Innovation hub gets a spark with latest tenant
Nexus, the University of Leeds’ new innovation hub, has welcomed the university’s business start-up service SPARK as tenants, which will see more than 40 entrepreneurial students and recent alumni join the growing community.
SPARK, which is dedicated to supporting, growing and engaging with enterprising students and graduates, includes some of the region’s most promising start-ups.
The group of students and graduates have moved from the university’s Innovation Centre to take up residence at Nexus. They include a Kombucha tea producer, an award-winning ladder safety innovator, an R&D business providing computer-based digital engineering simulations and a developer of next generation 3D printed automotive and motor sport components.
As well as benefiting from the co-working and collaborative environment, which will see them gain valuable advice and guidance from enterprising students, entrepreneurs and co-founders of companies, the entrepreneurs will also have access to the University of Leeds’ leading academic and research expertise.
Kairen Skelley, SPARK head of business start-up, said: “Nexus is the perfect environment to inspire and encourage our entrepreneurs to reach their business goals. We’re confident that the move will have a huge impact on these early stage ventures. Not only will they benefit from all that Nexus has to offer, including greater access to the marketplace and the wider business community, but they will also be able to reap valuable rewards by teaming up with fellow like-minded start-ups and SMEs”
Dr Martin Stow, Nexus director, added: “We are delighted to be welcoming the next generation of innovators to the Nexus community.
“Ground-breaking ideas and new products are increasingly about shared expertise and collaboration and it’s precisely these trusted relationships that will be so advantageous to SPARK members, giving them real industry insights and guidance.”
