Author: BenW

With BEIS and Nesta recently releasing their analysis of the impact of innovation spaces, which showed huge growth in the number of facilities, coupled with even bigger growth in the number of commercial co-working spaces, is the UK reaching saturation point? Should the public purse be expected to fund innovation spaces?  These were the questions put to the innovation spaces industry in a discussion forum at UKSPA’s autumn members conference in Culham, recently. The overwhelming conclusion was that the UK does need more space for innovation – flexible, low risk and supported spaces that create environments where forward-thinking businesses can innovate to make a

Nesta have recently released their hotly anticipated research into the impact incubators, innovation centres and accelerators have on the SMEs they support, how to monitor and improve their activities and what policy-makers and funders should be looking for in these environments. Following 18 months of polling all known incubators and accelerators throughout the UK on the growth of the businesses in their communities and the impact the support they provide has, they conclude: While its great that this research, funded by BEIS, has been undertaken, it doesn’t really tell us anything that we don’t already know. The Nesta research incorrectly states the