Business Incubator to host open house

The city’s incubator for startup businesses is holding its first open house Oct. 15 for the community to mix and mingle with the owners of the first businesses to have occupied the space and see their products demonstrated first-hand.

In less than a year since Santa Clarita’s Business Incubator opened, the first startup entrepreneurs are already paying rent and hiring employees, said an analyst with the city’s economic development division.

Providing entrepreneurs with low-cost office space after six months, the startup business owners also receive support, guidance, consulting services and networking opportunities through the Small Business Development Center.

Of the four startups that first moved into the incubator, collectively they already have 14 employees including the owners, said Karla Monterrosa for the city.

“All are on track to meet their goals for the first year. And they’re growing a lot faster than we expected,” Monterrosa told the SCV Business Journal in late September. “We offered them free rent for the first six months, and now we’re giving them space at a very low cost.”

Kovariant, an analyticsbased company focusing on creating virtual reality products for marketing major retailers and brands, has already hired seven people and has plans to hire more before the end of the year, she said.

“They’re really exciting, just very dynamic and energetic,” Monterrosa said. “They bring an interesting energy to the building.”

Nuhubit Software Studios LLC creates educational video games for children and has hired two employees.

“They’re now an official Apple developer with a video game for Apple phones and tablets,” Monterrosa said. “They have hired two employees.”

Thinkquarium Entertainment creates original content to drive demand in the entertainment field, and it’s also now partnering with Kovariant, having produced a five-minute animated story to be used to attract investors.

“The incubator is working as intended,” Monterrosa said. “We sought to have the incubator allow businesses to be creative and help each other.”

Your Village Inc., the fourth startup, is a subscription-based service that provides online parenting workshops and coaching. It’s also already developed 31 online workshops and is nearly ready to launch its website. The startup has hired a part- time editor and is recruiting for an intern as well.

In launching Incubator, Santa Clarita specifically focused on selecting startups that complemented the growing digital media and entertainment industry in the region.

The Santa Clarita Business Incubator is located at 22704 9th Street in Old Town Newhall, and the open house is on Thursday, Oct. 15, from noon to 2 p.m.

Residents interested in attending the open house are encouraged to RSVP in advance on www.innovate.la.