rather than the real estate business.

He said that would protect WeWork's business in the event of a recession, which some analysts have cited as a big risk for the company.

"When times are tough, people want to be surrounded by people," he said. "We'd do extremely well through a recession, for a variety of reasons." (Reporting by Jonathan Weber; Editing by Bill Rigby)