Announcing new startup space at MaRS: District 20
We’re happy to announce District 20, a new startup space at MaRS that is now home to six hand-selected information and communications technology startups.
The over-6,000-square-foot space, which is located in the MaRS Heritage Building, is broken into colour-coded, pod-like offices with shared common areas. It meets the needs of companies that are in the five- to 15-person headcount stage, giving them confidential, private spaces where they can build their own company culture and have their own team areas, while also offering access to all of the benefits of a communal startup community.
The tenants
The six startups that are part of the District 20 community are:
- PUSH;
- Singspiel;
- FlashStock;
- ExpertFile;
- Memotext; and
- Empty Cubicle.
MaRS’ incubation graduation space
District 20 exemplifies MaRS’ commitment to accommodating every stage of a startup’s growth, as well as companies’ individual needs. We recognized a need for an in-between space—that is, a space for startups that are too large for the MaRS Commons, but not big enough for their own dedicated offices.
The rental agreement fine print? The companies are offered startup-friendly rates and lease terms.
The setup
When designing the District 20 space, emphasis was placed on having the right balance of open, collaborative areas and private areas for phone calls, as well as ensuring there was enough space to accommodate expanding teams.
Flexible furnishings, like height-adjustable desks, were used throughout the space. All of the furniture can be reconfigured to suit the individual needs of each company or to provide casual “chill” areas for the community as a whole. Within each company’s pod space, team members work in open-concept areas, but also have access to private spaces for confidential meetings. It’s truly the best of both worlds.
To celebrate the opening of District 20, we’ll be hosting a drop-in open house where you’ll be able to meet the companies and check out the space. Stay tuned for more details.