La Kretz Family Gifted Lab Building to Pasadena Incubator
The donation of a nearly 20,000-square-foot facility provides long-term stability for the local nonprofit incubator.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Philanthropy
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The family of the late Morton La Kretz has gifted a lab building located at 2265 E. Foothill Blvd. to the Pasadena Bio Collaborative Incubator. This contribution secures a permanent site for the organization to continue its work supporting emerging biotech startups.
Why it matters
The gift ensures long-term operational stability for the nonprofit, which provides lab space without requiring equity from entrepreneurs. It specifically enables the incubator to upgrade laboratory equipment and expand internship opportunities for students.
The new facility encompasses nearly 20,000 square feet, marking a significant increase from the 12,600 square feet occupied in 2020. Since its inception, the incubator has supported more than 100 startups while requiring no equity or royalties from them.
The players
Morton La Kretz
He was a philanthropist whose family provided the funding for the permanent lab building in Pasadena.
Pasadena Bio Collaborative Incubator
This nonprofit organization provides low-cost, month-to-month laboratory space to biotech startups in the region.
The details
The facility at 2265 E. Foothill Blvd. will house the organization as it continues to rent lab space to startups on a month-to-month basis. Morton La Kretz, a noted benefactor who died in January at age 100, established this gift to facilitate program modernization.
Timeline
The incubator opened as a 500-square-foot operation in 2004.
The facility expanded to 12,600 square feet by 2020.
Morton La Kretz died on Jan. 31, 2026, at the age of 100.
VelvEtch became the 100th startup supported by the incubator in April 2026.
The incubator announced the receipt of the gift on Oct. 1, 2026.
Market Landscape
The donation follows the philanthropic model set by the La Kretz Innovation Campus in Los Angeles by providing critical infrastructure for local technology and science sectors. This permanent real estate commitment strengthens the competitive position of Pasadena as a hub for biotech startups by lowering their barrier to entry.
Local biotech entrepreneurs benefit from the guaranteed availability of lab space under the incubator's existing month-to-month rental model. Student researchers and interns may also see increased opportunities as the facility expands its educational programming.
The takeaway
The gift secures a permanent foundation for regional innovation by removing the uncertainty of commercial real estate leases for early-stage companies. Providing laboratory space without equity demands remains a vital strategy for supporting startups that otherwise face high capital barriers.
Further reading
For more information on community-focused initiatives in the area, visit the Pasadena Philanthropy section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Pasadena Now.
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