A 200,000-square-foot innovation hub is in the works for Naperville.
The first information session on nHub88 was held at the Nokia campus.
The idea is to convert five floors in an empty Nokia building into an innovation hub.
“We want to incorporate robotics and drones. We want to include 5G communication that Nokia is working on in Naperville, and connect all of the emerging technologies with professionals, entrepreneurs, students, and teachers to create a community focused on creating new solutions with emerging technology,” said Glenn Luckinbill, co-founder of nHub88 and CEO of Swarm Robotix.
nHub88 would include co-working space, tools, equipment and labs for start-ups to use as well as business support staff and coaches to help them succeed.
The center also wants to partner with local educators to offer STEM opportunities beyond what’s possible in a classroom in addition to helping to place older students in internships and connecting them with businesses.
“Having a center where everyone comes together with great ideas, and having the ecosystem built around it so ideas can be nurtured and flourish, those are the kinds of things that we need to happen,” said Michael Kinnavy, head of Nokia’s Naperville Technology Center.
This project was partially inspired by mHUB in Chicago. In its first year, it helped companies bring in over $20 million in revenue and create over 360 jobs.
nHub88 is still in the concept phase. The next step is to receive approval to use Nokia’s space from the company’s global headquarters.
Naperville News 17’s Blane Erwin reports.