Innovation demands more space
Posted on 27 April 2001
The building will extend the existing Innovation Centre by 10,635 square feet and provides space for small or start-up businesses. As well as office space, this is the first facility in the region to provide laboratories on a speculative basis. Five of the six laboratories have been taken by Cell Analysis, a spin-off company of the University of York.
Another of the first tenants is Lexicle Ltd, a spin-off company from the University's department of Computer Science. Lexicle's products derive from computational linguistics, artificial intelligence and 3D graphics.
"Our vision is to change the way people interact with computers," says Director Nick Bolton. "Our first product, agentX, is a virtual customer services agent.
Customers can engage in an online conversation with agentX just as if they were calling a person at a call centre. AgentX can do this because it takes a semantic approach to dialogue - understanding what the customer is saying and providing appropriate feedback. We combine this with a 3D character, so the customer engages with a talking, gesturing, smiling 3D virtual customer service agent."
Other tenants of the Innovation Centre extension include Southfield Systems, Bioincubator (York) Ltd, IFAB Communications, LiveDevices, and the Aoraki Corporation.
The Innovation Centre has been full since it first opened in 1995, and has provided space for 24 businesses. Many have expanded and moved into larger accommodation. One such company is Infocom (UK) Ltd, who are about to move into their own purpose-built accommodation on York Science Park.
"The Innovation Centre has accommodated many start-up science-based businesses in the last six years, many of which have moved on as they grew," said Innovation Centre Manager, Susanne Walker. "It is extremely encouraging for York's economy that an extension to the building is necessary, and that it is almost full from day one."
Notes to editors:
- The Innovation Centre Manager, Susanne Walker (01904 435110), and Nick Bolton, Director of Lexicle (01904 435266) are available for interview.
- Reporters and photographers are welcome to attend the opening. Please contact Susanne Walker or Gail Dodgson on 435100 in advance.
- The extension to the Innovation Centre will be opened by Susan Johnson, Business Development Director at Yorkshire Forward, at 11.30 am on Friday 27 April.
- The architects for the extension are W.C.E.C., the contractors Harrisons, project management and quantity surveyors Gleeds, and structural engineers Fairhurst.