Official opening for £7million Business Centre
The £7 million e-Innovation Centre at the University’s
Telford Campus was officially opened at a special ceremony to
celebrate its success.
The e-IC provides state-of-the-art office accommodation and
business support for new and established companies within the
Telford and wider West Midlands region.
The Centre’s facilities include incubation units for start-up
companies and "grow on" space for firms wishing to expand. The
building at the University’s Telford Campus is now nearing full
occupancy and is home to more than 40 companies. The e-IC team has
also assisted 70 companies with IT, business and marketing
consultancy, and helped nurture 29 new businesses and create 43 new
jobs.
More than 100 guests attended an event this month with
presentations from the University’s Vice Chancellor Professor
Caroline Gipps, Diana Thompson and Dr Gary Homer, the e-IC
Directors, and Colin Dalziel and Shane Sutherland of Pebble
Learning, one of the e-IC’s growth businesses.
Speaking at the event, John Edwards, said: "The West Midlands
has a rich heritage of innovation and a bright future based on our
ability to exploit new ideas and new technologies.
"The e-IC is a superb example of innovative excellence in the
region and is home to some very progressive companies which are a
credit to the area."
Diana Thompson, Business Director for the e-Innovation Centre,
added: "The e-Innovation Centre provides a wonderful opportunity
for start-up companies to be located in this modern vibrant
building, along with access to hi tech support from our team of IT
consultants based at the centre. This is a real success story for
the close links between the University and the business sector, and
the economic growth of the region as a whole."
The e-IC forms part of the Wolverhampton Telford Technology
Corridor initiative. Director, Mike Norris, said: "This is a great
example of how partnership working and public funding can come
together to benefit technology-led local companies. The e-IC is
making a real and growing contribution to Telford’s economy
encouraging entrepreneurs to develop new high-growth business start
ups as well as encouraging investors to move into the area."
