Join a thriving community of innovators, entrepreneurs and like-minded businesses

A bold new home for tech businesses in Essex

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01206 405 500
Office hours 9am – 5pm

Innovation Centre
Knowledge Gateway, Boundary Road
Colchester, CO4 3ZQ

The Innovation Centre is the focal point for the University of Essex’s Knowledge Gateway; a research and technology park situated on their Colchester campus.

A creative hub for technology innovation

ICKG is a place where start-up and early stage technology businesses can rent flexible, socially distanced office space to rent, book impressive meeting and conference facilities, benefit from business support, and have access to research expertise –  as well as student and graduate talent.

The Innovation Centre is based at the University of Essex’s Colchester Campus, which is an official University Enterprise Zone designated by the Government as a centre for nurturing and supporting new digital and creative businesses.

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A catalyst for growth

By supporting early stage innovative businesses, the Innovation Centre is helping the University to drive economic growth in the East of England, and establish this area as a globally-recognised centre for innovation. Combined with the excellent facilities on the University campus, the thriving hub of the Knowledge Gateway is an essential place for entrepreneurs and business owners to base themselves and develop new ideas.

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A strong partnership

Innovation Centre, Knowledge Gateway is a partnership between the University of Essex (University of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards 2018) and Oxford Innovation (the UK’s leading Innovation Centre operator). Their joint aim is to make high-tech and creative start-up and scale-up businesses into sustainable and commercial successes, which has a continuous positive impact on the local economy.

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What our customers say

“The Innovation Centre is a great location for young thriving tech businesses. The facilities, business community and support have been invaluable to us and would benefit any business. ICKG is located in the University of Essex’s Enterprise Zone, and this has been of particular benefit to us as we work closely with the University’s academics, students from the drama school, and we are also looking to hire interns and graduates to build our human resources capacity.”
Angela Knox
Angela Knox
Keep Fit Eat Fit
“Have found the staff, facilities & professional experience at ICKG of real beneficial support to the development & growth of my business. Great value for money with a very high standard of customer care, plus positive engagement - especially in these current challenging times - with good safe working practices deployed to ensure business as usual”
Tony Parker
Tony Parker
Borland Insurance

Meet the team

Neil Griffin

Neil
Griffin

Innovation Director

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Neil Griffin

Innovation Director

Neil comes to Oxford innovation with a wealth of business and senior management experience within a strategically driven commercial environment. Personal development includes obtaining an MBA through the UEA as well as a being Chartered in Consultancy & Management. He specialises in providing practical business support for our tech community and connecting customers with like-minded individuals through our commercial networks and the University.

Georgina Watts

Georgina
Watts

Centre
Manager

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Georgina Watts

Assistant Centre Manager

Georgina comes to Oxford Innovation with a wealth of knowledge and experience in operations and customer service, within the retail sector. She is looking forward to working with the team, managing day-to-day centre operations and helping the centre to flourish. Georgina really enjoys meeting people and loves spending time with her family camping and going on bike rides.

Bryony Shuter

Bryony
Shuter

Customer Experience Assistant

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Bryony Shuter

Customer Experience Assistant

Bryony has spent ten years working in retail and has a wealth of customer service experience. She enjoys meeting and interacting with new people and will always go the extra mile to help. Bryony is very excited to be working in a new centre, with a brand-new team, and is looking forward to seeing businesses grow and develop at the Innovation Centre.

Natasha Miller

Natasha
Miller

Customer Experience Assistant

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Natasha Miller

Customer Experience Assistant

Natasha’s background starts with a long history in the service industry, after studying Hospitality she built a career in hotels and customer service. Taking a break to raise a family, she retrained in childcare and ran her own successful childcare business locally in Colchester. Now her children are growing up she has decided to return to her customer service background and is looking to progress her business acumen and support the functions of the centres businesses whilst helping her personal growth and development.

Interested in joining our tech community?

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Find out how our customers are thriving at ICKG

Grow your innovative business at the University of Essex’s Knowledge Gateway.

For more information about pricing, availability, or to arrange a virtual or socially distanced tour, please get in touch.

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10 minutes from Colchester High Street

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26 miles from Chelmsford on the A12

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46 minutes from London Liverpool Street

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30 miles to London Stansted Airport

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