Want to invest? Check out Melbourne’s innovation hub

MELBOURNE, Florida. – Along US 1, south of central Melbourne, there is a burgeoning ecosystem of innovators and entrepreneurs.

Formerly an indoor skate park, the site is now home to Groundswell Startups, a nonprofit business incubator, co-working space, and prototyping lab.

Groundswell Chief Innovation Officer Ryan Bailey tells News 6, “This is the place to build a company. The cost of living is really low. And we have so many engineers.”

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Groundswell’s team of experienced startup founders guides entrepreneurs step-by-step through the process of building a company around a product idea.

“These are the things you need to do to make sure your product launch is successful,” Bailey said.

Founded in 2016, Groundswell has a proven track record of success. It has helped over 500 startups, created over 200 jobs, produced over 1,000 prototypes, and one of its members, Tomahawk Robotics, was recently acquired for a total amount of $120 million.

Health tech startup Kalogon is apparently following a similar growth path.

Kalogon co-founder Aaron Jones tells News 6, “We have a product coded that is reimbursed by Medicare. We have a major contract with one of the largest wheelchair manufacturers in the world, and we also have a contract with the Air Force.”

Kalogon’s flagship product is the Orbiter Smart Cushion, designed to prevent pressure sores in people with limited mobility.

“We found out that more people die from pressure ulcers in the United States each year than from any other cancer except lung cancer. And it’s the leading preventable cause of death for wheelchair users,” Jones explains.

Jones tells News 6 that Kalogon started his company in a living room in Cocoa, Florida, in 2020, then moved to a small office at Groundswell Startups in 2021, and now has an office and manufacturing facility on the company’s property. Jones says having access to the Groundswell space has been key to their success.

“Yes, it’s really important to us. We do all our manufacturing right here in Florida, right next to downtown Melbourne. And it’s important to us that we have our manufacturing space here, and not in another country or somewhere else where it’s harder to innovate and work on products.”

Innovative product design is the hallmark of our startup Catania Product Development.

COO Suzanne Short tells News 6, “Having a great product is more than just having a cool idea. We specialize in designs that are artistic and functional, but also manufacturable and priced right so you can sell them and make money. Because ultimately, business is about making money.”

Short says Catania has worked with several profitable companies, but pet supplies company SwiftPaws is one of their more high-profile clients, as its CEO Meghan Wolfgram appeared on Season 13 of Shark Tank in 2021.

“Some of the feedback she got on the show was that the cost of the home system was a little too high. So she came to us, and we were one of several people she worked with to help bring the cost down,” Short explains. “Our engineering team worked to reduce the number of components by more than half. That made it easier to manufacture, and she was able to sell it at a price she wanted in time for the holidays.”

Catania Product Development and SwiftPaws are both members of Groundswell Startups. Their partnership illustrates the thriving community of innovators that is developing just south of Melbourne’s city centre.

Ryan Bailey notes, “Hey, Melbourne is really innovative and you should look at this city if you want to invest in technology.”

On Friday, September 20, Groundswell is hosting a media day for those looking to increase their media presence and connect with industry experts. Activities include podcasts showcasing companies, branding workshops, digital marketing sessions, and professional headshots. The event is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is open to the public.

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