Fledgling firms and startups are finding their way to new space atop CastleBranch headquarters these days.
 
Last week, digital advertising agency SayItSocial announced that it would relocate to office space at CastleBranch’s tekMountain. The incubator space occupies the entire third floor at 1844 Sir Tyler Drive.  
 
SayItSocial plans to move its operations to tekMountain in early October, according to a news release from the company. Founded in 2008 and based at Lumina Station, SayItSocial operates as a full-service digital agency with a focus on search engine optimization, search engine marketing, digital campaigns and related specialties, its release stated.
 
The digital advertising firm will be the fourth tenant of tekMountain office space, said tekMountain director Audrey Speicher, adding that another four companies are occupying co-working space. The seven existing tenants are Connected Investors, Forged, Hearts Apart, Quintify, Speed Faces, Vittles and Route 1A Advertising. Two CastleBranch employees have accepted the company’s offer to use tekMountain facilities to work on their own ventures or to spin off CastleBranch-related projects.
 
“We’re working to build out the rest of the space up here,” Speicher said while giving a tour of the facility at a recent event. She explained that about half of tekMountain's 20,000-square-foot space is finished and furnished. With occupancy growing, CastleBranch will prepare the remainder of space for future tenants.
 
“We are beyond excited to be relocating our offices into tekMountain as an anchor agency,” SayItSocial founder and CEO Ty Downing said in the release. “We have a healthy list of local and enterprise clients, including tech startups, but it’s always been my desire to help our local talent, brilliant technology students and innovators take their ideas to the next “Digital” level, thus this partnership with tekMountain enables us to continue operating as an agency, yet mentoring the bright talent here in Wilmington to assure they succeed when going to market, all in a collaborative, techy environment in tekMountain.”
 
"We're excited for SayItSocial to be a part of tekMountain," Speicher said in the release. "They bring a very valuable depth of experience as an established agency and we look forward to the advice and guidance they'll be able to provide to others in our community."
 
During the recent tour, Speicher said that tekMountain has reserved space at its co-working tables for Cape Fear Community College and University of North Carolina Wilmington computer science and business students.

"We'll also be on the UNCW campus for E-week [Entrepreneurship Week] this coming month, sponsoring a concept pitch competition," Speicher said.

tekMountain is also building strategic partnerships with other organizations – such as UNCW’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship – that are interested in spurring new business growth in the area.
 
“We have a collaborative relationship with the CIE,” Speicher said. “We’re trying to create a strong network for entrepreneurs. Where they decide to locate is all about the fit for each entrepreneur.”