Gainesville's Innovation Hub opened its doors today for the first time, letting in small businesses. Companies of all kinds share space the new building in what the center's director Jane Muir calls the "innovation ecosystem." "One of the things we know about these start-up companies," she says, "is it's when smart people get together and start talking some really cool things happen."
The space allows venture capital investors, lawyers from firms and internet software companies mingle and mix, sharing intellectual resources. One of the companies is just starting out- it's called Ocoos. Co-founders Daniel Sousa and Ryan McCay have just moved in and they say they're ready for collaboration. "We've already been in contact with one of the law firms here," says McCay, "to write up some of the contracts for our users and our service providers and some of our employees that are coming on. They offer eight hours of pro-bono service to us and you know, you've got to take advantage of that."
From the moment you enter the Innovation Hub, the emphasis is on letting creativity and cooperation flourish.