Muskegon Innovation Hub renovates space to add more clients

Grand Valley’s Muskegon Innovation Hub (the Hub) has repurposed its building space to accommodate more entrepreneurs.

Kevin Ricco, director of the Hub, said it’s an expansion of sorts that resulted in three new office spaces and the ability to serve up to 15 more clients.

“Redesigning our space is allowing us to serve more entrepreneurs as a part of our program — more than we could before within the same footprint of space,” said Ricco. “It’s a much smarter use of our space.”

The Hub is a business incubator, development center and co-working space that provides coaching, funding, networking and a synergistic work environment to help businesses and entrepreneurs achieve their growth potential. 

Ricco said the Hub is currently serving 40 companies; some are part of the business incubator program and others are taking advantage of CoLaunch, the coworking space program.

“We have a full array of companies from marketing firms to tech-based firms to solar companies to financial-based companies,” he said. “One company does videography, sound and video, and another is a startup, tech-based company that is relocating from Silicon Valley to Michigan.”

The Muskegon Innovation Hub was established by the City of Muskegon, Grand Valley State University and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. The original focus, clean energy technology, was broadened to target companies centered on innovation. The goal of the Hub is to be a key partner in the region’s economic development ecosystem, supporting startup businesses, entrepreneurs and corporate innovation teams. 

Find out more at https://www.gvsu.edu/mihub/