University of Warwick Science Park

Opened in 1984, the University of Warwick Science Park (UWSP) is a joint venture between the University of Warwick and local authorities. It is now home to 130 high technology companies and these employ a total workforce of 1,860.

In addition to the Science Park next to the University's campus, two other centres have been opened:

* An Innovation Centre opened at Warwick Technology Park in 1997 with further developments in 1999 & 2001 providing convert|45000|sqft|m2|-2|abbr=on of lettable space. The centre is fully let to 31 companies.

* A convert|34000|sqft|m2|-2|abbr=on Business Innovation Centre at Binley, Coventry opened in April 2000.

Furthermore, the Science Park manages a convert|30000|sqft|m2|-3|abbr=on Innovation Centre at Blythe Valley Business Park on behalf of Solihull Borough Council, Prologis Developments Ltd & British Land.

UWSP offers a portfolio of proactive business support services designed to maximise the growth prospects of technology based business start-ups and small and medium sized businesses within the West Midlands region. Services cover:

* Access to Finance (MINERVA)Minerva raises finance from suitable banks, venture capital funds and the business angels of its own Minerva Business Angel Network. It helps established businesses raise investment for expansion, and emerging businesses to find funding for start-up and growth, often combining capital from two or more funding sources to good advantage to leverage angel investment to create a package that best meets the company's needs.

* Technical Marketing (TECHMARK)Techmark is an experienced technical marketing team specialising in technical marketing and business development and which has provided a professional marketing service to over 400 established businesses, a start-ups and pre-start businesses since 1996. Techmark provide practical answers to critical marketing questions and identify solutions, covering all aspects of creating a growing business from start up and how to exploit markets to strategy to managing growth. Techmark has worked with companies who don’t know where or who their market is through to companies who just need to freshen up their approach. Its experience ranges from finding completely new product ideas to revitalising a company, primarily in business-to-business markets by providing detailed proposals which include customer contact, market research, market forecasts, access to funding, publicity and copy, and ensuring it appeals to target customers and fits into the overall plan for the business.

* Support for solving technical and business process problems using students (SHELL STEP, SSWEP, KITTS and TTP)

Placement schemes for SME’s which use students in their second or penultimate years at university, or University Graduates. Student’s skills and knowledge are carefully tailored to the individual needs of the company, achieving solutions to problems in the most effective and cost effective manner.

* Business Mentoring (IGNITE)

Ignite has one aim - to help businesses to grow faster and make more money - now and in the long term. Over an extended period of time, an experienced business mentor will work along side the business to plan its development and to pro-actively identify and access resources to support the owner/manager in driving it forward. In practical terms this could mean (i) Developing an action plan to achieve business objectives; (ii) Accessing funding; (iii) Refining the marketing strategy or implementing the sales plan (iv) in the case of start-up businesses, providing an operational base to give the business credibility in the eyes of customers and suppliers - this is free for a six moth period (subject to availability). There are many other areas of business where support can be provided but it's firstly a matter of understanding the nature of the business, the crucial issues to be tackled and a plan of action to start the ball rolling and then to maintain the tempo.

The University of Warwick Science Park Website is:

www.warwicksciencepark.co.uk/support_services/support_services.html