Onward HQ has many of the same features as other coworking spaces, like sleek furnishings, casually dressed startup employees, and whiteboards for brainstorming.
But what sets it apart is its focus on recruiting investors in addition to startups.
Alongside local investors who have moved their offices into the space, a venture capital ambassador program has brought in firms from cities like Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Houston. They might only fly into town for a few days a week or month, but they still maintain an in-person presence.
The coworking space, located at 110 NW 2nd St #210, held a grand opening in May. It’s a project of StartupNWA, which itself is a project of the NWA Council.
Serafina Lalany, founder of Onward HQ, is especially enthusiastic about sparking early-stage investments — the first checks that help startups get off the ground.
“The whole goal has been, can we bring entrepreneurs together and then also pepper in VCs to meet with these builders in our community in a low-stakes environment,” she said.
Lalany initially thought the startups she helped would be retail-focused, given that the world’s largest retailer is headquartered just a couple of miles away. But she’s been pleasantly surprised to welcome startups working across many different industries. Among the startups at Onward HQ:
Ordinal, which uses AI to help city government staff answer planning questions faster
RightMatch AI, an AI-powered job candidate screening software
Bastazo, which helps identify cybersecurity issues for companies in the energy and manufacturing sectors
Causeway Studios, a video game development company
Huml Health, which creates wearable technology for addiction recovery programs
At one of Onward HQ’s weekly tech meetups, which are open to the public, startup consultant and mentor Robert Shawn McGrew emphasized the importance of fostering more connections in the local startups scene.
“The startup community here in the area is growing quickly, but the connectivity is still behind the curve, and we need to bring people together and move things faster,” McGrew said.
Ramsay Ball, who has built a career in real estate locally, began making early-stage investments in NWA startups about twenty years ago.
He estimates he’s now up to about 40 or 50 investments and sees Onward HQ as part of the next evolution of the region’s startup scene.
“It’s just amazing — the difference between what’s going on now and what was going on two years ago. It’s night and day,” Ball said. “This space has really become a focal point for a lot of people to come together, and those connections are key.”
A wall of accomplishments
