Everything an ambitious start-up needs to be successful will be up for grabs at the Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship Thursday.

A whole lot of start-up know-how will be available at the conference, but something more valuable will also be on hand – free space in Ann Arbor SPARK's new East Business Incubator in downtown Ypsilanti. Ann Arbor SPARK plans to raffle off one free year's lease.

That free space, worth $4,800, will include access to a VOIP phone system, T-1 internet connection, a full kitchen, two conference rooms, free parking and administrative resources such as copiers and cleaning services. There will also be access to Ann Arbor SPARK's business acceleration services.

Ann Arbor SPARK is also offering discounts on its Ypsilanti incubator space. Start-ups can have one month's rent free with a commitment of at least three months for a total of four months.

Officials at Ann Arbor SPARK are negotiating with two major anchor tenants for the Ypsilanti incubator. Both companies are expected to bring in up to half a dozen employees each.

"We're hopeful we'll know by the end of the month if either are going to sign," says Elizabeth Parkinson, managing director of marketing and public relations for Ann Arbor SPARK.

Ann Arbor SPARK has 8,000 square feet available in the ground floor of the Mack & Mack building on Michigan Avenue. Workers are finishing up the details of the renovation right now. The first companies are expected to move in during February.

"They're in the process of putting in the cubicles," Parkinson says.

Ann Arbor SPARK has incubator space in downtown Ann Arbor where about three or four spots are still available. It also has incubator space for life science-based companies at a laboratory incubator in Plymouth.

Source: Elizabeth Parkinson, managing director of marketing and public relations for Ann Arbor SPARK
Writer: Jon Zemke