Seven businesses have signed leases at Missouri State University's downtown business incubator known as The eFactory, located inside the school's Robert W. Plaster Center for Free Enterprise and Business Development at Jefferson Avenue and Phelps Street.
Allen Kunkel, MSU associate vice president for economic development and director of the Jordan Valley Innovation Center, said about 22,000 square feet of the 40,000-square-foot eFactory is available to tenants, and of that, roughly 20 percent has been leased.
The MSU Board of Governors approved the leases during its March 20 meeting. According to the lease terms, space is leased at the incubator for $15 per square foot, which includes utilities, telecommunications services, use of shared and common spaces, shared business services and equipment, technology support and mentoring and counseling for businesses. Clients begin with a one-year lease, with the goal of "graduating" from the incubator in three to five years.
Kunkel said Missouri Enterprise, an established statewide manufacturing adviser, relocated its Springfield office to The eFactory from the nearby Jordan Valley Innovation Center. The organization is leasing roughly 120 square feet.
The other six businesses, Kunkel said, are startups or in the early stages of development, including:
- Crowdfunding startup CrowdIt LLC, the vision of Jason Graf and partners Paul Freeman and Markus Pope, is renting 450 square feet, according to its lease agreement.
- Jody Chaffin, CEO of software and mobile app development firm The App Pros LLC, signed a lease for 549 square feet in the incubator.
- F1 Computing Solutions LLC, a web design and network installation firm owned by Chris Kays, signed on for 549 square feet.
- Former Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman Claire Faucett leased 200 square feet for her firm Faucett Social Design LLC, which does business as Engage5w.
- Tara Rawlins, who was honored this year by Springfield Business Journal among the latest class of 40 Under 40, leased 150 square feet for her business Raw Marketing LLC.
- Springfield BackOffice, a company that provides contracted support services started last year by owner Josh Spurlock, leased 150 square feet.
The eFactory is a collaborative between MSU and Springfield Innovation Inc. – the business resource division of JVIC. Springfield Innovation is managing the shared resources available to startups and small firms.
Kunkel said MSU is actively searching for additional eFactory tenants, and noted discussions are pending with two potential clients.
The eFactory is targeting tenant clients in the manufacturing, medical device and health services, logistics and supply chain management, and technology industries.
The Plaster Center - located in the former Willow Brook Foods building purchased by MSU in 2009 - also includes occupants Small Business & Technology Development Center, the Management Development Institute, Springfield Angel Network, Procurement and Technical Assistance Center, Missouri Enterprise and Score, according to
SBJ archives.
