Startup Edmonton – Adding Some Fun to the Startup Mix (Views: 3432)
Tue, 01 Jul 2014
How about this for a great hook: “We’re a campus and community hub for hackers, artists + entrepreneurs?” Go to Startup Edmonton’s home page and that is the headline that greets you, set in large white letters against the promising background of its 14,000 square-foot, full-service meeting space. From the get-go, Startup Edmonton’s CEO and co-founder, Ken Bautista, envisioned a fun, campus-like atmosphere for Startup City, a plan centering on the transformation of the historic, 42,000 square-foot Mercer warehouse into a creative hub where bright and talented young entrepreneurs, creators, artists, and innovators could flourish in a vibrant tech atmosphere.
Sandwiched between the campuses of the University of Alberta and MacEwen University, 24-year-old property manager Devin Pope has foucused the re-development of the former warehouse on turning the building into a place where people do not want to leave. Contributing to the creation of this inviting eco-system, several eager young entrepreneurs have already set up a variety of new businesses including cafes, bars and other services, providing the conveniences that will keep members of the startup community on the premises.
The top floor of the building hosts open work spaces, private suites, social spaces for meeting, lounging, and creating, cafe/kitchen, meeting rooms, chat rooms, and a large program room for workshops and presentations. In addition to the 10-person offices available for leasing on the second floor, more than forty tenants, including a flower shop, a boutique barbershop, a 200-seat high-end bar and restaurant, a couture-for-women designer in addition to numerous technology and startup focused services.
Of course, the main purpose of Startup Edmonton is to create opportunities for young entrepreneurs, providing them with a favorable environment as well as startup capital. In 2012 alone, Startup Edmonton raised $9 million in capital in order to achieve its goal of sparking 500 new startups within the following five years. Contributing to this objective, Bautista sees the Mercer Warehouse Center as a place where, metaphorically, people can collide with other people, creating an environment in which face-to-face interaction can foster innovation. As a lab to encourage and facilitate creativity, it provides a great place for entrepreneurs, companies, creators, designers, and developers to make, build, and get feedback as their ideas take shape.
Startup Edmonton has designed its community center to be flexible and affordable—key advantages for cash-strapped startups. These include no deposits, no contracts for shared/club members, and payment by credit card. Membership fees run from just $60 per month for Club members to $350 a month for Resident members, and all members enjoy office amenities such as WiFi, mailbox, copier, scanner, screens for meetings and presentations, meeting rooms, and even an espresso machine. Startup Edmonton also organizes meetups and workshops, and provides continuing opportunities for members to interact with fellow members and the community.
Without a doubt, life as a startup is more exciting when you are around other startups. Startup Edmonton invites talented Edmonton-area entrepreneurs to schedule a tour and enjoy all the advantages membership provides.
By Stephen Hanley
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