Set to open its doors in 2019, the Innovation Centre will further enrich the established business community on the Knowledge Gateway, joining more than 20 small businesses at Parkside Office Village.
Located on our Colchester Campus, the centre is at the heart of our Knowledge Gateway masterplan, in which we envisage 2,000 people eventually working and growing their businesses here.
Customers will be drawn not just by the excellent business accommodation, but also the flourishing business community, academic support and on-campus resources and facilities provided by a leading research-intensive university.
This development further supports our commitment to boosting the economic impact of the University in the eastern region. According to a 2016 report, our direct and indirect contribution is more than £500 million.
Oxford Innovation, the UK’s largest Innovation Centre operator, has just agreed a partnership with the University to manage this space from Spring 2019. Jo Stevens, Managing Director of Oxford Innovation, said: “This new, purpose-built centre will be the core of a dynamic and innovative cluster drawing on and driven by collaboration between business and the University, stakeholder support, and wide-ranging networks at local, national and international level.”
“Focusing on supporting early stage businesses and start-ups from the region and spin-outs from the University, we will provide a range of office space solutions, impressive meeting and conference facilities and access to specialist on-site business support.”
Alongside the space managed by Oxford Innovation, Innovation Centre, Knowledge Gateway will include a café, 360˚ VR Projection Space, areas for students to develop business ideas in and space to showcase Essex research, linked to the creative and digital sectors.
