Originate closes, eFactory takes over co-working space

Last edited 8:36 a.m., July 6, 2016

Originate, a two-year tenant of The eFactory, has closed, and the business incubator has taken over operation of the co-working space.

Brian Kincaid, director of Missouri State University’s eFactory, said the transition occurred July 1. He said Originate closed after “there was an opportunity that presented itself” to owner Jeremy Adams. Kincaid declined to speak further about Adams, who could not immediately be reached for comment. A tweet by former tenant Rural First indicates Adams joined West Plains-based Real Wood Floors.

Adams launched microincubator Originate in May 2014. For Springfield Business Journal’s January Outlook issue, Adams said Originate had grown to three spaces in the building with the capacity to handle 50-60 members. 

Kincaid said the co-working space now falls under The eFactory branding.

“Originate did tremendous things in the two years they’ve been with us,” he said. “We are going to continue in that vein.”  

He said The eFactory has reached out to all of Originate’s tenants, but declined to disclose occupancy rates. Tenants had included Torrent Consulting and Gremln, according to Originate.io. Chad Boyd, founder of Txt2Give, a former tenant, referred questions to Adams.

“It’s trending well,” Kincaid said. “We have some ability to add additional members.”

Kincaid said a portion of the space would be used for a business accelerator program coming on line in August. The 12-week accelerator program is designed to provide an unspecified number of companies with $30,000 in seed funding, mentorship and office space, as well as networking and follow-on funding opportunities.

Originate is the second co-working space in Springfield to close in the last eight months.

Late last year, co-working space The Creative Foundry shut its doors at 221 South Ave.