ZeroBase is cutting the ribbon to its new headquarters in Ferndale today, a move that is helping accommodate the alternative energy start-up's rapid growth.
ZeroBase, formerly ZeroBase Energy, makes solar-powered off-grid systems designed to be used in remote areas. The 4-year-old company landed a large contract with the U.S. Army, which allowed it to begin making its products in earnest late last year.
The company has since expanded its team from three employees to 14 employees and three interns to meet the demand for its products. That growth prompted the company to move from its 500 square feet of space in
TechTown to 3,000 square feet in Ferndale.
"We didn't have a lot of space," says Michelle Klassen, power product specialist for
ZeroBase. "We were piled on top of each other."
The new space in Ferndale gives the ZeroBase team some elbow room to continue its work. The company is focusing on pilot projects for commercial customers for the rest of this year, such as providing its mobile alternative energy products to rural areas in African countries.
The new headquarters, which includes space for offices and lab work, will help accelerate the time to develop a successful pilot to half a year or less. Plus, the new space will provide close proximity to local companies and organizations that might be interested in doing business with ZeroBase in one way or another.
"It (the new location) is mainly about community development," Klassen says. "We want to be in a location where we can reach out to local businesses."
Source: Michelle Klassen, power product specialist for ZeroBase
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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