Page 72 - Innovation Delaware 2019

REBECCA PARSONS MIKE BOWMAN
Innovation Space’s chemistry material science incubator or its biotech incuba- tor, including lab space.
Earlier this year, the Innovation Space announced First Fund, which will pro- vide up to $75,000 to very early-stage startups in the form of a convertible note (essentially, a loan that converts into eq- uity for the investor).
Improvements underway at the Innovation Space include a new suite of laboratory pods for early-stage chemistry companies and added common space; con- struction is expected to be complete this summer, with a launch set for the early fall.
Susan Tam, co-founder of Eivogen Biopharma, a tenant at Delaware Innovation Space, notes that, in addition to frequent seminars and social gatherings to encourage collaborative interaction, the in- cubator coordinates support in the form of pro-bono legal services, a notary and other business administrative services. “I high-
ly recommend Delaware Innovation Space for biotech companies,” Tam says. “The staff support and believe in the startups.”
1313 INNOVATION
Wilmington-based co-working space 1313 Innovation has been expanding its programming into area schools, with partnerships with UD, William Penn High School, the Dual School and Ursuline Academy. “We started the in- novation center because we didn’t have anything like it in Delaware. As real es- tate leaders and business leaders, we said, we have to do this,” says 1313 Innovation Founder Paul McConnell. “It’s done more than we ever expected — the most exciting thing is, we’ve been able to en-
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PAUL MCCONNELL
gage younger people in the community, and we’ve done that through all these educational initiatives and partnerships. That’s where the really unique oppor- tunities are, getting younger people interested not just in business, but in all kinds of things. Our relationships with the schools are in the beginning stages, but it’s essential that we have them connected to what we’re doing.”
Connectivity of another sort is on display now at 1313 Innovation’s home on North Market Street: the building was recently certified platinum by Wired- Score, meaning the building “can support current and future tenants with the most stringent technology requirements.”
THE MILL
The Mill co-working space is expand- ing at its original North Orange Street location in Wilmington. The organiza- tion, which occupies the entire fourth floor of the building, currently has about 350 tenants — both individuals and businesses.
Now, The Mill is getting ready to take over the seventh floor, where it plans to welcome midsized to large companies with longer membership agreements. And, later this year, Founder Robert Herrera plans to open a new facility, complete with community space and conference center, at Concord Plaza, off U.S. Route 202.
“We’re really excited about the poten- tial for the ground-level access as well as the outdoor area. We will have an out- door, greenhouse-style conference room,” says The Mill’s Director of Operations, Rebecca Parsons. The Mill’s conference
NEXTFAB MAKERSPACE PROVIDES ACCESS TO 3D PRINTERS AND OTHER SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT.
rooms and event spaces, Parsons notes, are also open to rent by the public.
NEXTFAB
Also in Wilmington, NextFab makerspace provides access to a wood- shop, electronic equipment, 3D print- ing and software suites like Adobe, SOLIDWORKS and Rhino. “Right now
JUSTIN HEYES/MOONLOOP PHOTOGRAPHY