Entrepreneurs looking for a Wi-Fi connection, meeting space and limited overhead suddenly have a bevy of options aside from their local coffee shops.
Incubator spaces are cropping up across the Ocean State, as savvy property owners seek to meet the needs of an emerging army of independent contractors and startups.
As a Page 1 story this week notes, new incubators are being opened in Providence by Kahn, Litwin, Renza & Co. and by the owners of Home Loan Investment Bank. They will join the Founders League in providing opportunity for collaboration and shared services at rents that match the budgets of would-be and emerging entrepreneurs. Similar opportunities are taking shape outside the capital, at the Quonset Business Park and new co-working space in the Lafayette Mill Complex, both in North Kingstown.
“The economy has forced people … out of their comfort zones,” said Tuni Scharter, who is helping launch the mill project. “We hope it will create synergy. That’s why we call it The Hive – it’s about cross-pollinating businesses.”
Indeed, while the quality of the coffee may not match up to the alternative, the collaborative opportunities provided by incubators can provide just the jolt of inspiration needed to turn fledgling ideas into job creators. •
