York Butter Factory snags sponsorship from cloud computing company

A cloud computing company is offering its services to the newly-launched York Butter Factory, describing the Melbourne incubator as a “petri dish” for innovation among start-ups.

The York Butter Factory, which only opened its doors last week, is a co-working space for early-stage digital and Web 2.0 businesses, situated in Melbourne’s CBD.

It is the result of a partnership between Lorenz Grollo and venture capitalists Stuart Richardson and Darcy Naunton, of early-stage venture capital fund Adventure Capital.

It is hoped the venue, which provides start-ups with a desk, internet connection and meeting rooms, will eventually expand to hold around 60 people.

A seed fund is set to roll out next year, providing funding of up to $50,000, although Adventure Capital and industry networking group Aurelius are in the process of sealing another new fund.

In addition to start-ups, the York Butter Factory will play host to a range of specialists, including SEO experts and graphic designers, who will collaborate with the businesses on their projects.

Now it’s been revealed cloud computing company Ninefold will sponsor the York Butter Factory in a bid to raise its profile among the start-up community.

Companies that sign up for a 12-month tenancy at the venue will receive up to $300 of credit for Ninefold’s cloud computing or cloud storage over 12 months.

Ninefold will also host YBF’s website and offer tenants access to joint marketing opportunities – across its entrepreneurial network – via guest blogs, events and co-branding.

It will also host regular networking and educational events to provide entrepreneurs with insights into business and technology.

Richardson says Ninefold’s support is an extension of the YBF concept, helping to expose start-ups to the wider business community in addition to each other.

“The concept is to encourage collaboration and cross-fertilisation of ideas among bright, entrepreneurial minds,” Richardson says.

“It’s important for the established business community to foster information and skills exchange among early-stage businesses – it’s effectively a form of succession planning,” Richardson says.

Ninefold managing director Peter James says it makes sense to partner with a start-up hub, such as the York Butter Factory, as a way of promoting the uptake of new technologies.

“Start-ups are the lifeblood of the Australian economy… We simply need to create the environment in which they can flourish,” James says.

“We will continue to support entrepreneurial initiatives, such as the York Butter Factory, as they are like petri dishes for innovation.”