ServiceRocket’s unique cafe workspace, Rockettoria Cafe, was born from a transformative mentorship with Vittoria Coffee CEO and Founder Les Schirato to bring world-class coffee and the technology community together in the heart of Sydney. Now, its legacy continues to nurture minds and ideas for the University of Technology’s startup hub.

When ServiceRocket moved offices in Sydney, one of the hardest things for ServiceRocket Founder and CEO Rob Castaneda had to do was to say goodbye to Rockettoria Cafe, the unique cafe space he built onsite with mentor, Vittoria Coffee Founder and CEO Les Schirato.

Schirato provided the complete setup for the cafe space, which was located on the top floor of ServiceRocket’s Sydney office. The creation of the Rockettoria marked a significant milestone in the long-standing partnership between ServiceRocket and Vittoria Coffee, as well as the friendship between their founders, Schirato and Castaneda. 

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‍“There are a few moments in my business life that have been transforming. One is my relationship with Les. Les taught me a lot about business and myself and because nobody in my family had a professional/business background, his mentorship helped me build confidence and courage. He, too, went through many ups and downs, and his own version of 'battle mode' many times.”

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‍Reimagining the Office, with World-Class Coffee Experiences

Rockettoria was ServiceRocket’s answer to reimagining 'the workplace.' In a remote-first global team, the physical office takes on a special significance: it’s the central hub for connection and the living embodiment of a culture built on having each other’s backs.

Rockettoria wasn’t just a place where Rocketeers could grab a good cup of coffee. There, they could work collaboratively, connect with their colleagues socially and get creative. The Rockettoria served as a home base for in-house events like technology training and was also available for hosting industry events in the heart of Sydney’s Central Business District (CBD). 

It was a dynamic, flexible space that adapted to Rocketeers’ evolving needs—designed for the intellectual stimulation and collaborative energy required to develop great ideas.

“Great coffee inspires great ideas,” said Castaneda. “The spirit of Rockettoria is about getting together, having a coffee and talking about what's going on, what's working, what's not. How do we get better?”  

Passing On the Legacy—the Spirit of Rockettoria lives on

UTS  is set to open UTS Startups, a new 200-desk hub for early-stage startups in July 2025. Located in the Bon Marche Building at Sydney's vibrant Tech Central precinct, this world-class space will offer an affordable environment for innovators and entrepreneurs to connect and create.

As ServiceRocket relocated to a new hub with its own facilities, it gifted the entire Rockettoria setup to UTS Startups to continue its journey of empowering the next generation of tech innovators. 

“In our partnership with UTS startups, we've actually preserved a good chunk of the Rockettoria Cafe. We’ve moved it over there and are working with UTS to bring the spirit of Rockettoria to the startup program,” said Castaneda.  

The spirit behind Rockettoria continues at its new forever home at UTS’s new Startup Hub, ready to brew coffee and inspire entrepreneurs to do great things.