£18m Stowmarket innovation centre officially opens
A new skills and innovation centre backed by Freeport East funding has opened in Stowmarket, offering office space, training facilities and support for growing businesses across Suffolk.
Why it matters: Mid Suffolk District Council's Stowmarket Innovation Gateway, backed by £16.66 million of Freeport East funding, officially opened on Tuesday, 14 July, with more than 100 local businesses, organisations and dignitaries attending – creating what organisers describe as a new gateway to growth for businesses across Suffolk and the wider region.
The details: The centre offers office spaces for high-growth start-ups, collaboration and innovation areas, meeting rooms, a café and high-quality training spaces.
It forms part of Freeport East's ambition to ensure the benefits of investment extend beyond its principal port and development sites, by connecting local firms, education providers and innovation specialists. The aim is to help businesses across the region take advantage of opportunities in clean growth, digital technology and artificial intelligence.
A rolling programme of professional development courses – spanning AI, digital, leadership and creative disciplines – will be delivered on-site by West Suffolk College, Suffolk New College and the University of Suffolk, aiming to address the region's skills gap.
The workshops and courses are open to all adults, with local employers gaining direct access to higher-level training that previously meant travelling outside the district.
What they're saying: Cllr Richard Winch, cabinet member for housing and property at Mid Suffolk District Council, said: "I am thrilled to see the doors of this exceptional centre officially open.
"The Stowmarket Innovation Gateway was designed with growing sectors such as the green economy and digital/AI technology at the heart.
"Its mission is to help ensure that businesses and individuals in the area are not left behind by the next wave of economic change but are instead equipped to shape and build it."
Attendees at the opening event took part in a series of demonstrations, including robotic strawberry picking from Versatile RobotX, AV headsets with Space East, West Suffolk College's SimVan, and a responsive AI avatar from 1956 Individuals.
Mark Lemmon, chair at Freeport East, said: "The Stowmarket Innovation Gateway is another asset at Gateway 14 to attract world-class ambitious businesses to the region. A fantastic new facility designed to house, support and enable innovative business activity which will also support local communities to develop the skills they need to thrive in modern jobs.
"It will be a focal point for the region in terms of an inspiring place to build new initiatives and partnerships in tech, agriculture, sustainable construction and much more."
The bigger picture: The Gateway will be operated by Hethel Innovation, which provides innovation growth support to hundreds of businesses across East Anglia and already manages three innovation hubs in Norfolk.
The building, delivered by Wilten Construction and Jaynic in partnership with Gateway 14, is BREEAM excellent rated and includes a green roof, solar panels and a 10 gigabits per second fibre connection – the fastest available anywhere in the region.
The wider Gateway 14 development is already home to The Range's 1.17 million sq ft logistics and distribution centre, Ipswich-based Bauder and eco-friendly construction materials manufacturer Assan Panel.
For context: Freeport East is one of 12 new Freeports across the UK, which received final government approval on 10 January 2023. As part of the government's Industrial Strategy Zones programme, it serves as a hub for global trade and national regeneration, with particular strengths in advanced manufacturing, digital and technologies, clean energy industries, defence, and ports and logistics.
The Freeport East area covers approximately 45km across parts of Suffolk and Essex, extending from the ports of Felixstowe and Harwich in the east, through Woodbridge, Ipswich, Stowmarket and Sudbury in the west, to Colchester, Jaywick and Clacton in the south. It is projected to create 13,500 new jobs and generate £5.5bn in gross value added over 10 years.
The bottom line: The Stowmarket Innovation Gateway gives Suffolk businesses a new base for growth, innovation and skills training – and marks a significant step in Freeport East's plan to spread its economic benefits well beyond the region's ports.
For more information about Freeport East's investment programme, visit www.freeporteast.com.
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