Locate in Kent event to promote innovation
Investment promotion agency Locate in Kent held a networking event last week (Thursday 16th September) to promote innovation in business and to showcase the support and facilities at the Canterbury Innovation Centre on University Road.
The Canterbury Innovation Centre is owned by East Kent Spatial Development Company and is funded by SEEDA working in collaboration with the University of Kent. It is managed by Basepoint, which has 26 centres across the Midlands and the south of England.
Centre Manager, Jo Clark spoke at the event, outlining the building's role in the business community: "We moved nine companies in on our first day in November last year and have welcomed many more companies through our doors ever since. Our emphasis on innovative businesses means our tenants really do offer something new and original in their market. There are some very exciting things going on here in showrooms, workshops and offices."
The centre seeks to accommodate high value enterprises providing novel and innovative services or products and offering new ideas or solutions, ideally specialising in the nanotechnology, biomedical, biometrics and environmental technology fields. The centre also offers 25% of its space to companies who offer specialist financing and business planning support to companies and actively encourages its tenants to do business with each other.
One of the guest speakers was tenant and director of electric bicycle, scooter and motorcycle supplier Lean Machines (Kent), Terry John. He said: "Sometimes it can feel very isolated in business. Here at the innovation centre, we're all in together because of the networks and business support we constantly have access to." Mr John also paid tribute to the building's green credentials, which he said fitted very well with his company's eco-friendly ethos.
James Vigar from design and branding specialist, Recreate Design, based at the centre, also spoke to guests citing "great natural resources, for example, businesses, institutions and people" as the county's USPs. He added "Kent has one hell of a talent pool in the creative sector - and here, we have the added benefit of fantastic links to the School of Visual Arts at the University of Kent. We strive to give our clients ‘the edge' by using design to deliver something different, and being here in Kent has inspired us to do just that."
The innovation centre has a variety of space available, including workshops and studios. Its virtual offices provide start-ups and SMEs with an address and redirected telephone numbers. It offers companies attractive monthly easy in/out licences and incubator space at 100sqft including furniture, broadband connection and a digital phone line to allow instant start-up. All tenants benefit from the use of meeting rooms, central atrium and coffee shop, breakout area and a decked veranda. Free business feedback and advice ‘clinics' are also available from Kent's Innovation Growth Team.
For more information about the Innovation Centre, visit http://www.canterburyinnovationcentre.co.uk/ or call 01227 811700. For more on Locate in Kent and its free commercial property search service, call 01732 5207200 or visit http://www.locateinkent.com/.
