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This article is constructed based on an interview with former UI fellow, Fletcher Richman, on his experience of starting an off-campus incubator, [http://sparkboulder.com SparkBoulderSpark Boulder] , near the University of Colorado.

Spark Boulder is a student created and designed and created coworking co-working meets incubator space, designed architected to foster creativity, progress talent, and accelerate innovative ideas. Spark Boulder is a student entrepreneurs playground that will allow boulder Boulder and the University of Colorado to remain at the forefront of student innovation and entrepreneurship.

Spark Boulder is designed to provide a place for students to innovate new ideas, and work in an environment dedicated to forward progress. Spark Boulder was created by the very students that needed it most, ensuring Spark meets all the criteria required to give students the tools and opportunities they need to design, create, and innovate ground-breaking ideas.

Spark Boulder is more than just a coworking space, it is a hub of innovation. With that combines top grade professional services , such as Archer Bay and Tuition Specialists, combined with some of CU's most talented and aspiring students. Spark Boulder offers its own server services, complete with SDK's, Master Suite, monitors, iPad's, iPhone's, and Android devices to give developers every tool they need to develop their projects.

Throughout the duration of the Spark Boulder project, we're the students made sure to stay true to our their mission of helping  other students. Students have done everything from the business plan and finances, to the branding and marketing, and the design of the space itself.

Need and goal (what you did to assess the need and how this space would fill that need) Incubator space is only a only facilitator. It Dedicated space needs the entrepreneurs to thrivein order for the incubation space to be successful. If the students don't use the space, the existence of the space would be hard to maintain. This makes correctly identify identifing the correct need , location, and provides the correct need space very important.

Richman was inspired by the phases in of life cycles in ''Startup Community'', which states bringing , "Bringing entrepreneurs together will create a synergy that can accelerate the innovation process. " By recognizing there are the 12 entrepreneurship -related student organizations on campus and school run programs, Richman found students are to be in need of a working space in order to start their entrepreneurial pursuits. In Boulder, Colorado, one of the center centers for entrepreneursentrepreneurship, the local community also greatly supports the idea of having a student incubator space.

"The goal of having an incubator space in Boulder, " Richman said, "is not only limited to providing space for young students student entrepreneurs, but also to give the opportunity to local investor investors to see some great work put out by the students."

Academic Paperwork may be required based on the type of collaborations that the incubator space provides between itself and the university. If the incubator space merely provides the space for extra-curriculum activities, obtaining the permission to collaborate with the school may be much easier. However, if the collaboration relates to student's credits or class work, this permission (what kind can be very restricted. This permission process is very individually based, meaning it differs at every university. Depending on the type of school and the level of support towards entrepreneurship, the permission and proposals were needed)varies a lot.

When the collaboration with colleges and universities, some paperwork may be required based on the type of collaborations that the incubator space provides. If the incubator space merely provides the space for extra-curriculum activities, obtaining the permission to collaborate with the school may be much easier. However, if the collaboration relates to student's credits or class work, this permission can be very restricted. Also this permission process is very individually based. Depending on the type of school and the level of support towards entrepreneurship, the permission varies a lot. In the case of Spark Boulder, one of the problem problems that Richman went into faced was getting gaining support from the University of Colorado, although even though students and low lower level faculty members are were in need and love to have supported having a student incubator space to work on their entrepreneurial projects. HoweverDespite this roadblock, Richman persisted and chose another route. Instead of getting gaining support and collaborate collaborating with the schoolUniversity, he leveraged the local highly entrepreneurial community to create and simply made provide the space available to the students. So In the end, he didn't need permission fromthe University to get permission from the schoolfulfill his vision, but at same time, still provides space for student entrepreneurial organizations will still come and use the space for their meetings and events.

Support (what types The success of Spark Boulder is largely because of the excessive support were necessary — from the faculty, student, leadership, alumnistudents, and local community, etc).

The success At the University of Spark Colorado Boulder is largely because there are over 12 student organizations, programs, and many more classes surrounding the excessive support from topic of entrepreneurship. However, the faculty, studentschool didn't have an incubator space for these organization and programs. The students very much supported opening an incubator space close to campus that would allow them to work on their own projects, and communityor even start their own companies.

In University of Colorado Although getting support from higher- Boulderlevel faculty or administrators proves to be difficult, there the lower-level faculty are over 12 student organizations, programs, and many more classes about entrepreneurship. However, in love with the school doesn't have an incubator space for these organization and programs. So the students very much support opening an Richman stated that there are many faculty members who are actually entrepreneurs themselves. An incubator space close to campus that they their office can work on also greatly help them develop their own projects or even start their companiesideas and entrepreneurial pursuits.

Although getting support from the high level faculty or administrators Boulder is very entrepreneurial city. Hundreds of startups are difficult, located within the low level faculty are in love of an incubator space. Richman said there are many faculty members are actually entrepreneurs themselveslocal community. An A student incubator space close has also provided these local startups a place to look for future collaborators, or even provide investors a place to their office can greatly help them develop their ideas and entrepreneur pursuitsinvest in new projects.

= '''Cost =: '''the funding necessary to create and maintain the space, and how that funding was found/raised

Cost (what In preparing Spark Boulder, Richman raised $140,000 to rent the 5400 square foot space and to renovate it for incubator use. However, he also stated that this project can be completed with a much lower budget depending on how many renovations need to happen. With sufficient support from the community, Richman was able to get enough funding was necessary to create pay for full sets of furniture and include electricity and maintain WiFi. If the spacebudget allows, you can add additional assets and how that funding was found/raised)equipment.

Location (where Spark Boulder is located very close to the new space main campus of University of Colorado Boulder. It is located also surrounded by many local start-up offices. This location nicely matches the needs of both the students and why it was located there)the local community.

Activities (what As a newly founded incubator space, Spark Boulder has not planned many activities occur for its residents. It mainly serves as a newly designed space for students to develop their ideas and meet with each other. Student organizations can hold their business competitions in this space as well. Richman also plans on bringing some third party start-up accelerator programs to the incubator space)to help the student entrepreneurs.

Materials (what Spark Boulder aims to provide a truly lean start-up opportunity for student entrepreneurs. In terms of essential materials were needed provided, students will have fully covered electricity, WiFi and a fully furnished space. Since many of the new start-ups are related to application development, Richman plans to add monitors, a 3D printer, iPad and iPhones in place for the students to make use. After all, Richman emphasizes that, "The space is the thing!" If the space successfulis available and affordable, and how you gathered those materials)it will help entrepreneurs.

Management (how you selected who Spark Boulder is currently managed by students on the Board. A law firm provides a secretary for greeting guests. In the future, Richman would manage like to hire an Executive Director to aid in managing the space, but the space and how it would will always be mainly managed)by students.

= Launch Lessons & Tips = Launch (how you promoted and launched the new space)