Five years on: The EpiCentre powers Haverhill’s business boom
The venture, which is the brainchild of developer Jaynic and its enterprising boss Nic Rumsey, started totally empty in 2020 but is now 83 per cent full, with more than 150 people based at the centre from 43 different tenant companies whose customers spread far and wide.
And there are active plans to continue growing the community at The EpiCentre, to support more companies on their growth journey. Jaynic has a blueprint to build follow-on space or a designated HQ for a science or technology anchor tenant on the land opposite – further scaling the footprint of its Haverhill Research Park home base.
Interestingly, the first tenant was SKC Games Studio, now SKC Studios, which has seen massive growth. It recently won the coveted AI Innovation accolade at the 35th Anniversary Business Awards and is showing its quality at a major US expo this week.
Creator of an AI Alan Turing avatar, which is soon to be seen at Bletchley Park and in line for many similar projects in the UK and globally, SKC Studios is working with SoftBank Robotics in targeting the Middle East market, and its product 1956 Individuals is also being used closer to home in the under-pressure NHS.
SKC Studios’ team spans Europe, the Middle East and the Americas. It is currently seeking growth capital to underpin its upwardly mobile journey.
Other Awards winners mix the pot at The EpiCentre where the atmosphere positively hums and collaboration buzzes. Helen Earl, who manages the centre on behalf of Jaynic and its designated overseer Oxford Innovation Space, says the aspiration has always been to generate an ongoing commitment to life sciences and technology, fostering innovation and collaboration across the piece.
Everything that makes The EpiCentre so special was on show at the 5th Anniversary celebration, attended by over 130 people. As well as networking throughout the reception area, there were inspiring speeches from Nic Rumsey and Jo Stevens, Managing Director of Oxford Innovation Space.
“Celebrating five years of The EpiCentre is a proud moment for all of us,” said Stevens. “From day one, our mission has been to create a space where innovation thrives and businesses can grow. Today, we stand as a vibrant community of entrepreneurs and innovators who are shaping the future of science and technology – having supported 172 companies and helped secure £150 million in funding. This milestone is not just about the past five years, it’s about the exciting opportunities ahead and the continued impact we will make together.”
The boardroom hosted an interactive showcase, where guests experienced innovations and projects developed at The EpiCentre.
In the Conference Room, there was a series of mini-panel discussions hosted by Mike Rigby of Eastern Promise podcast. The panellists included tenants, members of the Oxford Innovation Space Business Support team and people from the entire ecosystem.
They discussed four topics: Funding for Growth: from Pitch to Partnership; Securing Skills: How Engineering Businesses Stay Ahead; Innovating Wellness: Creating Businesses that Transform Health; AI for Growth: Driving Innovation and Business Success.
If that whets your appetite for business-winning collaboration, you can share the power of partnership by contacting Helen Earl at The EpiCentre – www.epicentrehaverhill.co.uk/contact/ call 01440 782 100 or email info@epicentrehaverhill.co.uk