Innovations Into Success Summer 2016 | Page 204

The Surrey Research Park

Location The Surrey Research Park Office Surrey Technology Centre 40 Occam Road The Surrey Research Park Guildford Surrey GU2 7YG
Contact Details Contact : Dr Malcolm Parry OBE , Managing Director Tel : 01483 579693 Fax : 01483 568946 Email : m . parry @ surrey . ac . uk or sales @ surrey . ac . uk Website : www . surrey-research-park . com
Partners The Surrey Research Park is wholly owned by the University of Surrey ’ s Foundation Fund .
Introduction The Surrey Research Park is a major centre of excellence in technology , science and engineering , and is widely regarded as the best of its kind in the UK . The Research Park is owned , developed and managed by The University of Surrey and is close to its campus in Guildford . The 70 acre ( 28.33 ha ) low density development provides a high quality working environment , with room for further expansion . Over 150 companies are currently located in 30 buildings on the Park , are engaged in a broad spectrum of research , development and design activities across a range of technologies .
The Surrey Research Park is the first Science Park to have undergone the newly formed UKSPA ASPIRE performance review process , and received an outstanding report . This revealed that the Park contributes an estimated annual contribution to the regional economy of between £ 450m and £ 625 million . This has been endorsed with a figure from a wider study of the contribution of the Park ’ s host University of £ 1.4bn GVA annually of which the Park in 2012 contributed £ 450m of this addition to the economy . Companies on the Park have been responsible for a substantial increase in employment in knowledge based sectors of the economy in Guildford and Surrey as a whole . Today the Park has a net asset value which exceeds £ 100m .
History and Objectives The Park was one of the founders of the UKSPA in 1984 . After an initial period of planning , construction on the site began in January 1984 and the first occupier moved to the site in 1985 , when the Surrey Technology Centre Incubator opened .
In developing The Surrey Research Park , the University of Surrey has five clear objectives which complement its existing industry / University links . These are :
• To assist with the economic development of the national , regional and local economy
• To raise the profile and international reputation of the University of Surrey and Guildford as a centre of excellence in technology
• To create an opportunity for technology transfer by strengthening the links between the University and industry
• To help European-based industry maintain its competitive edge through fostering innovation
• To create independent income for the University of Surrey and to create an opportunity for academic staff to act as consultants to companies on the Park .
To achieve these objectives the University has built appropriate accommodation for small , medium and large technology companies . The Surrey Technology Centre offers both pre- and full incubation as well as operating as a business centre for innovative technology companies . The incubation offer is part of the SETsquared consortium , which has been selected as the most successful incubator in the World assessed by UBI Index .
Progress to Date The diverse range of companies on the Park are active in innovation in science which involves discovery in inventing new products , engineering that involves part science and part problem solving , and customer focused innovation which addresses customer needs , products and services and business models .
202 UKSPA Directory 2016 / 17 Full Member • England