Canvs Coworking Nonprofit Adds Third Location in Historic Parramore

ORLANDO, Fla. - July 25, 2017 - PRLog -- Canvs, a downtown-Orlando nonprofit coworking space for startup entrepreneurs, is collaborating with the City of Orlando to pilot a similar coworking space and educational programs to support local entrepreneurs in the Parramore area west of Interstate 4.

The coworking space will be in the University of Central Florida's Center for Emerging Media, which will be part of the new UCF Downtown campus in the heart of Creative Village. The 1,200-square-foot coworking space will accommodate 15 desks and more than 40 coworkers who may rent desks for occasional or long-term use.

Canvs is already developing community outreach plans, securing mentors to guide founders and creating educational programs for the startup companies it expects to attract as coworkers. This same model was used successfully in its original 17,000-square-foot facility located in downtown Orlando's historic Church Street Exchange, as well as a second 8,000 square-foot office in Winter Park.

"As part of the City's economic development strategy, we are constantly seeking ways to remove barriers for residents who want to pursue their dreams of owning a business," said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. "We are proud to partner with Canvs on this new location which furthers our efforts to continue revitalizing Parramore and brings affordable, innovative, coworking space for startup entrepreneurs to launch and grow new businesses in the heart of the neighborhood."

"Small business development and programs that support entrepreneurship are instrumental as we work together to continue revitalizing Parramore," said City of Orlando District 5 Commissioner Regina I. Hill. "Canvs' new location brings additional opportunities to the doorsteps of residents who want to start their own business, invest in the neighborhood and have a positive impact on the community."

Executive Director of Canvs Donna Mackenzie added, "We are excited to share Canvs' community building and collaboration with the Parramore Heritage Community, which has historically been a thriving center of business. Our goal is to make it easier for anyone to start and grow their own company."

Locating the pilot space at the new UCF Downtown campus in Creative Village "will help accelerate downtown Orlando's innovation ecosystem," said Thad Seymour, Jr., vice provost for UCF Downtown and chairman of Canvs' board of directors. "We are pleased to partner with the City of Orlando to support Parramore entrepreneurs as they build promising businesses that create jobs and opportunities for the community."

Both non-tech and tech-based startups are expected to take advantage of this new coworking facility. The original Canvs facility in the Church Street Exchange also is home to the Starter Studio tech business accelerator, as well as FireSpring Fund, a nonprofit advanced accelerator and seed-stage investment fund.

Coworkers in the new Parramore facility will also be able to attend the workshops and educational programs that take place in the Canvs-Parramore facility as well as the nearby downtown facility.

The Grand Opening for Canvs Parramore is scheduled for August 7, 2017, 9 to 11 am, and will be held in their new space at UCF's Center for Emerging Media at 500 W. Livingston St., Suite 106, Orlando, Florida, 32801.

About Canvs

Canvs is a coworking space and nonprofit organization founded in August 2014 with the vision to support Orlando's startup community, making it easier for anyone in the region to start and grow a company, and to expand the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region. Its downtown facility is home to 250 members representing 100 different companies. For more information, visit Canvs' website (http://canvs.org/).