Inside The MedBIC
HQ to dynamic, early stage businesses
It’s been a year since The MedBIC, located on Anglia Ruskin University’s Chelmsford campus, opened its doors to the first occupant. Since then, the Business Innovation Centre for Medical and Advanced Engineering has supported more than 30 early-stage firms to establish themselves and grow.
The MedBIC (Anglia Ruskin's Business Innovation Centre for Medical and Advanced Engineering) offers entrepreneurs, early-stage start-ups and developing companies a business-facing Centre of Excellence for medical and advanced engineering. Alongside a choice of office spaces and hot desk options, occupants benefit from on-site R&D facilities and broad-ranging business support. With 1,000 square metres of business accommodation, the centre is a key entrepreneurial hub for Essex.
“Since launching in April 2014, we have created a business environment that helps reduce the barriers that often stifle innovation and hinder success, "
explains Aideen McCambridge, Manager of The MedBIC.
"Our ability to introduce occupants and associates to relevant opportunities and contacts enables a company in its early stages of growth to realise all their possibilities."
The MedBIC's main purpose is to speed up the route to market for Essex businesses.
"The co-operative workspace and the start-up focused support help make entrepreneurial visions reality,"
adds Aideen.
Occupants benefit from access to academics, researchers, consultants and clinicians, assisting with everything form prototyping to clinical trials and testing.
"By connecting occupant companies with a wide range of sector-focused industry partners and experts though a range of commercial, technical and business support services, they can tap into finance opportunities, target markets and specialist technology. Assistance also includes an invaluable Proof of Concept scheme to take ideas forward."
With the centre a hive of activity, new developments are on the horizon.
"As The MedBIC is 100% full, it is time to look to the future and plan for Phase Two of the centre's development, "
says Aideen.
"This means evolving our popular business MedTech Meet Up events and increasing their reach, while also offering more activity on site. We're hoping that Phase Two will include more social spaces, event and meeting places and a café area, where people can come together in a neutral setting to innovate and collaborate."
The potential is unlimited. "innovation is key to the future of our economy and something to be fostered,"
emphasises Aideen.
"At The MedBIC, we see innovation as creating a completely new product, service or treatment or, improving something that currently exists. This could be to make an existing product faster, cheaper or easier to produce, or offer a more intelligent or sustainable solution. Innovations in advanced engineering and medical technologies, and their supply chains, can result in measurable improvements to people's lives. This has been most evident with the success or our Proof of Concept scheme."