2010-08-22

Drivhuset makes new ideas take off for real

Drivhuset is an operation that is not growing – it is mushrooming. This autumn, eight determined idea holders can look forward to an office space of their own, wall to wall with the very project manager for the initiative. The first application has already landed on Drivhuset’s desk.

“What’s most important in order to receive an allocated space with us is the driving power of the individual. There must be a motivation to get something done,” says Drivhuset’s managing director Melinda From.

The pre-incubator of Drivhuset (’The Greenhouse’) is a national initiative. The idea is to provide new entrepreneurs – university students – with an opportunity to test their business concepts without any assessment whatsoever of its growth potential. The idea holders get to borrow a room with free Internet and printer access. They pay nothing but a symbolic service fee.

“We have all our offices together so that the entrepreneurs can be of help to one another and have an easy way of discussing any matters that come up,” says Melinda. Next door down the hall is her office and that of Drivhuset’s project manager, and they are ready to provide guidance and coaching support based on the unique needs of every individual entrepreneur. The premises have plenty of space shared by the tenants, which encourages networking and common coffee breaks.

Drivhuset’s pre-incubator has already become a success in other parts of the country.

“In the city of Borås, for example, the twelve spaces available were immediately filled up despite the fact that Borås is a smaller centre of learning than Karlstad,” says Melinda. And in Karlstad as well, interested students had better hurry up. Just a couple of days after the news about the pre-incubator had been published, Melinda and her colleagues had the first application in their hands.

“It’s terrific that we’ve already taken off! I’d like to express my deepest thanks to the people of Karlstad University, who have made this initiative possible,” Melinda rounds off.

Inova looks forward to following up the development of Drivhuset’s pre-incubator. Hopefully, the effort will also contribute to the transfer to Inova of more business concepts with growth potential, as they reach the right maturity level.