Freeport East opened its new facility on Tuesday following a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by local councillors, businesses and community leaders. The project was delivered through partnerships with Volunteer It Yourself (VIY), Tendring District Council and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The details: The new innovation hub will support businesses in clean energy, AI, digital and maritime sectors. The facility will offer office space, workshops, networking events and mentoring programmes to help companies collaborate, grow and access training opportunities.
Volunteer It Yourself participants worked alongside professional mentors to transform the space, earning trade accreditations whilst boosting their confidence, employability and wellbeing. This marks the fourth community space VIY has helped transform in the Harwich area, with support from national partner Dulux.
What's next: The hub forms part of Freeport East's broader strategy to create the Harwich Innovation District. Working with University of Essex, Harwich Haven Authority and local businesses, they have identified clean energy and maritime sector clusters to attract inward investment.
Freeport East will showcase Harwich's business benefits at upcoming international events including the World Hydrogen Summit and UKREiFF in May, and Global Offshore Wind in London in June.
The success of attracting Australia-based hydrogen storage experts Rux Energy to Harwich demonstrates the potential for future investment.
What they're saying: "The launch of the Harwich Innovation Hub is a major step forward in our mission to make Freeport East and Harwich a hub for sustainable growth and future-focused innovation," said Steve Beel, Chief Executive of Freeport East.
Ivan Henderson, Deputy Leader of Tendring District Council and Freeport East Board member, added: "It's fantastic to see how the hard work of local young people, through Volunteer It Yourself, has helped create a space that will drive forward skills, innovation, and business growth."
The bottom line: The Harwich Innovation Hub represents a collaborative approach to economic development, combining business growth opportunities with skills training for local young people whilst creating a modern workspace for companies in key growth sectors.
