‘Technology Greenhouse’ Arkade to Boost International Tech in NWA

The Ledger in downtown Bentonville features a 3,900-foot linear bike path that winds along the glass facade and is billed as the world’s first bikeable office building. (David Yerby)

A new “technology greenhouse” focused on bringing international tech companies to northwest Arkansas is preparing to open in August.

Arkade, launched by Spring Capital of New York, has taken over 5,000 SF on the fifth floor of The Ledger building in Bentonville. Are Traasdahl, from New York but living part time in northwest Arkansas, helped launch the space. He is the founder and CEO of Crisp of Springdale and founder and president of Spring Capital.

Matthew Paul, senior vice president of finance and operations at Spring, spoke with Whispers about the concept. He described Arkade as “focused on the further development of the retail value chain,” but he said it’s neither an accelerator nor incubator in the traditional sense.

The space will offer mentoring, product showcases, networking events and other programming to member companies through a partnership with Endeavor Heartland of Bentonville. A Spring employee will be onsite to run day-to-day operations.

Paul said that Spring has international networks already in place, and that Arkade’s focus will be bringing international tech companies focused on food and retail supply chain into the region. The space aims to help member companies achieve pilot agreements with retail companies and, eventually, scaled-up contracts.

“Everything from agriculture to shipping and packaging to logistics to inventory management to recycling and everything else in between,” Paul said. “We believe that by putting them in northwest Arkansas, in and around their target customers, that they can substantially increase their speed to commercialization in the United States.”

The space will feature open workstations, private offices, conference rooms, focus pods, a community lounge and a full kitchen.

The official opening of Arkade isn’t scheduled until August. Crisp, the supply chain technology company Traasdahl founded, will serve as an “anchor member.”