51Âþ»­

A business centre to champion start-ups, forge collaborative projects and help new ideas get off the ground held a launch party to unveil its brand new look.

The Innovation Centre (IC) at 51Âþ»­ Leicester (51Âþ»­) has been transformed with new workspace and a focus on bringing together talent from across Leicester to share ideas and help each other to grow their businesses.

Last night, more than 70 business leaders and graduate start-ups were invited to the launch night to tour the new-look centre and find out how its services could help them and their businesses.

The centre aims to:

•    Help retain more of our talented innovative graduates here in Leicester 

•    Support innovative, enterprising start-ups

•    Be the physical space for a new programme of business support, which includes a 12-month business bootcamp for 51Âþ»­ graduates called The Crucible

Central to the new-look centre is the co-working café, where students, graduates, staff, academics and start-ups can work on ideas collaboratively, hold informal meetings and research events.

No such space currently exists in Leicester and the IC has already attracted groups including Leicester Tech Start-ups and Digital Start-ups who are already using it.

“It’s an incredible space,” said Nick Manns, an IC tenant since 2013. He and partner Preeti Mackan run Dyslexia Lifeline, which runs training sessions for schools, parents and librarians on how to best help dyslexic children.

He said: “It’s terrific, it’s a great informal space to bring clients and to meet and chat with other businesses about issues.”

The IC is home to The Crucible, a business bootcamp for 51Âþ»­ graduates to help them get their own businesses off the ground.

Charlie Evans runs Grey House England – designing and making high-end, sustainable cardboard backpacks.  “Having the support of the mentoring and the opportunity to use the IC for meetings has allowed me the freedom to concentrate on my business knowing I have knowledgeable people to ask.”



Tony Fenn James runs Fenn Audio. A graduate of Audio Recording Technology, he now runs his own business and gets mentoring help through The Crucible. “I love the freedom that working for yourself gives you,” he said.  

The IC will further integrate itself into the Leicestershire business community by running a series of public talks from entrepreneurs sharing their stories and offering advice. Businesses can also take advantage of the IC’s links with academics to help solve challenges they face.


Product Design graduate Tom Draper, now setting up his own business in the Innovation Centre

Simon Baines, IC manager said that the relaunch had given the centre, which has been part of 51Âþ»­ campus since 1996, a fresh focus.

He said: “We seek to retain more of our talented graduates here in Leicester by providing exciting facilities, events, surgeries and collaborative opportunities and we aim to attract the most innovative and enterprising start-ups from the local area to operate from here.”

Professor Andy Collop, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of 51Âþ»­, said: “The Innovation Centre aims to bring together business and academia in a much more conducive environment.

“One of the aims of the Innovation Centre is to retain the talented pool of graduates we have. I believe the more of our graduates we can keep in Leicester the better it will be for the city and the community.”