Miami Beach will lose a bit of its startup buzz while the booming Wynwood area will add to its cachet as Rokk3r Labs moves from the beach to the mainland.
Rokk3r is one of the most prominent cobuilding platforms in South Florida – a place that entrepreneurs can go and get help getting their businesses off the ground. I’ve previously visited its headquarters just off Lincoln Road, which was a selling point for new recruits and interns. Presumably, the hip nature of Wynwood will provide a similar allure. Moreover, Wynwood is poised for dramatic change with developer Moishe Mana planning millions of new square feet of business space as other developers also eye adding to the mix.
The new HQ is at 2121 Northwest Second Avenue, about three blocks south of Panther Coffee and five blocks from the Wynwood Walls outdoor gallery. The exterior has vibrant stripes and a horizontal signage that casts the shadows of words on the exterior – one example being “made in the shade.”
Rokk3r said the new space will allow it to offer an improved experience for those working there and the community. The Decompression Zone will help people relax and meditate. A rooftop patio will be a gathering space for the creative community. A Global Dashboard in the main work area will relay real-time data about the group’s portfolio companies around the world.
“The move into our new headquarters provides the impetus to blend art and technology to further connect our offices, teammates, entrepreneurs, investors and partners at a global scale,” says Lorenzo de Leo, Rokk3r’s managing director.
In what it calls an industry first, Rokk3r Labs plan for the new office to eventually offer content-creation space to content creators, who would be invited to do residencies.