Thursday, November 15, 2012

American Underground, Home to CED and 50 Startups, Set to Expand to Main Street


The American Underground -- the central station for ascending entrepreneurs-- today announced an expansion custom designed for early stage startups, adding to the density that has already made Durham a national destination.

Located at 201 West Main Street in a bustling downtown, the new space is an extension of the award-winning American Tobacco Historic District, home to the original Underground as well as many sizable mature companies, and strategically located between Research Triangle Park and world-class universities.

Underground @Main Street, as the expansion hub is known, weighs in at 22,000 square feet with room for about 50 startups (see list below of already-committed companies). The space -- expected to open in the spring -- covers two floors and will employ lessons from around the tech world to foster the collaboration, learning, and connections young companies need to thrive.

The City Center building at 201 West Main Street, owned by Self-Help, has a history of hosting entrepreneurial initiatives including the Bull City Startup Stampede. It currently houses prominent technology companies PathCentral and Blogads.

@Main Street also completes an “entrepreneurial ecosystem” that may be utterly unique. Downtown Durham  -- flush with nearly 100 startups overall -- now has customized space and a clear trajectory for:
  1. Early stage startups (the Underground @Main Street)
  2. Newcomers poised for growth (at the original American Underground, now known as the Underground @American Tobacco Campus)
  3. Mature tech companies (the award-winning American Tobacco Historic District, home to successes such as Bronto and Appia)

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