Where Startups Go When They Outgrow Coffee Shops: Inside The Solarium’s Startup-Friendly and Affordable Office Spaces
- Joanna Kurylo
- May 9
- 4 min read
Every founder knows the early hustle—building your idea over lattes, scheduling Zoom calls between noisy customers, and trying to project a professional image while working from your kitchen table. Coffee shops and home offices can be great launchpads, but they’re not long-term solutions. Eventually, your startup needs more: more focus, more space, and more legitimacy.
That’s where The Solarium in Waterloo, Wisconsin comes in.
Just 30 minutes from downtown Madison, The Solarium is a modern, professional workspace designed for small teams and early-stage founders who are ready to grow—but don’t want to lock themselves into high-priced leases or downtown congestion. If you’ve outgrown the café circuit, here’s why your next move should be out to Waterloo.
The Challenge of Scaling in the Early Stage
Let’s be real—most startups don’t need 10,000 square feet and a long-term commercial lease. What they do need is space that’s:
Flexible – So you’re not overcommitting before your next round closes.
Professional – So clients, hires, and partners take you seriously.
Affordable – Because you’d rather put cash into product, people, and growth.
Private – Because you can’t take investor calls at the corner table of a crowded café.
This in-between moment—when you're too big for a coffee shop but too lean for a major lease—is exactly what The Solarium was built for.
Inside The Solarium: Built for Focus, Growth, and Flexibility
Located in a converted glass-and-brick campus in Waterloo, The Solarium blends the professionalism of an office building with the adaptability of a startup hub. You can start with a 150 sq. ft. private office or jump right into one of our multi-room suites that include private bathrooms, kitchenettes, and riverside views.
Here’s what you get access to from day one:
✅ Private Offices & Flexible Suites
Private offices start at 150 sq. ft., with larger suites offering 600+ sq. ft. of workspace. Multi-room setups with restrooms and private entries are ideal for growing teams.
✅ Fast Setup, Month-to-Month Terms
No long leases. No slow onboarding. We make it easy to get started and adjust as your team grows.
✅ Professional Infrastructure
Your own business mailing address, digital mail management, and optional business phone lines make The Solarium a step up from coworking—without losing flexibility.
✅ Conference Rooms & Meeting Spaces
All tenants get access to on-site conference rooms for team meetings, investor pitches, or customer calls.
✅ Free Parking, High-Speed Internet, and 24/7 Access
All the basics—done right. Plus, no expensive monthly parking passes.
🧠 Your Workspace Says Something About Your Business
Even if your startup is still scrappy, you want to project a sharp, credible presence—especially when meeting with:
Early customers
Potential investors
Future hires
Industry partners
At The Solarium, you don’t have to worry about whether your background is “client-ready.” With clean, bright, professional spaces, your office works as hard as you do to earn trust.
Why Madison-Area Startups Are Looking Just Outside the City for Affordable Office Space
Startups based in Madison are increasingly exploring satellite spaces or relocating entirely to nearby towns like Waterloo. Why? Because the cost of office space in downtown Madison is rising, while remote and hybrid teams are craving flexibility over formality.
According to Commercial Café, as of 2024, the average asking price for Madison office space is around $21.06 per square foot, with Class A spaces reaching upwards of $22.53 per square foot. That doesn’t include property taxes, utilities, parking, or maintenance fees that can push monthly occupancy costs even higher.
Compare that to The Solarium, where pricing is transparent, all-inclusive, and built to support growing teams—not lock them into outdated lease structures.
Built for Founders Who Want More Focus, Less Fluff
This isn’t a coworking space with kombucha taps and ping pong tables. And it’s not a high-rise with endless red tape. It’s a founder-friendly, work-first environment designed to help you get real work done—without distractions, high costs, or inflexible leases.
You can spend your energy scaling your business instead of:
Hunting for available seating at a café
Paying for overpriced parking
Scheduling around noisy roommates or shared walls
Wondering how to look legitimate to a potential client
At The Solarium, you get a real workspace. Real resources. And real flexibility.
Easy Access for Madison Startups (Without the Overhead)
Madison is packed with top-tier talent, university resources, and startup energy. But when it comes to affordable office space? It’s a different story.
The Solarium is just a short drive east—making it easy for founders, remote team members, and startup contractors to collaborate in person without the cost and chaos of the city.
Plus, with easy access to highways, the airport, and plenty of parking, it’s easy for out-of-town investors, advisors, or clients to visit you without any friction.
Get Serious Without Getting Stuck
Your startup might not need 10 desks and a full-time receptionist. But you do need something better than a corner booth. The Solarium helps you step confidently into your next phase of growth—with the freedom to evolve without overcommitting.
Whether you're:
Building your first team
Hiring your first full-time employee
Meeting with your first clients in person
Pitching your first investor in a private room
...you deserve a space that supports where you're headed, not where you started.
Ready to See What’s Possible?
Ready to stop fighting for Wi-Fi and start building something real? Schedule a walkthrough at The Solarium. We’ll show you around, go over pricing, and help you explore what fits—no pressure, just possibilities.
📍 Just 30 minutes from Madison
📞 608-600-0400
Let’s build something—off the beaten path, but designed for growth.
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