New Enterprise Hub unveiled in Cheltenham

The University of Gloucestershire unveiled their new Enterprise Hubs at Isbourne House in Cheltenham on Tuesday 15 July.

Martin Horwood MP, a supporter of incubation and innovation, paid a visit to the new Enterprise Hub before the official opening, and was shown around the new facilities by Michael Ratcliffe, Chief Executive of Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce, and Dr Basil Omar, Enterprise and Incubation Manager at the University of Gloucestershire. During his visit, Martin Horwood MP said: “I think this will be good for Cheltenham, good for business start-ups and good for job creation. Government is proud that these types of ventures have helped create one million jobs so far and I think we need to create one million more. Enterprise Hubs can go a long way in helping with that.”

Managed by the University of Gloucestershire in partnership with Gloucester City Council, Cheltenham Borough Council and the GFirst Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), the innovative Enterprise Hubs will enable start-up business directors and entrepreneurs to rent serviced office space, with access to mentoring, skills development and a support network, providing the support they need to grow and succeed. At the official opening event, business leaders and entrepreneurs were given a tour of the new facilities and mingled some of the universities entrepreneurial graduates. Building on the highly successful Quays Creative project in Gloucester Docks, Isbourne House is the second Enterprise Hub to be launched in the county, following the Blackfriars Inn launch last week in Gloucester.

Vice-Chancellor Stephen Marston said: “The University is passionate about encouraging enterprise and supporting entrepreneurial activity. By creating these new enterprise hubs, here in Gloucester and in Cheltenham, we will be able to support around 100 start-up companies in the county. “Gloucestershire has a fine tradition of innovation, and we know that future growth in the economy will depend on more people having the capability and confidence to set up new enterprises. These splendid new enterprise hubs will provide an ideal setting for University graduates and others to put their creative ideas into practice. Along with our partners at Gloucester City and Cheltenham Borough Councils and with the support of the GFirst Local Enterprise Partnership we have developed a programme that will give fledgling businesses the best possible chance of success.”

The project is worth around €1 million in total, including match funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). It is part of a programme offering a range of support services to the wider community of entrepreneurs in the county. The project has the objective of improving the survival and success rates of over 100 Gloucestershire businesses over a three-year period. Budding entrepreneurs with new business ideas are invited to get in touch with the University to find out more about renting space within the Blackfriars Inn, Quays Creative or the Isbourne House site. More information is available at www.glos.ac.uk/incubation

The University would also like to hear from mentors, investors or service providers with experience of supporting early stage start-ups. Anyone willing to help in supporting new businesses can get in touch by emailing incubation@glos.ac.uk or call Catherine Briggs, Incubation Administrator, on 01242 714646 for further information.