Distillery Labs

What Distillery Labs does

Distillery Labs, founded in 2021 and headquartered at 201 SW Adams Street in Peoria, Illinois, is a community-connected nonprofit innovation hub serving the Greater Peoria and Central Illinois region. The organization's stated mission is to connect people, ideas, and resources to launch and grow new businesses, with a positioning that emphasizes removing ego and friction from the founder journey. It serves a broad set of customer segments including early- and growth-stage startup founders, healthcare and MedTech entrepreneurs, AgTech founders, smart city technology companies, young women in grades 6-12 (through MakeHerSpace), and remote workers/small businesses seeking coworking space.

The core product surface consists of three layers: (1) physical infrastructure, including coworking space (starting at $100/month for individuals with badge access up to 9pm) and a MakerSpace rapid prototyping center equipped with a textile studio, breadboarding and soldering stations, a full electronics test bench, 3D printers, a laser cutter and engraver, and dedicated robotics, agtech, and medtech workstations; (2) digital platforms, comprising Proximity (a third-party coworking and membership management system with iOS/Android mobile apps used for room booking, member directory, and event management) and RamenLife/NICE (a regional digital startup ecosystem portal connecting founders with mentors, resources, potential customers, and hires); and (3) municipal-grade smart city infrastructure, namely the Central Illinois Living Laboratory (CILL) and Heart of Peoria (HOP) Loop, which provide sensor-equipped test zones in downtown Peoria public rights-of-way with Peoria City Council backing, currently hosting pilots with GridMatrix, On It Solutions, Deep Walk, and Mach 9 Robotics.

Distillery Labs operates on a hybrid revenue model in which the primary direct monetization is coworking subscriptions, supplemented by grants and philanthropic funding from community partners such as the Peoria Women's Fund and the Community Foundation of Central Illinois. Most programs — including the gener8tor galpha pre-accelerator and gbeta accelerator, MakeHerSpace, Catalyst, Crucible, AgTech Connect, Illinois Angels Flight School, Fail Club, Slices + Startups, and Winning Wednesday Workshops — are delivered free to participants with no fees or equity requirements. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on recurring programming, digital platforms, and an extensive partnership network (Greater Peoria EDC, Illinois Central College, OSF Healthcare, University of Illinois System, Illinois Innovation Network, Morton EDC, gener8tor, Illinois Ventures, Girls Who Code) to drive founder acquisition and engagement, supported by a lean team of four named staff and a broad volunteer base.

Name

Distillery Labs

Legal name

Distillery Labs

Website

https://distillerylabs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Distillery Labs is a Peoria, Illinois-based nonprofit innovation hub providing coworking, MakerSpace prototyping, and digital platforms (Proximity, RamenLife) to support startup founders, healthcare/MedTech and AgTech entrepreneurs, young women in STEM, and smart city pilots across Central Illinois.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Incubation Services

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Makerspaces & Fab Labs (Open Build Studios) (EDAMADAC)

Keywords

• Startup incubator services
• Coworking space
• Maker space prototyping
• Entrepreneurship programs
• Innovation hub

Headquarters

HQ city

Peoria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Coworking Memberships: Physical coworking space access starting at $100 monthly for individuals, with various membership tiers available through the Proximity platform. Members receive badge access for entry outside normal business hours.
2. Virtual Membership: Free virtual membership providing access to the ecosystem, updates, newsletters, and special access to events through the Proximity platform and RamenLife portal.
3. Accelerator Programs: Free programs including gener8tor galpha (4-week pre-accelerator) and gener8tor gbeta (7-week accelerator) that provide intensive mentorship and investor introductions with no fees and no equity requirements.
4. MakeHerSpace Program: Fully funded 6-month mentoring and makerspace program for young women in grades 6-12, funded through community partnerships and donations rather than participant fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Distillery Labs operates a community-connected innovation hub in Peoria, Illinois, offering coworking memberships starting at $100/month, a MakerSpace rapid prototyping center, and a portfolio of entrepreneurial programs including MakeHerSpace, Catalyst, Crucible, and AgTech Connect. The organization supports startup founders through physical infrastructure, digital platforms (Proximity and RamenLife/NICE), and smart city testing infrastructure (Central Illinois Living Laboratory and Heart of Peoria Loop).

Product overview

Distillery Labs is Central Illinois' first innovation hub offering a multi-component ecosystem comprising physical infrastructure (coworking at 201 SW Adams St, Peoria), a MakerSpace rapid prototyping center, and a portfolio of entrepreneurial programs. The core offering includes coworking memberships and maker facilities, supported by digital platforms: Proximity (virtual membership and room booking) and RamenLife (startup ecosystem portal). Programming spans five focus areas: Smart Cities + Connected Communities, Agriculture/Food + Farming Systems, Health + Wellness Innovation, Digital Manufacturing + Industry 4.0, and Entrepreneurial + Innovation Training. Key named programs include MakeHerSpace (women-focused STEM mentoring), Illinois Angels Flight School (investor training), AgTech Connect, Catalyst/Crucible (MedTech accelerators), and the Central Illinois Living Laboratory smart city initiative, plus partner programs through Girls Who Code and gener8tor (galpha, gbeta).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MakeHerSpace: A fully funded six-month mentoring and makerspace program for young women in grades 6-12, featuring hands-on STEAM workshops and 1:1 mentoring relationships.
• NICE | RamenLife
• FAIL CLUB
• Slices + Startups
• Catalyst Program
• Crucible Program
• AgTech Connect
• Central Illinois Living Laboratory (CILL)
• Heart of Peoria (HOP) Loop
• SteamKids
• Girls Who Code
• Illinois Angels Flight School

