University to offer space and support to local businesses

The University of Derby Chesterfield Campus are looking for pre-start or start-up businesses to fill the incubation units at their new Innovation Centre.

With funding and support from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership and the European Regional Development Fund, the Innovation Centre hopes to provide local business a space to incubate new business ideas, increase their speed of growth and de-risk the process of developing new products.

Professor Kathryn Mitchell, Vice-Chancellor of the University, discussed the potential impact of the Campus and Innovation Centre on the town at the opening of the Campus in October 2016, commenting:-

“We hope to make a big difference to Chesterfield in the future.”

Investing in making an impact in the future of the town alongside the future of the students the Innovation Centre will provide a space for local business to work. The Centre can incubate up to six new enterprises at any one time, providing space for two or three members of staff. By offering stepped rental charges they hope many young new business will take advantage of this opportunity.

The Centre will also offer tailored business support supplying advice and guidance, funding, knowledge transfer, facilities and talent to facilitate accelerated growth. The facilities are aimed at supporting new businesses, particularly within Health and Engineering, to develop and innovate in order to be sustainable and ultimately grow.

Facilities will include:

• Large multi-material UV Cure 3D printing machine
• FDM 3D printing machines
• Multi-axis CNC wire cut machine
• Articulated arm scanning and reverse engineering software
• Bench top scanning electron microscope
• Sputter coating machine

Based within the same building is the FabLab, a workshop area providing access to equipment and expertise in design prototyping, materials analysis and testing.