Anvil Touts Startup Success
The Anvil was established in 2013.
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowPurdue University’s student-led, public coworking space has helped entrepreneurs start up 13 businesses in two years. The Anvil has hosted entrepreneurs ranging from app developers to music learning technology creators.
The operation has received support outside of the university and the Purdue Research Foundation, including the city of West Lafayette and Cellaflora. Mayor John Dennis says "having a coworking place for community members to go and network or work quietly is an important amenity for entrepreneurs, and the Anvil filled that need. I am not surprised that it has such a successful track record in supporting startups, and I am confident that the success will continue."
The Anvil was founded by students Mike Asem, Chris MacPherson and Andrew Linfoot to provide resources for entrepreneurs still in school and to develop connections with other students.
It outgrew its original location and Director Shane DeWael, a College of Science student says "along with overseeing programs like the Boiler, which funds student startups, and the Forge Innovation Series, the Anvil has been a place for networking and growing the footprint of entrepreneurs on campus."
Startups to emerge from The Anvil include:
- Caktus Music Inc. – a Spotify-supported mobile music and social networking app.
- FundSponge – an online startup helping nonprofits
- Mimir – a cloud-based tech company developing a digital classroom for computing courses
- Vivaldi Education LLC – a developer creating a music learning management system for high schools