Vogel Labs Startup Incubator to Open in Cambridge

For a while it seemed that independent startup incubators were not only trendy, but yielding positive results. Betahouse’s closing a few weeks ago lead some to wonder if larger, better-funded initiatives were making independent incubators obsolete. This week Vogel Labs has announced that it will open a 700-square-foot loft space between Cambridge’s Kendall Square and Central Square, demonstrating the demand for new incubators still exists.

Membership fees to join this new community will start at $100 a month. While Vogel Labs will provide the essentials, such as whiteboards, books, internet access, and desks, like many incubators, its primary focus will be on building a strong community.

“We are in no hurry to add members to Vogel Labs,” Kevin Vogelsang, founder of Vogel Labs, said. “Growing a quality community is not something that can be done in a hurry.” (Image of Vogelsang courtesy: http://bit.ly/dvRfkU)

According to one of Vegelsang’s blog posts, his incubator will be “a place where a purposeful person can make anything, and have a community surrounding them that will push them farther than they could’ve gone alone.”

“It might not be businesses at all,” Vogelsang said in regards to potential members. “It might just be someone that wants to do a project. A lot of businesses come out of wanting to do cool stuff. When the right culture happens, the right mix of people, a lot of things happen spontaneously.”

Vogelsang expressed that the future direction of Vogel Labs will be determined by the community. If more space is needed, Vogel Labs will find it. If more resources are needed, Vogel Labs will acquire them. Overall, the concept of what the incubator will grow into is very fluid.

Obtaining financing and leasing a location are key to starting an incubator, but will only take one so far. It is apparent from reading Vogelsang’s blog that he is passionate about his incubator--and that may be his most valuable asset moving forward. If the comments Vogelsang’s blog posts have generated are any indication, Cambridge-area entrepreneurs and thinkers are very excited about Vogel Labs and looking forward to joining its community.

[Sources: http://bit.ly/9qB9UB, http://bit.ly/benEmp, http://bit.ly/adUuTB]

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