Tech entrepreneur plans Nocatee incubator

In an effort to cut down on his commutes, Wired2Perform CEO and founder Raghu Misra wants to relocate his business to the Nocatee Town Center.

In addition to the trips he takes to Jacksonville for work, Misra said his child’s extracurricular activities are there as well.

That requires him to drive back and forth to Jacksonville for work, and then do the same in the evening for his son.

Rather than just finding a space for his office, Misra wanted to create a place closer to home for extracurricular activities, coworking space and an innovation incubator.

Misra is planning a $6.5 million, 22,500-square-foot facility in the Nocatee Town Center. While he hasn’t settled on a name for it, its theme will be “Learn, Play, Make and Do,” he said. 

He said it would be the only facility of its kind in the country.

Misra also will relocate his company, Wired2Perform, to the center. 

He plans to start construction in March or April toward completion by summer 2021. 

“There should not be a reason for them to go to Southside or Baymeadows or what have you,” he said. “There should not be a reason to work somewhere else, go home, just to come back again.”

The St. Johns County Commission unanimously approved a motion to draft an economic development grant agreement for the project, which will be voted on by the commission.

The activities would be for all age groups. Misra said dance, martial arts and yoga classes might be among those offered, as well as courses in STEM and other subjects. 

Those interested in taking classes would need a membership, but the cost has not been determined. Classes would rotate throughout the year, and based on the needs of the members.

Misra said he has several companies interested in being part of the business incubator, but it is too early to name them. 

“So the idea is that this will become a tech hub for a lot of tech companies, which is my background,” Misra said. “The goal is to try to create an incubator of sorts and help other tech entrepreneurs start their companies and create an environment for them to flourish.”

Misra said he has received support for the project from The PARC Group, which is developing the Nocatee master-planned community. 

“They really are positive about the whole project,” he said. “They’re glad to add this amenity for all Nocatee residents.”

By: Katie Garwood

From: Jaxdailyrecord