When David Robson moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to Bend three years ago, he found the makings of a miniature Silicon Valley in his new home. But while Bend has no shortage of software companies, Robson said, there’s one noticeable hole in the profile of businesses in town.

“I realized that there wasn’t enough hardware businesses here,” Robson said. “There should be more, because the talent here is fantastic, and the idea to make a mini-Silicon Valley certainly needs devices.”

Robson and his partner, Rick Silver, believe they can address this knowledge gap through a laboratory located in The Bridge, a co-working space on SE Bridgeford Boulevard. The business, known as E::Space Labs , opened in June and is taking applications from hobbyists and early-stage companies that are focused on building high-tech electronic devices.

The company has three work stations set up at the moment but will be expanding to five. Silver said prices vary depending on the length of commitment and whether the applicant is a hobbyist, a startup or a full-fledged company.

Robson said the focus is on startups or hobbyists that have a prototype or an idea for a product but may lack the engineering or business know-how to run a company successfully.

“Most engineers are like me,” Robson said. “They never studied business and never had any interest in it. They designed this thing, and they know it’s fantastic, but they don’t know how to sell it.”

Silver said the lab is similar to a co-working space or a maker mill, with startups or hobbyists paying a monthly fee to access the lab and the tools, many of which are too expensive for startups or hobbyists to buy outright. Robson said the lab features five oscilloscopes, a device that measures the frequency of an electrical signal over time, a soldering station and a desk for computer-aided design. He added that a 3-D printer is also on the way.

“The purpose of the lab is to provide equipment, far more than the typical startup could afford,” Robson said.

Education plays a role as well. Silver said E::Space Labs will be offering classes on topics ranging from computer-aided design to detailed soldering to help fill in the knowledge base for startups and hobbyists. Some classes are free, but most range from $40 to $150.

E::Space Labs will also be offering mentoring sessions for companies. Robson said the company is collaborating with groups like Economic Development for Central Oregon and the Small Business Development Center at Central Oregon Community College to provide mentors for everything from engineering to scalability. Ultimately, the goal is to grow the electronic device industry in the region.

“If companies are going to move into Central Oregon that are of this type, there’s got to be a pool of human talent in the area,” Silver said.

—Reporter: 541-617-7818, shamway@bendbulletin.com

Q: How is the lab different from DIYcave or other maker mills in town?

A: David Robson: DIY, they don’t do any electronics, with the exception of the 3-D printer. And we don’t do anything except for electronics. So we’re a perfect complement.”

Q: How did you decide what equipment should be in the lab?

A: Rick Silver: We’re still gathering input. It’s not static in any way, shape or form.