Get a sneak peek of Topeka’s Link Innovation Labs opening soon
Get an early look at Link Innovation Labs in downtown Topeka
Link Innovation Labs at 220 SE 6th St. in Topeka will open Feb. 9, offering BSL-1 and BSL-2 labs, a Pitch Room and more for entrepreneurs.
- Link Innovation Labs is opening in Topeka to provide resources and collaboration space for startups and small businesses.
- The facility includes specialized lab spaces to support bioscience, pet nutrition, and sustainable packaging ventures.
- It also houses tenants like the Washburn Small Business Development Center and the Plug and Play Topeka program.
- The goal is to attract new companies and economic activity to Topeka by offering a central hub for innovation.
Link Innovation Labs — 220 SE 6th St. in Topeka — is ready to open its doors to entrepreneurs in the community.
Serving as a space where startups and small businesses can access resources, collaborate and work on commercializing their ideas and products, it will officially open its doors with a 3 p.m. ribbon cutting on Feb. 9.
“Really what we want this to be is that convening space, that link where startups can come to other businesses, whether it’s in the tech space or using those lab facilities, working on plug and play partners, those types of things,” said Stephanie Moran, senior vice president of innovation at Go Topeka. “Or if it’s more on the small business entrepreneurial side, we have our Washburn Small Business Development team.
“We have our Go Topeka small business and entrepreneurship team here as well.”
Open lab spaces a need at Link Innovation Lab
Moran outlined the growing demand for flexible, entry‑level laboratory spaces designed to support early‑stage bioscience startups.
The two lab facilities within the link, classified as BSL‑1 and BSL‑2, are already attracting companies working on innovations ranging from alternative proteins to pet nutrition, as well as technologies aimed at improving herd health and overall animal well‑being, she said.
Moran noted a rising wave of sustainability‑focused ventures as well, pointing out that several startups are developing biodegradable, consumer‑safe packaging. As she explained, “We’ve seen a lot of startups come through our batches that are working on sustainable packaging.”
She added that these efforts align with broader community and industry goals around long‑term environmental responsibility. To accommodate a wider range of research and development needs, Moran explained that three of the lab suites were intentionally left in a “white‑box” configuration.
These spaces include HVAC, compressed air and electrical infrastructure but no fixed casework or hoods, allowing tenants to customize the layout for specialized projects. The adaptable design also makes the spaces suitable for robotics, drone technology, and AI‑driven applications, expanding their appeal beyond traditional wet‑lab users.
All levels of innovation entrepreneurship
In addition to its open lab spaces, Link Innovation Labs currently houses three tenants, including Sparrow Coffee, Washburn University Small Business Development Center and Plug and Play Topeka.
Moran said the Plug and Play program continues to draw significant international interest, noting that the latest cohort includes 10 startups, with three based in the United States. The remaining companies are arriving from abroad, many of them exploring where to establish their first U.S. footprint.
Bringing those founders to Kansas, she said, gives them a firsthand look at the region’s resources and collaborative network.
By exposing visiting teams to what the state and surrounding region offer, Moran said many begin to recognize the strategic advantages of operating in the Midwest. Domestic startups, she added, also see Topeka as a potential satellite location thanks to its central geography and transportation connectivity.
The broader goal is to channel new economic activity into Topeka by diversifying the business base and attracting companies that bring jobs, investment and long‑term revenue growth to the community.
“So, you’ll see all levels of innovation, entrepreneurship taking place here in space,” said Moran.
Whether one is looking for a professional place to work, host meetings or events, or establish a long-term presence in Topeka’s Innovation District, Link provides modern, tech-enabled spaces.
Link Innovation Labs also includes a Pitch Room for competitions, presentations and workshops. It also includes an executive boardroom for meetings and discussions, two conference rooms and a hot‑desk area with space for up to 10 people.
Short-term bookings to memberships and lab or office leases are available. Those spaces can be booked at LinkTopeka.com.
Link Innovation Lab stems from years of anticipation
Link Innovation Lab was created after GO Topeka’s partnership with Bio Realty Inc. collapsed, The Capital-Journal previously reported.
In 2021, GO Topeka announced it was partnering with BioRealty Inc. to close on multiple properties in downtown Topeka as part of a multimillion-dollar effort to stand up an innovation campus.
The center was expected to serve as the hub for Topeka’s Plug and Play accelerator program and other innovative endeavors in the capital city.
But after being notified in 2024 that BioRealty would sell the properties purchased at 627, 633 and 635 S. Kansas Ave., GO Topeka chose to move forward in an alternate location: Link Innovation Lab.
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