Celebrating three years of innovation at Oxford Brookes Enterprise Centre

Oxford Brookes University is celebrating three years of supporting researchers and entrepreneurs to turn their innovative ideas into business opportunities at its Enterprise Centre.

The centre (which sits within the Directorate of Research, Innovation & Enterprise), opened in 2022 and offers office and co-working spaces to start-up and early stage companies, with the added benefit of access to academic expertise, student and graduate talent, and specialist lab facilities. 

An anniversary event, ‘Enterprise Centre Turns 3, Celebrating People, Progress, Possibility’ takes place on Tuesday 9 September, 4.30pm to 7.30pm. 

The Enterprise Centre was launched at the University’s Headington Campus following investment from the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP) via the Local Growth Fund, with match funding of approximately £850,000. Since then it has gone from strength to strength, becoming home to companies researching new cancer treatments, ways to slow age-related macular degeneration and new vaccines. Other start-ups based there are working on products including a sustainable cocoa-alternative and environmentally friendly cooking oils.

The vision for the Enterprise Centre was to create jobs, stimulate innovation, and support new business creation. So far, 27 start-up companies have been supported, raising more than £18 million in funding, including £11.7 million in investment and £6.5 million in grants. 

One of the earliest tenants, Oxford Expression Technologies (OET), a spin-out from Oxford Brookes has recently ‘graduated’ to larger premises, demonstrating the Centre’s role in helping businesses scale up. 

The celebratory event will bring together stakeholders, supporters, entrepreneurs and staff. Simon Hepworth, Director of Knowledge Exchange at Research England, will share insights on the future of university-led innovation in his keynote address.

The new Oxford Brookes Vice-Chancellor, Professor Helen Laville, will deliver a welcome speech highlighting the University’s commitment to innovation and enterprise. Professor Simonetta Manfredi, Director of Research, Innovation and Enterprise, will close the evening with perspectives on the Enterprise Centre’s future.

Attendees will also hear from current and former residents of the Enterprise Centre. Ben Williams of Sunbear Biofuture will reflect on his company’s experience of being based at the University, and how the Centre has enabled growth opportunities.

Gift Igbin, an Oxford Brookes graduate and founder of social media marketing agency Social Gifti, will take part in a fireside chat about her freelancing journey and the help she received from Brookes Enterprise Support.

Dr Shahab Resalati, founder of SyncroCell, an Oxford Brookes University spin-out, will showcase his company’s technology and share his experience working with the University’s Technology Transfer Office. SyncroCell makes batteries smarter by adding technology that helps them monitor, learn, and manage themselves in real time for better performance, safety, and efficiency.

Professor Manfredi said: “As Government and Research England place increasing emphasis on Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) investments to drive economic growth, the Enterprise Centre at Oxford Brookes is well-placed to take the lead on developing  companies that will have a real impact. 

“I’m delighted by the progress made by the Centre and all of the organisations based there over the last three years and excited at the potential for future growth.”

To book tickets to the celebratory event visit the Eventbrite webpage.