StartUp Humboldt is an innovation hub set to launch this spring that promises to be a catalyst for economic development and community growth across the region.
The hub brings together a network of partners, including Cal Poly Humboldt, College of the Redwoods, local Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), Lost Coast Ventures, and the Institute for Entrepreneurship Education into one central location on 7th Street in Arcata. Together they bring decades of experience in finance, marketing, research and development, and more together in an effort to fuel entrepreneurship, create jobs, and foster creativity and collaboration.
“This idea of bringing together entrepreneurial programs and partners under one roof has been a decade-long aspiration, and it has finally found its home in this unique shared space,” says Kacie Flynn, Associate Vice President for Research at Cal Poly Humboldt.
Starting this spring, StartUp Humboldt will offer coworking, conference, and presentation spaces—creating a seamless support system for the hub’s users. At its heart, it will be a flexible-use space equipped to host large seminars, meetings, and classes. The dynamic, mobile furniture setup ensures adaptability for a wide range of activities, supporting the fluid and evolving needs of entrepreneurs.
StartUp Humboldt partners will also offer funding to enterprises with demonstrated potential to grow their local businesses, according to John Ballard, co-founder of Lost Coast Ventures, which provides seed capital to early-stage businesses.
Humboldt County currently ranks 35th out of 58 California counties for gross domestic product, according to the Humboldt County Economic Development Office. This statistic underscores the need for focused, local development efforts.
“The region has unprecedented opportunities to spur economic transformation,” says Ballard, referencing industries like offshore wind energy and aquaculture.
“The hub will also prioritize workforce development, particularly in sectors requiring skilled trade workers, healthcare professionals, and technical personnel,” says Crystal Morse, Vice President of Instruction & Student Development at College of the Redwoods.
StartUp Humboldt is poised to create hundreds of high-quality jobs throughout the county, building on the success of past local ventures like Rad Power Bikes, Metasystems, Inc., and Yakima Rack Systems, Ballard adds.
Data shows that these types of spaces are transforming communities, helping to build more sustainable cities and leaving positive impacts on local economies, according to data from the World Bank.
For students, faculty, and staff at Cal Poly Humboldt and College of the Redwoods, the innovation hub offers transformative opportunities. Although still in its infancy, partner organizations are optimistic that it will lead to new student learning projects and internships, says Kristin Johnson, Executive Director of the NorCal SBDC.
Similar innovation hubs and incubators have been successfully established across the California State University system, including at CSU San Marcos, Fullerton, Dominguez Hills, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
“I have seen the benefits that innovation hubs like StartUp Humboldt have brought elsewhere in California and nationwide,” says Johnson. “There are a variety of models for us to learn from and adapt to the needs of local businesses and campus communities.”
To learn more about StartUp Humboldt, visit startuphumboldt.org