WeWork Food Labs Start-Up Program
The space will give food-related start-ups the ability to grow
After a successful first year of WeWork Labs, the We Company has announced the launch of its WeWork Food Labs, which will provide "dedicated space, community, and programming" to entrepreneurs looking to address and tackle the largest challenges within the food community.
There will be room for all types of startups within the food industry, from hospitality to software providers and kitchen appliance companies. The Food Lab is the second 'innovation lab' from the We Company, after the launch of its first successful Brazil-based lab, which is dedicated to mining advances in the country.
The We Company sees the Food Lab as a "natural extension of the company's commitment to sustainability and early-stage entrepreneurs," acknowledging that the ways in which current generation approaches food and sustainability will have a lasting effect for years to come. Rising population and overall awareness and concern for global food waste were two of the driving factors behind the creation of the Food Lab. Roee Adler, global head of WeWork Labs, tells WeWork Newsroom that building food startups can prove more challenging than other industries. "Facilities can be expensive, equipment is required, [and] procurement of customer pipelines can be difficult," he says. WeWork Food Labs will also invest $1 million in food startups focused on finding solutions for 'critical issues' within the food industry via their Food Labs Accelerator, which is accepting applications through May 15th.
The official WeWork Food Lab flagship location will open later this year at the 25th Street location in New York City. The lab will feature a private dining room, pantry storage, photo studios, indoor/outdoor event spaces and WeWork's usual workplace amenities (desks, offices, phone booths, conferences rooms, etc.). Members will also benefit from subsidized access to farm space and commercial kitchens. For more information on how to sign up for a membership, click here.