Helping your business grow

It’s hard running any business, but when you’re starting out it can be even harder. This is why one of our key services (included in all our packages) is support from our Innovation Director and the wider centre team. From questions on the day-to-day running of a business, through to introductions to potential clients or getting support from experts, our friendly, approachable team are always keen to give you a helping hand.

Beauhurst is a searchable database of the UK’s fastest-growing companies, from early-stage start-ups to late-stage scaleups. It helps Oxford Innovation to discover, track and understand everything there is to know about high-growth companies, including funding options and latest trends.

Oxford Innovation has developed GROWTHmapper™ to help high growth businesses achieve their ambitions. This diagnostic tool consolidates over 20 years’ experience of nurturing successful high growth businesses and is used to model your business for future growth.

Oxford Innovation is an official partner to the Amazon Web Service Activate programme for Start Ups. Amazon Web Services provides start-ups with low cost, easy to use infrastructure needed to scale and grow any size business. Being based in our centre can get you access to significant amounts of these AWS credits.

The Innovation centre has access to the OION Angel investment showcase where we can coach you to give a greater chance of succeeding in the competitive environment.

Our approach & expertise

Our support system is developed based upon real-life issues which our community face when growing their business. Workshops and group events are scheduled based on the outcomes of support provided by our internal support team.

Every business based at the centre benefits from the following free services:

One-to-one business support
Access to a network of external experts and potential clients
Access to support programmes
Business masterclasses
Networking opportunities

Access university connections & resources

Our Centre is on the Knowledge Gateway, University of Essex campus in Colchester. This means that Innovation Centre companies can benefit from short and long-term support of students, academics, equipment and world-class research projects. Through our Innovation Director you can make strong connections with the University and provide opportunities to their students through research and internships as well as access to cutting-edge research, expertise and facilities.

Extended Network Resources

Tech Nation empowers ambitious tech entrepreneurs to grow faster through growth programmes, digital entrepreneurship skills, a visa scheme for digital skills, and by championing the UK’s digital sector through data, stories and media campaigns. They are a national network with Entrepreneur Engagement Managers based in 11 regions across the UK. To find out more contact Thea Goodluck, Entrepreneur Engagement Manager for the East of England at theagoodluck@technation.io.

The BEST Growth Hub is a completely FREE and impartial government funded business signposting service. So if you are looking to grow or scale up your business and want to know about all of the business support and funding opportunities then the BEST Growth Hub is your first point of contact

The British Business Bank Finance Hub is designed to help businesses understand the financial landscape and ultimately access the right finance for their growth potential. It’s an independent, impartial digital hub designed to raise awareness of the different types of finance available for growing UK businesses. Explore finance options and find funding to suit your business.

Extended Network Resources

Meet the team

It’s all about the people. Meet our dedicated, talented team, whose job it is to make your life easier.

Dan Smart

Centre Director

Dan has held senior management roles across both public and private sectors and has developed a deep understanding of what makes a business work. He was responsible for developing a leading training and consultancy business for a start-up in the renewable energy sector using his experience in business development and years in delivering technical, developmental and exploratory training courses. He understands the difficulties in early stage business and adds huge value to the otherwise excellent team.

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.

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.

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.