Products and services

• Coworking Membership
• MakerSpace Rapid Prototyping Center
• Proximity Virtual Membership Platform
• RamenLife Startup Ecosystem Portal
• MakeHerSpace Program
• Catalyst Program
• Crucible Program
• AgTech Connect
• Central Illinois Living Laboratory (CILL)
• Heart of Peoria (HOP) Loop
• Illinois Angels Flight School
• gener8tor galpha Pre-Accelerator
• gener8tor gbeta Accelerator
• Winning Wednesday Workshops

Quantifiable outcome

• 40 young women receiving 6 months of sustained 1:1 mentoring plus hands-on STEAM workshops
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Greater Peoria EDCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development partner supporting regional innovation ecosystem and AgTech Connect programming. GPEDC logo appears on partner section of website indicating ongoing strategic relationship.
• Illinois Central College (ICC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner supporting workforce development and entrepreneurial training programs in the Greater Peoria region.
• Illinois Innovation Network (IIN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide innovation network connecting Illinois innovation hubs to accelerate entrepreneurship across the state.
• OSF HealthcarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system partner collaborating on health and wellness innovation initiatives, including the Catalyst and Crucible MedTech bootcamp programs.
• University of Illinois SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity system partner supporting startup ecosystem development and connecting founders to research and talent resources.
• University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria (UICOMP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical school partner in healthcare innovation ecosystem development, supporting the Equity Innovation Medicine program and addressing social determinants of health through innovation.
• Morton EDCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development partner for AgTech Connect quarterly sessions uniting farmers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders to drive sustainable agriculture innovation.
• gener8torcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational accelerator network partner providing galpha pre-accelerator and gbeta accelerator programs. Free programs with no fees and no equity, providing intensive mentorship and investor introductions to Distillery Labs ecosystem.
• Illinois VenturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide investment partner running Illinois Angels Flight School in partnership with Distillery Labs, Innovate Springfield, and UIUC to help accredited investors evaluate and support high-growth startups.
• Girls Who CodeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational nonprofit partner providing after-school clubs and summer programs to close the gender gap in technology. Distillery Labs serves as host organization for local chapters.
• 4-H Illinois ExtensionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtension partner collaborating on Peoria Fashion Week Academy and other youth programming.
• Arts PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts education partner for Peoria Fashion Week Academy providing creative education in fashion and arts.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• MassChallenge: Global zero-equity startup accelerator and innovation hub with U.S. locations. Directly comparable equity-free accelerator model targeting early-stage founders across multiple verticals, competing for the same founder mindshare as Distillery Labs.
• 1871: Chicago-based innovation hub and coworking space that supports early-stage tech startups through mentorship, programming, and corporate partnerships. Highly comparable as a Midwest innovation hub model, though larger and more established, operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit similar to Distillery Labs' community-supported structure.
• CIC (Cambridge Innovation Center): Operator of large-scale coworking and innovation campuses with programming for early-stage startups. Comparable in combining physical coworking, MakerSpace-adjacent facilities, and accelerator-style programming, though at substantially greater scale.
• Techstars: Global accelerator operating equity-based cohort programs across multiple verticals and geographies. Comparable as a competing pathway for early-stage founders evaluating Distillery Labs' free programs against a more established but equity-taking alternative.

Direct peers

• gener8tor: National accelerator network running free equity-free galpha and gbeta programs. Directly comparable because Distillery Labs actually hosts gener8tor's programs; same founder-friendly no-equity model, same accelerator methodology, and overlapping target founders in the upper Midwest.

Emerging players

• Camelback Ventures: Equity-free accelerator and fellowship focused on underestimated founders in underserved geographies. Comparable mission and equity-free accelerator model, though its focus is on individual founders rather than a regional hub.
• Venture For America: Fellowship and entrepreneurship-support program placing emerging founders in lower-cost U.S. cities, with a mission aligned to building regional ecosystems outside coastal hubs. Comparable regional-economy-building thesis and founder-development orientation.

Regional players

• TechPlace: Makerspace and small-business incubator offering prototyping equipment, coworking, and business mentorship in a Midwest market. Closely comparable in combining a MakerSpace with coworking and small-business support, though at smaller scale than Distillery Labs.
• BioEnterprise (BioGenerator): Midwest life-sciences and MedTech accelerator and seed investor running health-focused programming. Highly comparable as the regional MedTech-focused counterpart whose Catalyst/Crucible programs overlap with Distillery Labs' healthcare vertical.

Others

• Make Magazine (Maker Media): Publisher and ecosystem convener for the maker movement, including Maker Faire and maker-education programming. Comparable as an ecosystem-builder for the Maker/MakerSpace category that Distillery Labs' MakerSpace prototyping center serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/distillery-labs
• Xx.com/Distillery_Labs
• Facebookfacebook.com/distillerylabs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Distillery Labs