Microsoft opens office at the Grand Rapids Collaborative

The newest tenant for the Grand Rapids Collaborative (coLab) is tech giant Microsoft.

Nate Baum, principal productivity strategist with Microsoft, says the new office is really just a change of location, since Microsoft has had a presence in West Michigan for over 10 years. However, the move is very purposeful as Baum wanted the team to be more visible and be more active in the emerging technology community that is growing in the coLab space on 38 Fulton St. West. "I've been with Microsoft 11 years and spent six years in Seattle. This is much closer to the Microsoft vibe of what I experienced in Seattle."

The office is part of Microsoft's Heartland District. A ten-person team staffs the West Michigan office with a focus on technology sales and service. Baum says his team travels often throughout the country.

Baum is very optimistic about the how Grand Rapids is growing its technology community.  He references the highly collaborative atmosphere at the coLab space, including The Factory, Universal Mind, and the Device Lab. "We are making great progress to promote the technology scene. There is a strong talent base here."

You can learn more about the coLab space here. For more information on the Microsoft Heartland District, you can click here.

Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor