Arise Innovation Hubs made remarkable strides in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in 2024

With funding and programmes aiming to grow small businesses, events to encourage SMEs to work with the university, and networking opportunities with flair to help expand the reach of the Ecosystem for Entrepreneurs, Anglia Ruskin University's Arise team really have had an incredible year.

The biggest success of the year was undoubtedly the Arise Beyond Open Innovation for Value and Entrepreneurship (ABOVE) programme. This initiative was a collaboration between Arise Innovation Hubs and Medilink Midlands. Funded by Essex County Council, it aimed to deliver innovation grants, expert support and events. The ABOVE programme has significantly impacted the MedTech sector, demonstrating the transformative potential of the Essex ecosystem.

 

The ABOVE programme's achievements in 2024 are remarkable. It supported 35 businesses and academics with commercialisation workshops, 51 businesses with the “Business Funding 101” webinar, and 44 businesses with Intellectual Property training. Additionally, 20 bespoke one-on-one sessions were provided to Essex businesses, and 35 businesses were supported in developing products, processes, or services. The programme also introduced 14 businesses to Lean Startup or business model innovation, provided advice on pitching, R&D grants, or funding to 33 businesses, and offered regulatory frameworks, IP, or academic links advice to 38 businesses. During the application window, over 30 businesses expressed interest, resulting in 10 approved Arise ABOVE Innovation Support Grant applications for the £30,000 fund. Four new businesses from the MedTech sector were established in Essex, and 19 additional collaborative R&D projects were initiated. The programme engaged 204 MedTech businesses and academics through events in Essex, supported an innovation pipeline worth over £660,000, supported 20 existing local jobs and has already created 2.5 more jobs with over a dozen more predicted to be created in the medium term.

 

Dr. Beverley Vaughan, the Hubs Director, emphasised the programme's success, stating,

 

"In alignment with the Essex Sector Development Strategy, ABOVE has delivered targeted interventions to support the creation of new knowledge-intensive businesses, and the growth and scale-up of existing businesses in the sector. Creating opportunities for collaboration, technologies to converge across sectors, and unlocking opportunities for business diversification. Resulting in business growth, job creation and enhanced productivity."

 

Another significant success was the Innovation Accelerator hosted at Arise in Chelmsford, tailored specifically for pre-startup companies. This programme, run by Medilink Midlands, provided the foundations needed by SMEs and start-ups to navigate the initial and often most challenging phase of business development.

 

Other highlights this year have included academic-led tours of the ARU School of Medicine, School of Midwifery and Community Health and ARU Biomechanics Laboratories. These events facilitate the exchange of knowledge, skills and innovation between business and academia. They inspire action and inform ways in which the University can help grow SMEs through collaboration. Being an Arise member can mean introductions to world-leading academics and the wealth of support they can bring. On other occasions, members heard from ARU’s Project Officer on opportunities to engage with future talent through ARU Live Briefs and working with the University. Members heard from a Projects Officer in Faculty of Health, Medicine & Social Care on opportunities for academic collaboration with ARU, and the Business Development Manager at ARU Temps on opportunities to collaborate with students and other businesses. These events all preceded successful networking events, including coffee mornings, pizza and prosecco evenings, and an Indian food evening. This informal setting where businesses could introduce themselves to university departments and discuss collaborations proved to be incredibly useful, providing members with opportunities to meet other businesses in their sector and grow their contacts list. These events saw over 140 attendees visit across 4 events.

 

Arise teamed up with other organisations, such as The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) to hold Small Business Speed Networking events in Harlow and Chelmsford. Being part of Arise provides access to discount FSB Membership and the opportunity to connect to other like-minded small businesses throughout the region.

 

2024 saw Arise sponsor BioIntegrates, hosted at ARU in Cambridge. There was a fantastic lineup of speakers, following its opening by ARU’s Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Yvonne Barnett. There were networking opportunities and fireside chats- attendance was vital for anyone in Health, Med and BioTech. Dr. Beverley Vaughan facilitated a talk on how to choose your location to maximise your growth when setting up a MedTech business with her panel on ‘The Place to Be’. This positioned Arise as a growing Hub within the MedTech sector, and allowed access to Senior Leaders from across the Life Sciences, including industry, academia, government and regulators, providing unique opportunities to be part of the conversations that set out the industry’s challenges and identify effective strategies and solutions.

 

Additionally, Arise sponsored the Medilink Midlands award, alongside MTRC, for Partnership between Academia and Business. ARU became the first in the UK to receive the prestigious NCEE award, acknowledging the impact ARU has on entrepreneurs.

 

Arise welcomed a host of new businesses including Chat Automation, Purple, and Graphene Trace to the Chelmsford Hub, and Reformer Pilates Group and Strike Academy to the Harlow Hub. Virtual memberships were taken by businesses including C-Prio, Tech Balance, and Jam Up, resulting in a massive 44 businesses joining the Arise Ecosystem this year. This expands the Hub reach and creates opportunities for collaborations; a great measure of a successful year.

 

The LinkedIn follower count grew by approximately 44%, and the mailer subscriber count increased by 53% from last year. Meaning we were able to connect and expand our audience and reach as a hub of innovation in the region.

 

Three research internships were organised, helping Adiuvo Engineering, Antobot and Japeto support the intern involved to grow, developing the talent of the future. Each year, ARU supports a number of undergraduate research and innovation internships.  Providing experience, knowledge, and skills to participants, enabling knowledge exchange and generating impact. Projects can include prototype development, working with specific code or apps, business strategy for a new product, or work on marketing and communications for entry to new markets. This is made possible through the research and innovation fund (RIF) from ARU and is a huge benefit to our members. Adam Taylor of Adiuvo Engineering said his intern completed their internship full time during the summer vacation and “[Their intern was] excellent, as one would expect from ARU”. 

 

2024 has been a transformative year for Arise and its team, marked by significant achievements and growth across various programmes and initiatives. The ABOVE programme and the Innovation Accelerator have played pivotal roles in driving innovation, supporting business growth, and nurturing a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem in Essex.

 

Jack Ellum, Arise Innovations Hubs Manager, said

 

“Looking ahead, Arise Innovation Hub is poised to continue its mission of unlocking innovation and supporting the growth of new and existing businesses, further solidifying its role as a catalyst for economic development and technological advancement in the region.”

 

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