Background & Context

 

Start/End Date

 

GTi was established in 1999 by Dr Lynne Gornall as the 'Graduate Teleworking Initiative'.

 

Case Study tags: learning spaces, refurbishment, university of glamorgan, business start-up, wales, business and community engagement (bce), higher education

 

What was the context of the development?

 

GTi was established at a time when some of the creative activities and talent within Glamorgan and the Welsh Valleys were disappearing once graduates left so GTi started to help stem some of this flow and the service and operation evolved.

 

GTI's aim has always been to support student and graduate entrepreneurs to develop viable businesses in support of the Welsh (Valleys) economy.

 

GTI is part of Glamorgan's Learning and Corporate Support Services - Information Systems (LCSS-IS).

 

At the time of JISC infoNet's visit, GTi had recently (November 2010) moved across Navigation Park at Abercynon and scaled down its physical space from larger premises (2000 sq ft) to smaller office space in the Valleys Innovation Centre. The move was as a result of the University of Glamorgan taking the strategic decision to formally partner with Venture Wales to relocate Glamorgan's Graduate Incubator facility (GTi) to Venture Wales' premises.

 

Type of Project

 

Existing site. On site located away from main campuses.

 

What is it?

 

GTi is the University of Glamorgan's business incubation facility based off campus in the Valleys Innovation Centre. The building is on an expanding business park, Navigation Park in Abercynon, South Wales. The location provides a credible business address and facilities are designed to enable a new business to 'punch above its weight', concentrating on development and test trading, without the potential risks involved in making premature financial commitments for premises and equipment.

 

The space provides a professional working environment (on a hot desking basis) for early stage businesses, with a focus on timely and specialist support.

 

Over three hundred businesses have benefitted from this publicly-funded Project.

 

What happens in the space?

 

The University of Glamorgan's Business Incubator, GTi, provides a professional office environment and links to business support in Wales, as well as in-house seminars on business issues. GTi sees business incubation as a 'process', and 'not just premises'. The GTi community of businesses provides an encouraging and supportive environment. It also offers opportunities to find business services at reasonable cost.

 

GTi supports new businesses in all sectors, from digital media-based businesses to consultants, service providers and social enterprises. Pam Voisey, Business Incubation Manager, believes that this mix of experiences, skills and ideas helps to creatively stimulate the work within the environment.

 

GTi has recently (2010-11) moved across the Navigation Park at Abercynon and scaled down its physical space from larger premises (2000 sq ft) to smaller office space in Venture Wales. The new space consists of 3 offices.

The first office on the GTi corridor is ostensibly the Administration Office and contains the central services. Client businesses have the option of having either a post box or a pigeon hole for collection of post, messages, etc. Post boxes have a one off non-refundable deposit. There is no charge for pigeon holes. Photocopying, printing and faxing facilities are available. Printing and photocopying is charged for but individuals enter their use in a log book and invoices are circulated on a monthly basis.

 

All desks are available on a hot desking basis apart from one desk that has been assigned exclusively to Tim Long of TiGra Networks as he provides the (invaluable) IT support to GTi.

 

Grace Long offers some administrative support to GTi. She runs one of the client businesses - Live Assistant Business Solutions (LABS). Grace also coordinates the GTi Business Network a 'grass-roots initiative' aiming to create better networking opportunities within the Rhondda and across South Wales - it is free to join and meets on the third Thursday of each month.

 

Support available to client businesses

 

The link with Venture Wales means that clients sign up to participate in 6 modules including Marketing, Operations, Market Research and Financial Management.

 

Six hours of funded face to face support is also available in order to produce a business case - it is a structured process.

 

Alongside her other work at GTi, Pam offers 'attitudinal' support, this includes facilitating discussions, acting as a sounding board for ideas and issues, etc. Usually when someone has a business idea and wants to put into action it can mean that there is a lot of focus on themselves and what they're doing and how they're doing it. Pam supports individuals in switching the focus. She uses the expression 'Have you shopped at your own store' as a way of getting them to think things through and see things from a consumer/client perspective.

