NEW YORK CITY—Start-up company funder 1776 has leased the top floor of Building 77 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and struck up a partnership with the Navy Yard to fuel innovation here. The agreement—in which the firm will take 30,000 square feet of space but retain expansion options—comes in response to Mayor Bill de Blasio's charge to create and preserve quality jobs in line with his administration's $100 million investment in Building 77.

“Once again, New York City is showing the world what inclusive, meaningful entrepreneurship and economic development looks like,” says de Blasio. “Partnering with 1776 at the Navy Yard is a big step toward achieving our goal of making our city the global capital of the new innovation economy.”

Washington, DC-based 1776 will build its first New York City campus on the top floor of Building 77, becoming the anchor tenant of the one million-square-foot building, which is undergoing a $185 million renovation. Set to open in 2017, Building 77 will serve as the Brooklyn Navy Yard's new public gateway with a food manufacturing hub on the ground floor.

Together, 1776 and the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation will focus on bringing new entrepreneurs to the Yard and support existing businesses by expanding membership in the 1776 startup program to more area residents.

1776 New York City will convene institutions, policymakers and startups to revitalize critical industries like education, energy, food, health, smart cities, transportation and financial services.

“Attracting 1776 to Building 77 will lead to many cutting-edge startups locating at the Yard and make a great addition to our existing culture of cross-sector innovation and collaboration, predicts David Ehrenberg, president and CEO of Brooklyn Navy Yard. “We look forward to partnering with 1776 as their small businesses grow, expand into additional space and become significant employers at the Yard.”

Adds Rachel Haot, managing director of 1776, “1776 is eager to work with New York City's innovators to transform industries and empower startups. We are thrilled to join forces with the Brooklyn Navy Yard to drive this mission in the greatest city on Earth.”

NEW YORK CITY—Start-up company funder 1776 has leased the top floor of Building 77 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and struck up a partnership with the Navy Yard to fuel innovation here. The agreement—in which the firm will take 30,000 square feet of space but retain expansion options—comes in response to Mayor Bill de Blasio's charge to create and preserve quality jobs in line with his administration's $100 million investment in Building 77.

“Once again, New York City is showing the world what inclusive, meaningful entrepreneurship and economic development looks like,” says de Blasio. “Partnering with 1776 at the Navy Yard is a big step toward achieving our goal of making our city the global capital of the new innovation economy.”

Washington, DC-based 1776 will build its first New York City campus on the top floor of Building 77, becoming the anchor tenant of the one million-square-foot building, which is undergoing a $185 million renovation. Set to open in 2017, Building 77 will serve as the Brooklyn Navy Yard's new public gateway with a food manufacturing hub on the ground floor.

Together, 1776 and the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation will focus on bringing new entrepreneurs to the Yard and support existing businesses by expanding membership in the 1776 startup program to more area residents.

1776 New York City will convene institutions, policymakers and startups to revitalize critical industries like education, energy, food, health, smart cities, transportation and financial services.

“Attracting 1776 to Building 77 will lead to many cutting-edge startups locating at the Yard and make a great addition to our existing culture of cross-sector innovation and collaboration, predicts David Ehrenberg, president and CEO of Brooklyn Navy Yard. “We look forward to partnering with 1776 as their small businesses grow, expand into additional space and become significant employers at the Yard.”

Adds Rachel Haot, managing director of 1776, “1776 is eager to work with New York City's innovators to transform industries and empower startups. We are thrilled to join forces with the Brooklyn Navy Yard to drive this mission in the greatest city on Earth.”