Challenge
General Robotics was approaching a key fundraising milestone but needed to secure a new office space that wouldn’t overextend them financially before the raise closed. They wanted short-term flexibility but also a space they could commit to, add headcount in and invest in culturally. In addition, visibility was a high priority—they aimed to attract top tier talent, particularly from Meta’s nearby campus.
Action
Aaron Kraft targeted a building with strong fundamentals and proximity to the talent pool they were eyeing. The space was listed at $28.00/SF, but through negotiation, he secured a 30-month lease at $24.00/SF, with a built-in option to extend for another 30 months under the same favorable rent schedule. He negotiated 12 months of half rent, which kept overhead down as the company ramped up hiring, basic improvements to refresh the space, and—after significant pushback— secured monument signage rights, a major win given the landlord didn’t yet have their own signage installed.
Result
$4.00/SF savings on asking rent
50% rent abatement for the first year
Monument signage secured, boosting recruitment visibility
Term flexibility with room to scale after fundraising
Cosmetic improvements included without adding tenant cost