Tech Startup Blossoming in South Bend

The company was founded in 2013 and now employs around a dozen highly-trained workers.

A cloud-based company in South Bend that specializes in infrastructure and information technology development and operations services is anticipating its rapid growth will continue. Trek10 Inc. expects to double its work force by the end of next year. The founder and chief executive officer of the two year-old technology startup says the company is seeing "an immense amount of customer need" for expertise in Amazon Web Services and Docker ecosystems. Founder and Chief Executive Officer Andy Warzon says the company is working quickly to "scale up" and meet demand.

Trek10 got its start at Innovation Park at Notre Dame and has since grown into its own space. The company intends to employ more than two dozen by the end of next year.

Warzon previously served as the first chief technology officer of Mishawaka-based Better World Books, which has grown over more than a decade to be an internationally-known business. Better World Books gives one book to the needy for every one purchased by customers.

Trek10 this week announced it has become a Docker Authorized Consulting Partner with Docker Accredited Consultants, which the company touts as an "elite" distinction. Trek10 was also recently named an Advanced Consulting Partner by the Amazon Work Services Partner Network. Warzon says these announcements highlight "our expertise on the intersection of the biggest trends in IT, DevOps and Infrastructure as a Service."

As South Bend celebrates its 150th anniversary, technology has become a major focus of city leaders and locally-based entrepreneurs. The city launched an Office of Innovation earlier this year to boost its IT prowess. Entrepreneur Kevin Smith, who founded Union Station Technology Center in the city, detailed plans in May for a multi-million dollar revitalization project involving the former Studebaker plant. He believes a number of factors such as fiber optic connectivity and proximity to Chicago and Indianapolis could make the so-called Renaissance District a global draw. Plans call for office, "research grade" manufacturing, data center and residential space. In December, tech company F Cubed LLC broke ground in Innovation park on a new facility adjacent to the University of Notre Dame Turbomachinery Facility, which is a research and testing collaboration with General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) and several other partners.