Its three Cs are community, capital and curriculum. And a fourth, lower-cased c is for its coffee. The combination is changing the game for tech startups in the view of Samantha Holloway, co-founder and chief sales officer of GoSpotCheck.com.
"It has helped us create momentum both technically and on the business side, which plays into the fact that we feel more like an established company. We have been on an upward trajectory since coming to Galvanize based in part by the doors it has opened for us," Holloway says.
Before Galvanize, which supplies basic office necessities like desks, chairs, printers and wifi, GoSpotCheck.com, a web and app data aggregator, was operating out of a garage behind a wine shop on South Gaylord Street. Since moving in, the company has launched a new product, secured additional funding and added four new clients, including a Fortune 100 company, according to Holloway.
GoSpotCheck.com rents one of the fourteen office suites designed for larger startups. These suites surround the 68 first-come, first-serve hot desk seats created for solo entrepreneurs on Galvanize's first level. Above, on the mezzanine, is Medpassage.com, proprietor of two of the seventy reserve desks set aside for companies needing more than a seat but not a full suite.Medpassage.com is an e-commerce platform for the medical implant industry co-founded by Mike Biselli, who initially worked out of his home. In October, Biselli and his business partner moved into Galvanize and plan to pick up another desk this year in the unique space.
No stranger to competition, Biselli, who kicked the game winning field goal in Stanford's win against Notre Dame in 1999, explains that the collaboration level is off the charts at Galvanize, with everyone feeding off the energy and passion.
"Galvanize, allows for a venue to directly connect MedPassage with other entrepreneurs, who have a vested interest in everyone succeeding," Biselli said.
Continue for more about Galvanize. With Denver's tech scene blowing up, Galvanize purposefully narrowed its focus to the tech community. Providing more than just a space, Galvanize has also invested capital into some of its members, like Active Junky, Forkly, and Dabble. In addition, Galvanize launched its inaugural programming class through its gSchool last week. The gSchool, Galvanize's educational arm, will run six-month intensive programming courses taught by expert software engineers and coding ninjas.
To keep themselves energized, members are bellying up to the counter at Gather, the on-site cafe and bar, for caffeine fixes all day long. The coffee, which is imported from Ethiopia by Ninety Plus Coffee, the only non-tech company at Galvanize, might be the secret weapon.
"It's really good! Killer Americano." Holloway says.
"Coffee, is the fuel that makes entrepreneurs go," Chris Onan, Venture Capital Manager Director adds.Memberships start at $299 a month and do not require a lease. Members also have the flexibility to switch from hot seat, reserve desk and suite to suit their needs.
With 61 companies under its roof, Galvanize expects to be at capacity by the middle of 2013. However, Galvanize 2.0 is scheduled to open in early 2014 at the corner of 16th and Platte Streets, coffee included.
More from our Tech archive: "Galvanize's programming gSchool helps transition of Afghanistan war vet."
