Oxford Innovation, operator of JAYNIC’s ‘The EpiCentre’ in Haverhill, has appointed its senior management team: Kelly Boosey, Centre Manager and Babita Devi, Innovation Director.
The new innovation centre adjacent to the ‘Spirit of Enterprise’ roundabout in Haverhill that opens at the beginning of November will become a growth hub for early stage and start-up businesses.
Boosey’s customer facing background in the tourism industry and entrepreneurial experience in setting up a business is ideally suited to that role.
Having worked for Thomas Cook and Center Parcs for many years Boosey understands the importance of customer care as well helping small businesses grow having set up her own tourism consultancy business.
Boosey, said: “The EpiCentre will be more than a serviced office, as well as providing a flexible offer where customers can have a virtual address, book a desk for a day or meet potential clients, we are providing business support for young entrepreneurial businesses to grow.”
The innovation director role that Babita Devi is taking on is unique to Oxford Innovation’s centres. Their purpose is to provide business and innovation support, deploying many specifically SME and high growth orientated business tools to support the customers in the innovation centres.
Devi has a wealth of experience across a wide range of industries, from start-ups to multi-nationals, and has coached and mentored teams and individuals for growth. “The EpiCentre will help feed an eco-system based on Oxford Innovation’s framework, supporting the growth potential of tech companies across the East of England. Business coaching and support are essential to help scale up high potential and innovative companies and the EpiCentre plays a pivotal role in the delivery of this,” commented Devi.
Devi’s team will offer a generic high growth diagnostic of business needs, called GrowthMapper. This includes:
• Customer Value proposition assessment
• Leadership and management assessment
• Financial modelling and forecasting
• Raising finance
• Specific support in developing connections and collaborations.
Oxford Innovation has already signed up its first occupier, Snowing Data, a fast-growing software development company with more signings in the pipeline.
On completion, The EpiCentre will have over 60 office suites available from 17sqm (172 sqft) up to 78sqm (840sqft) including three flexible shared laboratory spaces with access to specialist equipment. These suites are available for pre-let immediately, and are supplemented by communal breakout spaces, a café and meeting and conference rooms all with social distancing provisions in place.
The offices will be rented out on an inclusive basis to include reception, concierge, rent, rates and utilities, and the building has fibre broadband with a minimum capacity of One Gigabyte.
The centre will house a purpose-built shared laboratory with write-up space. Furnished with a range of specialist equipment, the shared lab space is ideal for tissue culturing, microbiology research, and more. It includes a CO2 Incubator, autoclave, centrifuge, LN2 vessel, shaking incubator, chemical fume hood, glass washer and Phase 3 power outlets.
