As is the case for many businesses, this quarter has brought with it lots of change. The ATI2 team are getting used to the new ‘normal’ and we have, like many, returned to our offices in Pool and are working out what ‘hybrid working’ means.
Our physical Pop-Up Innovation Centre services are now open in Hayle for businesses to use and we have celebrated its first full month of being open. The team are continuing to welcome a steady flow of businesses, one of which being Liz Penrose, Founder of The Craft Coach, who gave us a glowing review, saying: “the facilities available are amazing and will definitely assist me to develop my brand”.
September also saw the Pop-Up host its first private networking event with resident businesses of the Foundry and we are looking forward to many more events like these. The Hayle Pop-Up Innovation Centre provides the perfect setting to network with other businesses and make connections. If your business has any requirement to use the fully-funded space, contact Paul Rogers, Pop-up Innovation Centre Coordinator on paul.rogers-4@plymouth.ac.uk or call 07525 770552, or visit our website for more details.
You may have also seen the Mobile Pop-Up Innovation Centre whilst out on your travels. Our badged and branded van is out on the road each Thursday visiting Cornwall’s towns, industrial estates and attending business networking events – we hope to see you at one of our various locations.
Sadly, we must announce Chris Hassall’s departure from the ATI2 programme at the end of October. As a much respected Business Innovation Advisor (BIA) and valued member of the team he shall be dearly missed, however, we would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his contributions and wish him all the best in his next steps.
Following on from that news, we would like to congratulate Verity Wilkinson (currently our Business Innovation Officer), who will be taking up the reins from Chris and begins her new position as BIA in October. We wish her every success in the role.
For business support programmes like ours, the summer months tend to be quieter in terms of new businesses engaging with the project, mainly due to the school holidays and many (including ourselves) choosing to take annual leave to enjoy the great outdoors and beautiful Cornish coastline.
That being said, we’ve now engaged over 320 businesses and lots of innovation projects have come to fruition. We are pleased to report that the programme has now successfully awarded 29 innovation grants to support projects with a total value of £769,856. Check out our latest success stories to find out what we’ve been collaborating on.
Image above: The Mobile Pop-Up Innovation Centre visiting Godrevy in Hayle.
Image below: Verity Wilkinson, ATI2 Business Innovation officer (soon to be Business Innovation Advisor) speaking to two resident businesses of the Foundry, at the Hayle Pop-Up Innovation Centre.
