What is Brewhouse?

Designed to strengthen and develop music and related industries, Brewhouse grew from the initiative of Business Region Göteborg. The building was revamped by the landlord Higabgruppen to meet the needs of the industry. It was opened in 2005. The building houses around seventy creative entrepreneurs, a business incubator and a large concert and event arena.
 
Brewhouse is meant to provide a creative meeting place, to strengthen growth and employment in creative industries and to be a platform and catalyst for generating ideas and sharing knowledge. Together with the additional knowledge of companies, Brewhouse will, as an innovative house for production, strengthen these branches.
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How does Brewhouse help? How does it promote entrepreneurship?
Among other things, through activities that promote entrepreneurship and projects, like inspirational lectures, clinics, networking, etc. Brewhouse is a platform for meetings and brainstorming, a place where the new and the established meet. Using our in-house designed growth model, Speed Incubator, participants get the knowledge, inspiration and desire to continue to shape their business ideas into sustainable companies. Our business idea competition, My Mission, which is mainly a tool for promoting entrepreneurs, also promotes entrepreneurship. The incubator activities tie in the business sector to support brainstorming and encourage synergies.

What can a company gain by joining Brewhouse/Brewhouse Incubator?
As a company, you get synergy effects and knowledge exchange among companies in the building (businesses, students) as well as additional business opportunities. You become part of the "Brewhouse business association" network, for a yearly fee of 600 SEK. You get a discounted (subsidized) price for participating in activities like lectures, counseling, etc. A continuous exchange goes on between the incubator companies as they sit in the open office and are at approximately the same level of development. An entrepreneur doesn't need to pay for all of his costs, like broadband connections, counseling and office rent, but instead pays a symbolic service fee. 

What criteria do companies have to meet?

Companies in the building must belong to prioritized areas for Brewhouse.  To join the Incubator, a potential entrepreneur must meet with a Brewhouse representative, describe his idea and then discuss whether the idea is sustainable, etc. Participants in the My Mission competition are also invited to join the Speed Incubator. 

Have there been any concrete results from the program?

My Mission has generated close to 1,400 ideas in five years, 2,000 innovators, and 90 companies which is equivalent to approximately 140 new jobs within the creative industries mentioned above. During fall 2011, around twenty new business ideas are being developed in our Speed Incubator. Brewhouse has also been written up in international press about how it develops talent and the entrepreneurial spirit.  The Brewhouse Big Band project (a project to promote and strengthen growth in big band and brass traditions) won the junior Swedish Championship 2010 and 85 percent of everyone participating in the project went on to upper level music studies.
 
Other examples:

• A concept for relaxation, Aveloution — Relaxing Pod, which stimulates all five senses is now sold as a treatment at several large spa facilities in Sweden.
• Sound Racer, Kenneth Palmeståhl, has developed a sound device that enhances the experience of driving a car. Today the device is sold around the world. Its technical circuitry will be implemented in green cars to improve safety through amplifying the engine noise. Kenneth won My Mission 2008 and then developed his idea at the Incubator. He now runs his own office with staff.
• The potter Elisabeth Billander currently sells her unique products all over Sweden. She has received a number of scholarships, shows and distinctions.

What is unique about Brewhouse? Aren't there many similar efforts in Sweden and around the world?

No similar concept exists in Sweden. What is unique is the mix between established companies, an incubator environment and talent development within a specific branch. A production house that strengthens growth for a industry of the future. An innovative, creative meeting place!