Brand new Co-Working Space now open at DMU’s Innovation Centre.

Guest post from Simon Baines of DMU’s Innovation Centre….

Our new space at DMU’s Innovation Centre is now open for use, and we invite the local start-up community to come and make use of the facility, free of charge, between the hours of 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. There’s no need to sign up to anything, but if you are happy to give us your details we’ll make sure you hear about our new events, once our 2015 schedule has been finalised.

At De Montfort University’s Innovation Centre, we believe that entrepreneurs and start-up businesses stand a greater chance of succeeding in their ventures if they collaborate closely together, share knowledge, act as peers to each other, and grow their ideas in new creative ways. We are looking to attract entrepreneurs with a common goal; to achieve by doing things differently. We want to work with people who are interested in developing new contacts and relationships, tapping into the expertise of the University, and make using of a working environment that has excellent networks.

The Innovation Centre opened in 1996 and has been working with local small businesses every since, providing leased office space and business support. Whilst we have been able to increase the number of units in order to meet demand, The Innovation Centre has, until now, lacked communal space suitable for people who want to create and explore ideas rather than jump straight in and rent a room.

This is why in 2013 I initiated a project to open a new Co-Working space. What followed was a long period of research which included visits to some of the best Co-Working spaces in London, and lengthy discussions with stakeholders, and after months of work, our Co-Working space was completed in November 2014.

Whilst we realise we can’t create a pre-start up community here overnight, we hope the new environment will encourage more individuals to come through our doors and begin to collaborate with each other and with the University. (We are more than happy to talk to you in order to sign post you to relevant Academics who may be able to work with you on your ideas).

Whilst we are still working on implementing final touches such as our new branding and our “official launch” date has yet to be announced, our new space is now open and we would very much welcome members of Leicester Startups (and their friends, associates, colleagues and contacts) here. There’s no need to sign up to anything, but if you are happy to give us your details when you come we’ll make sure you hear about our events, once our new calendar has been finalised.

Just come along and work in the space, make use of our honesty cafe, brainstorm on the boards, use the MACS… and enjoy the benefits of working alongside students, graduates, staff, Academics and other start-ups within a brand new, modern and professional setting.

We look forward to welcoming more members of the Leicester Startups Tech Group here in 2015.

For more information, or to sign up for e-mail updates please email innovationcentre@dmu.ac.uk. You can also follow us on Twitter: @dmuworkspace.