South West Innovation Centres

Cockington Court Innovation Centre

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:42:37 +0000

South West Innovation Centres, part of Torbay Development Agency, has won the Torbay Council contract for managing Cockington Court following a formal sealed tender selection. Work has already started on the £2.85million Government and European-funded Sea Change project to allow the court itself to be turned into a creative business hub. As part of that the former operators Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust has moved out though it is still responsible for the country park. The aim

Enterprise Week 2010

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 10:50:27 +0000

Torbay's mayor, Nick Bye, launched South Devon Enterprise Week yesterday, forecasting that business in the area was on the way up. He said the future was all about "getting that spirit of enterprise working", predicting exciting times ahead for business in the Bay.

Mr Bye spoke alongside Stephen Criddle, principal of South Devon College, and Jim Parker, deputy editor of the Herald Express, at the launch of this year's Enterprise Week. The week runs from November 15 to 19,

Innovation Centres scoop national award

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:21:35 +0000

South West Innovation Centres (SWIC) has been named the 2009 Business Incubation Champion in the UKBI (UK Business Incubation) Awards.

SWIC is a division of Torbay Council's regenerative arm, the Torbay Development Agency and currently has three centres at South Devon College in Paignton, Lymington Road in Torquay, and at the Watermark in Ivybridge. They are funded by the... Read more»

Social enterprise clinics

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:16:08 +0000

If you are a social enterprise or established community organisation and need good advice to develop your ideas further, here is an opportunity for a one-to-one chat with one of our qualified business advisors.

The advisors are social enterprise specialists and will provide no-obligation, practical advice on how to grow your organisation to the next stage.

Appointments can be booked for one hour between 10am and 4pm as follows:

Taunton: 4 November, 16 December
Exeter:

Interest free business loans from the Carbon Trust

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:06:05 +0000

Helping businesses upgrade equipment and cut energy costs.

Upgrading to the latest energy efficient equipment can help many companies reduce energy costs, modernise production and become more competitive. And with few businesses keen to take out loans for capital investment right now, the Carbon Trust’s government funded 0% business loans are the perfect solution.

The Carbon Trust’s 0% loans: benefits for purchasers and suppliers:

Businesses

Best in Bay

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:02:26 +0000

THE Best in Bay business will be out in force hoping to collect a gong at the Excellence Awards. The South West Innovations Centres said the awards allow business to track their progress and 'benchmark' themselves against other companies.

Adrian Sheen, manager of the South West Innovations Centres, which has premises in Torquay, Paignton and Ivybridge, said: "We have always been involved in the awards, right from the start." The centres provide desk and office units for early

Export Express

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:24:44 +0000

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is bringing its expertise to the doorsteps of local businesses when its ‘Export Express’ stops at Torbay Innovation Centre on 14th October.

The Export Express is a mobile meeting centre bus provided by UKTI. It will be manned each day by both a local UKTI International Trade Advisor and a South West based representative from the European Enterprise Network, who will be able to share their international trade expertise – all for free and

Investors in People

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:21:17 +0000

South West Innovation Centres, has scooped a coveted ‘Investors in People’ Award. The Investors in People Standard is a tool designed to help employers improve performance by linking people and skills development to the specific aims and objectives of their businesses. The South West Innovation Centres have two full time and one part-time employee as well as four self employed members of staff who manage the three centres in Torquay, Paignton and Ivybridge.

The Centres offer

Get Going

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:17:03 +0000

In April 2008, Susan Johnson was the first tenant to move into The Watermark Innovation Centre in Ivybridge, with her business ‘Get Going’ – established to help people emigrate to Australia. Since then, the business has expanded rapidly to include New Zealand, Canada and South Africa.

Susan has recently doubled her unit space in the Centre to cope with the increase in business, where she helps customers, especially tradesmen and medical professionals, relocate to

Crab hermits

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:15:10 +0000

The main objective of the Innovation Centres is to help companies – especially so in times of crisis. That is certainly true of The Blue Sea Food Company – a local crab processing company.

In November 2008, a major fire completely destroyed their factory and offices. The administration and management departments were quickly resettled into the Paignton Innovation Centre. Being less than a mile away from their burnt-out premises, the location and flexibility helped enormously