 

Pam also facilitates discussions on customer service, on recognising good and bad service and how to change things for the better with gentle and personal education. At GTi this is considered to be an essential component of the pre-incubation phase of a business. 

 

Funding Sources

 

In 1998 Dr Gornall received European Social Fund (ESF) funding for the project. The initial project was about supporting graduates and students to use the new opportunities provided by 'teleworking' to take on commercial contracts and start enterprises. Networking and communication was slow and expensive compared to 2011, and home broadband did not exist. There was therefore a need for a physical location for graduate entrepreneurs.

 

1999-2000 Pilot

 

European funding supported the pilot project and an application for EU European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Objective One funding was made. BT bridged the funding gap between the two tranches of EU funding in 2000. This funding was matched by the University.

 

Welsh Assembly Government (WDA), Local Authority and other private sector support was also secured to help in the development of GTi.

 

Technology

 

What technology is being used and how is it being used?

 

GTi is wireless enabled.

 

Telephones are VOIP (voice over internet protocol) over broadband. One business is a telecoms provider so non-geographical calls are routed through that company's facilities.

 

The telephone service available at GTi includes a messaging facility that converts messages to wav files that are then emailed to people so that they can be picked up via email, for extra convenience.

 

G-Blog (aka The Listening Zone) is a blogging site initially set up as part of the JISC funded project 'The Trialling of Collaborative Online Tools for BCE'. Managed by GTi, It is used to facilitate interactions between the University of Glamorgan, regional small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and GTi.

 

How does the technology add value?

 

A number of the client businesses are internet based and involve the sharing of information internationally so the availability of robust and predictable technology platforms is vital for sustainability.

 

G-Blog enables expertise with the University, SMEs and GTi to be easily mobilised.

 

Success Factors

 

What makes the space successful?

 

The people involved are integral to the success of the space. GTi is a trust-based environment. There is not an administration team in place so some of the systems that might usually be in place are not. Pam Voisey describes it as a community working together and with each other.

 

GTi Chair Metaphor

 

GTi uses a metaphor for incubation of a stool and chair. It is easy to sit on a stool (and new businesses can establish themselves on their own) but if you want support you go to a chair - so GTi is the chair - the support for new businesses.

• Pam is able to fill in some of the gaps. She has wide experience and it is important to have somebody on site to answer any questions. She is also able to broker meetings between client businesses and useful contacts within the University
• Networking opportunities are available within GTi and in the wider community
• Support is very much tailored to individual businesses
• Businesses within GTi generally have good relations with each other, and can offer mutual support in a variety of ways

 

GTi Registration

 

There are currently approximately 60 businesses registered with GTi. It costs a one-off payment of £60 (one-off payment) to register, for the first year.

 

GTi has always been immoveable on not charging for rent and services as there is a belief that it could be a barrier to enterprise. It gives the new businesses some breathing space whilst establishing themselves. The breathing space is required as Pam suggests that the activity around setting up a business always takes twice as long as anticipated.

Businesses that have already begun to be established can join for six months (or longer) as associate members. Associate membership costs £200 for six months.

 

Work Routine

 

Some members prefer the routine of coming into work - it can improve performance for some people. There can be some perception issues around being seen to be 'working from home' and the lines between professional and personal lives can become blurred. GTi offers a number of benefits - it's a physical space to go to. Top 3 suggested benefits to the user:

• business support
• a credible business address
• access to a range of high quality meeting rooms

 

Diverse Activity

 

GTi has a diverse portfolio of client business. The use of the facilities is very varied and the mix is always changing. Pam believes that the diversity is vital in order to encourage creativity and ensure cross-fertilisation of ideas.

 

Proven returns on investment

 

Pam estimates that approximately £4 million returns in invoice values. It's a very cost-effective model - 'you don't need a flashy building'. The successful template could potentially be rolled out elsewhere.

