Updated Jan. 26, 2012
Shared working space is an idea whose time has come and it’s come to Kalamazoo.
The Bureau is a 6,000-square-foot space with a large common work area, four conference rooms, more than 200 square feet of white boards and a shared photography studio all overlooking the Kalamazoo Mall.
"The Bureau is an absolutely amazing space," says Ryan Goins, co-founder of StartupZoo. "We held our most recent Startup Weekend event there and all of the entrepreneurs fell in love."
Goins says the space provides ample work areas, vast whiteboard space and unlimited coffee -- "everything the entrepreneurs needed to build some really great companies over the weekend."
An official launch event for the space that had its soft opening in early December drew a crowd that filled the space. Those who turned out toured the offices, networked, munched on appetizers, sipped wine and watched a
video (by
Act Naturally Studios) about the co-working space. The event was hosted by StartupZoo, an organization formed to foster the sharing of ideas, resources among entrepreneurs and connect them with investors, community leaders and thought leaders. After the ribbon cutting, a number of Startup Weekend companies talked about about how they have grown since the event.
Matt Vernon, founder of The Bureau, welcomed everyone to the space and expressed his excitement for the potential of the space that now has a dynamic space with a health care model in terms of payment.
The Bureau is now open daily as a hub for entrepreneurs to connect and grow their individual businesses while sharing ideas and infrastructure. It’s become a central location where business people work with each other to fuel development of a business ecosystem in Kalamazoo that supports the entrepreneur.
Space is available for $150 for one month, $75 for 10 visits and free for one visit. Prices are negotiated for companies that have a team of employees who need flexible space.
The Bureau has already become home to several local businesses including Iron Shirt Media -- a new Marketing Agency focused on integrating traditional, digital, and social media;
ATGuys.com -- an online-retailer of technology accessibility tools for the visually and hearing impaired, and this fall’s Startup Weekend winner
YourBucketlist -- a web and Facebook app that helps people take steps to achieve their life goals using the vast resources across the Internet.
Matt Vernon, founder of The Bureau, says he has seen how the space has made connections possible between businesses that were both active in the community but which had never met.
"These connections are spawning opportunities for some of these businesses to find resources locally they previously would have gone out of town and or out of state for, keeping the local economy local," says Vernon.
Writer: Kathy Jennings, Second Wave
Source: Ryan Goins, StartupZoo
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