Thursday, October 25, 2012

New Entrepreneur-Friendly, Tech Center in the Golden Triangle

It seems like such a simple idea: create a technology campus where entrepreneurs can come to try and promote their small businesses. This one, central area will offer a shared workspace, mentorship, investor insight, and a software-programming school-all under one roof. Yet this has yet to been seen in Denver. Introducing Galvanize, a project aimed to combine all of these services and other support tactics for up to 70 different startups. These small businesses are expected to drive half of Denver’s workforce in the foreseeable future, and they now have a central hub. With technology growing at an exponential rate, Galvanize is using this to its advantage and helping the little guy establish something great. In a recent Denver Post article, the executive director of Denver’s economic-development office, Paul Washington, said that Galvanize “makes Denver a more attractive place to work for the 21st century employee.” Galvanize is the brainchild of restaurateur-turned-entrepreneur Jim Deters, who is known for opening the Asian bistro, ChoLon in LoDo. Recognize the name, ChoLon? That’s because Galvanize’s neighborhood-to-be, Gather Café and Lounge, is the work of ChoLon’s executive chef, Lon Symensma. In picking the perfect location, Deter focused on Denver’s circulation paths and main nodes, and eventually came up with the Rocky Mountain Bank Note Building in the Golden Triangle. Situated near a bike trail and a short distance to other downtown hotspots, the building was the prefect place to gather a crowd and hopefully use the community ties to an entrepreneur’s advantage. And with the Gather Café and Lounge in the lobby, the Rocky Mountain Bank Note Building will create its own some community within the larger LoDo area. A startup company can use the communal atrium for $300 a month, or pay $450 for a permanent desk on the mezzanine level. For more details and rental options, check out Galvanize’s website and start your business off on the right foot!

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