 

Professional Approach

 

Client businesses within the space can use the GTi address as their business address and this can help to convey a very professional image to potential customers and peers. Also the acknowledgement of being a 'member of GTi business network' can prove to be very positive. The access to professional support and networks can help new businesses 'punch above their weight' or as Pam describes it, 'fake it 'til you make it!'

 

What principles were behind the design?

 

Enterprise and employability activity are both integral to the University of Glamorgan's strategic development and the continuing support and development of GTi by the University is an important element of this.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glamorgan, Julie Lydon, commented on Employability, Collaboration and Research in the 2010 Annual Report and said that, 'On the basis of comprehensive consultative exercises with our students, staff and key stakeholders, I am confident that "employability" and "innovation and business engagement" will be key themes that will differentiate the University in the foreseeable future and will provide a focus for shaping innovative, professional courses and services that meet their needs'. Source: Annual Report

 

GTi's move and formal partnership with Venture Wales in November 2010 was the culmination of a successful year for GTI; one of its companies Techsol UK Ltd won Best Start Up of the Year at the annual Rhondda Cynon Taf Business Club awards.

 

GTi is an initiative that, 'supports Glamorgan's continued commitment to the employability agenda which will form an increasingly important part of the University's strategy over the next year' (2011). Source: Annual Report

 

What is innovative about the design? And use of the building?

 

The furniture used in the space has been used elsewhere in the University and has been given to the space, helping to keep costs down.

 

Top Tips

 

• For pre-incubation, it is possible to offer shared services, which keeps setup and revenue costs down, and supports many more entrepreneurs than dedicated office space.

 

• It is important to have local champions to support your cause and GTi has had very positive support from champions within the local community, principally the local Assembly Member, Christine Chapman.

 

• GTi is strategically off-campus as the theory is that if you put students and graduates on campus they are conditioned to behave like students - rather than professionals. Also, client perception can be affected by the 'only students' label.

 

• It is important to provide some informal space as well as work space for networking, informal discussions, etc. GTi has a small informal space in one of the rooms and also access to a kitchen with table and chairs.

 

• Fairness is important with regard to use of facilities as is covering costs. Pam keeps an eye on telephone call volume and if the volume appears to be beyond what is manageable and acceptable then a charge may be made to individuals.

 

• There is always one PC held back from the GTi offices so that it is spare in case any of the other machines goes down - this ensures that every desk space always has a working PC on it.

 

• Take up opportunities when they are offered. GTi was featured in a radio campaign a few years ago with the tag line 'Give it a try with GTi'. The advert did capture the imagination of some people and offered new business and connections.

 

Lessons Learned

 

What changes have you made as a result of receiving feedback?

 

The original mix of technology was weighted to Apple Macs as it was felt that GTi would attract predominantly digital media businesses. While this was true to some extent; when new infrastructure was purchased in 2008 the change was made to 80% PC and 20% Apple Macs in response to client usage patterns.

 

Anything else you wish to add (e.g. practicalities of relocating site and/or moving legacy systems and equipment).

The move to smaller premises brought challenges. In order to ensure that the move went as seamlessly as possible there was a major effort invested in the planning of the move. The spaces and furniture were all measured and Microsoft Visio was used to help plan out new floor plans, in order to get the best possible benefit out of the space available. This proved to be very successful.

 

What could have been improved?

 

GTi did offer 'warm desking' for a time when in their previous accommodation but there is not the space or funding available for this activity now. 'Warm desking' was a way of providing a growing business with a dedicated desk in a shared environment, with dedicated telephone and tailored sales support. This would still be a valid and valuable offer to suit all businesses outgrowing hot desking, but the new strategic alliance, with support and business property agency Venture Wales, means that this aspect of business support is now handled by them.

 

Project Contact Details

 

 

Pam Voisey - gti@glam.ac.uk,

Tel: 01443 482670

Fax: 01443 482669

Post: GTi Centre, Valleys Innovation Centre, Navigation Park, Abercynon, CF45 4SN

 

Case study written May 2011.