Exeter Science Park Centre first opened its doors to research and development businesses in 2015

Exeter Science Park businesses soar with support from global number one incubator

Award-winning business support provider, SETsquared Exeter has helped to raise significant investment for its growing client base in Exeter as part of the World-leading SETsquared Partnership.

Exeter Science Park Centre first opened its doors to research and development businesses in 2015. Since its inception, with support from SETsquared Exeter, the bespoke incubation and acceleration facility for high-tech, high-growth businesses has grown from an empty building to its current state of 90 per cent occupancy, with plans underway for a fourth grow-on building.

From 2015 to 2018, SETsquared Exeter clients have raised £59.7m investment and 143 new jobs have been created through the growth of clients with a GVA value of £4.7m. The SETsquared Exeter initiative has contributed to the overall growth in private sector jobs and the University of Exeter’s position as a top ten performer.

Speaking of the recent success, Sean Fielding, Director of Innovation, Impact and Business at the University of Exeter remarked: “SETsquared Exeter is going from strength to strength.  It has become a major part of the Exeter tech success story and we hope that together with all our partners we will put the City on the World tech business map.”

In line with the rapid growth of the park, The SETsquared Exeter team have extended their business support provision and recently introduced new team members.

Business Incubation and Acceleration Manager, Ben Voysey, will enhance the business support package and deliver the highly structured and  ambitious SETsquared Business Foundations Programme, which will guide early-stage businesses through the all the fundamental aspects of start-up and growth.

Speaking of SETsquared Exeter and his role Ben said: “I am thrilled to be part of the growing SETsquared Exeter team. We offer a comprehensive package of business acceleration services to clients at all stages of development. The support pathway mapped out by the team is developed specifically for individual clients and is built around the core SETsquared programme offering. Having established my own STEM business, I am keen to support others embarking on a similar journey.”

Examples of SETsquared clients who have benefitted from the acceleration provision available include Seedata, Global Healthcare software provider, which has more than doubled its workforce since its arrival at the Park in 2016. 

Another success story, Milkalyser, a spin out of eCow Ltd, was founded in 2007 to develop technology that monitors the health and productivity of dairy cows. With the support of SETsquared Exeter, Milkalyser has raised £1 million to develop its dairy cow management goals.

For more information on how SETsquared Exeter can enhance and develop growing businesses, visit the website: https://setsquared.exeter.ac.uk/

Date: 28 August 2019