Small ventures get involved at York St John University Phoenix Centre (From York Press)

Small ventures get involved at York St John University Phoenix Centre

11:18am Tuesday 5th May 2009

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AN EXCITED pioneering spirit is pervading the Phoenix Centre on the campus of York St John University.

Eighteen small venturers, many of them startups, are in the phalanx of an £80,000 experimental incubator project which is expected to foster a whole new generation of creative and digital businesses.

It is thrilling enough that all will have their own workstations in that hexagonal former National Health Service training suite at minimal cost for the first six months, followed by heavily subsidised rent for the next six months.

And their enthusiasm is justified considering that they will have access not only to the university’s specialist technical facilities but also to sector-specific business support, mentoring and training.

But the process of creating a buzzing community with built-in interaction and mutual help is happening mindblowingly quickly.

Co-ordinating the two-year pilot scheme is Heather Niven, Science City York’s Creative and IT & Digital Sector specialist. She is collaborating with Professor Dianne Willcocks, the university’s vicechancellor, Colin Parkin, head of facilities at York St John, and Andy Gurnell, delivery services manager at Science City York.

Heather said: “Even before its official opening planned for May 14, incredible commercial and personal bonds have begun to grow between the little companies.

“It augurs well for achieving our aim – to create a centre of excellence, a think-tank of bright, innovative young businesses for Science City York to champion, ultimately producing robust and adaptable companies able to progress into commercial space and develop further.

“The occupants are already starting to see the benefits of being in the centre, having received offers of paid work and collaborative contracts already through Phoenix Networking events – soirees with staff at the university.

“They have also been commissioned by Science City York to produce a website, graphics and a logo for the project. The excitement is palpable.”

So who are the new kids in the Phoenix Centre block?

Here are the brief details of some of them. Now back them if you can

Dan Croxen-John, of booming Applied Web Analytics, helps businesses to generate more sales and repeat business by analysing the shortfalls in their websites and recommending solutions. Result? Sales leads increasing by as much as 423 per cent.

Corine Young and Ria Spencer of Spencer and Young, textile design and production. The duo aim to produce premium, printed furnishing fabrics within the UK. They actually grow their textile fibre crop and control the production process from field to fabric.

Abhay Adhikari, of Dhyan Design. A Music PhD, Abhay is developing an interactive breath-training device for use by schoolchildren to develop an awareness of controlled breathing – a starting point towards creating a healthy lifestyle and useful adjunct to stress and behaviour management therapies.

John O’Neill, of O’Neills Training Solutions, specialises in eLearning and training, including some instructor-led training. The eLearning is comprised of off-the-shelf software, aimed at the legal sector and includes “Lawyers Accounting Regulations” and “Advanced Training Techniques”. Each off-the-shelf module comes with a free bespoke service whereby clients can have for free their own training material added to the software.

Chris Jevons, of Jevs Design and Illustration, creates both print and e-cards for clients such as Hallmark and working on a double page spread for a music magazine. His work can be seen on his website, www.jevsillustration.com

Richard Forne Wilson, of Forest, a multi-disciplinary graphic design company founded in January and specialising in brand identity, and all printed matter ranging from books, brochures, and posters to packaging and CD covers. It also offers art direction, film work, illustrations and select photography projects.

Thomas Rhodes, of Tom Rhodes Photography, specialises in photography and digital art. He produces modern, contemporary images by using the latest digital technologies and techniques. the camera, not the person behind the camera’, “A motto that Tom Rhodes Photography always works to!”

Katie Fathers, of Pilot Theatre, describes her activities as Performance/New technologies/ Participation. She creates, develops and tours pioneering high quality, culturally diverse theatre work for young people. In addition Pilot Theatre delivers a national programme of workshops and resources for schools to encourage active participation and give young people direct contact with professional artists. In June, Pilot Theatre will run Shift Happens 2.0, a national conference hosted in York that will investigate the opportunities it presents for arts organisations.

Ian Rigby, of Creative Protégé, who with his wife, Nicola, helps creative graduates and juniors get into permanent work within the design industry. Ian’s background in creative recruitment in London and Leeds allows him to link up hundreds of design agencies with graduates on projects, which give them a showcase for their talents. Many Phoenix Centre ventures have already benefited from the link.

Andrea Petch, of Funkmeister Fitness, a mobile technology company, specialising in social networking for sport fitness and nutrition. A former sports producer and teacher, she was appointed as a director on the Millennium Dome, where she worked at ministerial level across six government departments. Andrea has been making short-films for four years and has gained experience as postproduction supervisor, producer and production mentor. She has produced documentaries, corporate DVD and several short films through her production company, Funkmeister.

Richard Moulds, of Goop 3D, a digital design and modelling service. Richard is grateful to the Phoenix Centre for giving him a starting point and offering to help him through his difficult first few months. He produces creative 3D models for an array of clients, from private individuals through to web design companies who do not have full- time 3D graphics capability.

Peter Maris, sculptor, who from 1991 worked for ten years as a stonecarver restoring the Minster’s West Front. He combines his skills honed gaining his BA in fine art (Sculpture) at St Martins School of Art in 1980, with his fascination for the combination of ancient skills with the patterns of modern technology. Hence his sculptures such as a barcode made of magnesium limestone quarried in Tadcaster.

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