February 03, 2017

Spark Co-working Space at Power Plant Live! to Double in Size

View Article from the Baltimore Business Journal

BALTIMORE, MD - Cordish Cos.' year-old co-working space at at the Offices at Power Plant Live is doubling in size.

The 20,000-square-foot Spark launched early last year as a space to house startups that had outgrown space at an incubator and are not ready to commit to a long-term lease. An extra 20,000 square feet will be added to the space in 2017, Spark announced during an anniversary event Thursday night. The expansion is expected to open in May.

Spark currently has 50 co-working desks, 28 offices and three private suites. Over the last year, Spark has grown from 50 to 84 companies totaling over 250 members. Firms in advertising, biotechnology, cybersecurity, education technology and mobile development are among those working out of the space.

Spark's space includes games, a lounge area and a gourmet kitchen.

It was one of over eight innovation spaces to open locally last year.

“Our vision for Spark was to provide local entrepreneurs an affordable and effective environment for entrepreneurial businesses to grow and thrive,” Beth Boots Workman, director of operations for Spark, said in a statement. “We’ve clearly accomplished that."

Over the past year, Spark has earned an innovation award from the Downtown Partnership, partnered with the World Trade Center Institute, an organization focused on bringing international business initiatives to Maryland, to host a Taste of Business Series, and partnered with other local incubators, like Federal Hill's Betamore, to host business and entrepreneurial education courses.

Spark plans to expand its partnerships and innovation initiatives in 2017.