Harwell Innovation Centre is celebrating 25 years at the heart of the UK’s innovation landscape. Since opening its doors in 2000, the centre has supported pioneering startups and scale-ups in sectors ranging from space and energy to life sciences and quantum tech.

Located on Harwell Campus, Harwell Innovation Centre, which is managed by Oxford Innovation Space has supported over 300 businesses, providing the space, business support and the opportunities needed to grow and thrive in a collaborative and inspiring environment.

Jo Stevens, Managing Director of Oxford Innovation Space, which runs the UK’s largest network of innovation centres said: “Harwell Innovation Centre highlights the power of innovation centres to build communities of SMEs, drive local economic growth, and support the development of groundbreaking technologies. We are proud to have supported so many companies to start, scale and succeed over the last 25 years and we are proud to have contributed to the success of the wider campus.”

From virtual office, to desk, office and meeting room space, the centre is supporting early stage businesses and start-ups with the infrastructure needed to grow, scale sustainably, and bring their pioneering products to market.

Paul McSweeney, Senior Director at Hawell Campus, said: “Harwell Innovation Centre is a vital part of our campus ecosystem, providing a nurturing environment for those at the start of their innovation journeys and a crucial stepping stone on to their own premises. The centre boasts many success stories, and there are exciting developments going on across the Harwell Campus to provide a home for many more businesses graduating from the centre, now and in the future.”

Astroscale, a leader in space debris removal, is a standout campus success story. Beginning its journey in the Innovation Centre, the company set up mission control for its first successful ELSA-d mission at the Satellite Applications Catapult, earned recognition as one of TIME100’s most influential companies and has since scaled up into the Zeus Building at Harwell.

Other successes include, RedWave Labs, T-Squared, Oxford Sigma, Digostics, Gigaclear, Agamatrix and Woodruff Scientific to name just a few.  

As it marks its 25th anniversary, Harwell Innovation Centre continues to foster the next generation of changemakers, ensuring that the UK remains at the forefront of scientific and technological innovation.