Co-founders of BarCamp Sarasota-Bradenton, Stan Schultes and Sara Hand, recently held the first event open to the public for the Station-2-Innovation Center, located in what used to be the old No. 2 Fire Station.
It is an incubation space for startup businesses and existing companies that are expanding or relocating, providing a flexible and community-oriented place with a variety of programs. These include assistance with strategic planning, financial advice, human resources, and access to many professional service providers, such as marketing and advertising firms, insurance companies, investment organizations, law firms, and accounting and CPA firms.
According to Schultes and Hand, close to 85% of incubated companies remain in their communities and close to 80% of those companies that “graduate” from incubator spaces survive and prosper as new businesses.
With its downtown location, the Innovation Center provides easy access for bikers and is close to the Bradenton Riverwalk for brainstorming out of the office, or just for relaxation. The Center also has lockers and showers for those that put in long days at the office.
The event was a luncheon with a tour of the building and its facilities, renovation plans for the building, and program offerings. There was also a presentation after which participants were encouraged to network and exchange cards that were produced from business card printing.
