ORANGE — A for-profit organization supported by the Orange Innovation Center has received $25,000 in seed money from the state to create a “maker-space” for area hobbyists and entrepreneurs.
The idea is for LaunchSpace, in cooperation with the innovation center, to provide a place for people to engage in the hands-on crafting of personal and collaborative projects and art. The space is also expected to serve as a creativity incubator for budding entrepreneurs to start their own businesses and for people to improve their employability by learning new skills.
The seed money is part of more than $950,000 in grant funding the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency has announced for 23 organizations across the state.
Brianna Drohen, the innovation center’s development director and LaunchSpace’s chief financial officer, said she hopes to have 50 to 75 members annually. The designated 10,000-square-foot space on the third floor can host businesses and workshops pertaining to crafts ranging from woodworking and blacksmithing to cabinetmaking and sewing. Jason Cook, who developed a similar project in Denver and is involved with this endeavor, described the space as a soon-to-be “trade school and clubhouse all in one.”
Drohen said LaunchSpace can apply for a fit-out grant — money to help build out infrastructure and purchase equipment — in June 2017 and another grant after that.
The North Central Incubator for Green Economics, Inc., also known as GreenWorks, is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that proposed this makerspace. GreenWorks Director Alec MacLeod said he expects hobbyist rent to be $75 a month and entrepreneur rent to be $150. He hopes to have the space open by next fall and the innovation center plans to seek pledges for the grand opening. Drohen, who is also a GreenWorks board member, said LaunchSpace will generate revenue through memberships, classes, machine rental, inventory purchases and suite rentals.
“It’s going to be awesome. I can’t wait to get started,” MacLeod said. “It’s amazingly exciting.”
MacLeod said The Worcshop in Worcester serves as inspiration. The Worcshop is a maker-space that serves as a business incubator and is filled with industrial-grade tools and equipment available for people to use on a membership basis. He said it has grown in employees, members and machinery in a short period of time.
“All this stuff is happening,” he said in Drohen’s office. “They’ve been in existence for seven months.”
“That,” Cook said, “blows my mind.”
The innovation center was earlier this year awarded a $200,000 MassWorks Infrastructure Program grant to upgrade public infrastructure and expand to meet growing demand.
For more information or to make a non-binding pledge to join LaunchSpace, visit the innovation center’s Facebook page or contact MacLeod at alec@launchspace-orange.com, or Drohen at brianna@launchspace-orange.com.
You can reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 258.
On Twitter: @DomenicPoli