Welcome
What's Vodafone, a UK-based wireless operator, doing with an R&D center in the U.S.? They're not here as carriers, the head of R&D for the U.S. and China assured CNET. Like other similar centers, its goal is to identify startup talent to help the core business at home and abroad, and to speed the maturation of those promising solutions.
Here, the Inception conference room welcomes visitors at the kick-off event in Redwood Shores, Ca.
British pride
Spotlights project Vodafone's logo onto the carpeting.
Entryway
This is where deals are made.
Laptop stations
Laptop stations host demos on opening night, but will become testing zones, going forward, for entrepreneurs to work on their projects.
Networking 101
Vodafone's center has a full lab that replicates Vodafone's network and Verizon's, of which Vodafone Group owns almost 50 percent.
Gorgeous view
It may be tucked away in a sleepy office building, but Vodafone picked a prime spot on the water, and pedigreed neighbors. The R&D center sits across the street from Electronic Arts and is within a mile of Oracle's glimmering towers.
Conference chic
Vodafone's conference rooms are named after nouns that end in -ion: Fusion, Inception, and so on.
Locker room
On-site lockers might help entrepreneurs and Vodafone staff store their gear while they burn off steam at the gym.
Exhibit hall
This open space will host mixers, hackathons, and other monthly events.
This is how you do it
An always-on display that shows conference room availability? Yes, please.
Green glow
Another look at the sentinel of the conference rooms, glowing green from the sides.
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