I joined the lab after it had been up and running for about 6 months, so I'm not sure what setting one up looks like.
However, I can tell you that probably the most important thing we had going for us in terms of getting of the ground is my boss, our VP of Innovation. He's been with the company for a many years, and is generally very well regarded. He also works tirelessly to promote the lab and get the rest of the company involved.
We also have an HR manager, herself a long time company woman, and that's been essential for recruiting talented engineers and inters, as well as helping guys like me with the transition from startup land to an old school corporation.
Other than that, we're all full time engineers, plus interns from the local university, especially in the summer.
However, I can tell you that probably the most important thing we had going for us in terms of getting of the ground is my boss, our VP of Innovation. He's been with the company for a many years, and is generally very well regarded. He also works tirelessly to promote the lab and get the rest of the company involved.
We also have an HR manager, herself a long time company woman, and that's been essential for recruiting talented engineers and inters, as well as helping guys like me with the transition from startup land to an old school corporation.
Other than that, we're all full time engineers, plus interns from the local university, especially in the summer.