The health-care technology arm of a Sri Lanka-based company officially launched its Rochester office today.
Brandix i3 hosted a grand opening this morning of its 2,000-square-foot office on the skyway level of Minnesota BioBusiness Center at 221 First Ave. S.W.
The software-development firm has been working out of a spot in the Mayo Clinic Business Accelerator since early summer. The business accelerator is located on the same floor of the Biobusiness Center as Brandix's new office.
Aaron Epps, Brandix's associate vice president of health care, said earlier this year the office would launch with six employees, though he expects it to grow to 12 by the end of the year
"We want to be part of the Destination Medical Center project," he said. "We're looking to expand quickly. We're a start-up, but we're a start-up with the backing of a large company."
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Brandix's focus is to work with its local partner, Rochester-based Ambient Clinical Analytics. Ambient makes "real-time decision support tools" for doctors and nurses working in the ICU, operating room or emergency departments.
Mayo Clinic launched Ambient in 2013, and it named Al Berning as CEO. Berning is known in Rochester as a former IBMer, a co-founder of Pemstarand former CEO of Hardcore Computers /LiquidCool Solutions . Ambient's management team includes other local business leaders, such as former long-time IBMexecutives Drew Flaada and Deb Sutherland.
Brandix has a three-year lease with the City of Rochester. It pays $20 per rentable foot. In addition to leasing the 2,000-square-feet, Brandix's lease promises "first right of refusal" for the other 2,000 square feet of adjacent vacant space to the west.
The city gave Brandix "a one-time fit-up allowance" of $10 per square foot, or $20,000, to build out its offices. -- Jeff Kiger
