A new Enterprise Zone in the heart of Bristol will be declared open for business today [Friday, 27 April] by George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer. More than 200 businesses from across the South West, including representatives from the University of Bristol, will gather in a temporary circus tent which has been erected in the heart of the new Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone to hear an update on the exciting redevelopment project.
More than 200 businesses from across the South West, including representatives from the University of Bristol, will gather in a temporary circus tent which has been erected in the heart of the new
Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone to hear an update on the exciting redevelopment project.
The new zone will span 173 acres of land around Bristol Temple Meads train station and includes plans for a long-awaited indoor arena, new public spaces and a vibrant business, commercial and shopping district. Temple Meads station will also be completely refurbished.
It’s anticipated that the new Enterprise Zone will create 17,000 new jobs and bring 400 new companies to the city over the next two decades.
The University of Bristol has been advising on the creation of Creative Harbour, which will house business incubators for start-up companies as well as collaboration and teaching space, an innovation showcase and the new shared inward investment service.
Nick Sturge, Director of the Bristol SETsquared Centre – which the new Creative Harbour centre will house – will be introducing the new concept today as part of the launch event.
He said: “Bristol has always had ambition and a propensity to innovate. Creative Harbour is the right vehicle, at the right time, to make the West of England the best place to start or grow a technology business."
It will bring together teaching, enterprise and research to exploit the fusion between technology, creative and low-carbon innovation and connect with other assets such as the Bristol and Bath Science Park. It aims to stimulate significant growth in the West of England.
The project is supported by the University of Bristol, University of the West of England, Bristol City Council, the West of England LEP, IBM, Watershed, STMicroelectronics and others.
Professor Guy Orpen, Pro Vice-Chancellor for research and enterprise at the University of Bristol said: "The Quarter provides an exciting opportunity to create one of the most dynamic hubs of intellectual capacity and economic prosperity in the UK at the gateway to the South West."
For further information about the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone, visit: www.bristoltemplequarter.com
Further information
The SETsquared Partnership
The SETsquared Partnership is the enterprise collaboration of the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey. Together, the universities employ 7,400 academic staff; and earn nearly 10 per cent of the UK’s higher education research budget.
The partnership has a 10 year track record of supporting companies through its business acceleration centres, which provide access to industry specialists, investors and experienced entrepreneurs. SETsquared currently supports over 250 early stage high-tech, high growth potential businesses, and 90 per cent of its incubated companies are still in business three years on. In the past five years, nearly £0.75bn in investment funding has been raised by spin outs and incubated companies.
SETsquared supports student enterprise including an annual showcase and a global scholars program. It provides opportunities for industry to access academic ideas with commercial potential and seeks to promote the impact, economically and socially, of its institutions’ research and enterprise activities.
For further details see www.setsquared.co.uk or www.twitter.com/setsquared_Br
