WHAT has been happening by way of encouraging innovative businesses at the University of York’s East Heslington site, should augur well for the new two- storey 2,000 sq metre ‘Innovation Campus’ at the Food and Environment Research Agency (Feras) in Sand Hutton this week.

On Friday, Government minister Lord Henley launches the venture - a £3 million project to attract “grow on” space by small to medium enterprises (SMEs) across the life sciences, biotechnology and environmental sectors.

The modular offices and laboratories hewn from a surplus-to-requirement building at Fera should provide the perfect home for growing high tech ventures and generate about 100 jobs.

About £2 million of funding came from the European Regional Development Fund while Fera’s owners, Defra, stumped up £1 million, Will it work? Well it was part of a massive £19.7 million investment agreed 18 months ago by the European Commission for a major project led by Science City York in partnership with the University of York and Fera.

What arose from that was the breathtaking futuristic Ron Cooke Hub and the Department of Computer Science which cost £21 million apiece.

The Ron Cooke Hub and The Catalyst house an integrated network of support for start-up and early-stage businesses. This includes incubator units and space for cutting-edge research centres that combine the innovation and expertise of academic staff, students and businesses.

So far, six new businesses have moved into Springboard, York Science Park’s exciting new pre-incubation space for start-up companies and entrepreneurs, on the upper floor of the Ron Cooke Hub.

Tracey Smith,York Science Park’s managing director, said: “Since Springboard opened its doors only a month ago, we’ve had a huge amount of interest from start-ups and entrepreneurs with great business ideas who want to use our dynamic space to transform their ideas into commercially viable reality.”

With the Fera project now comes a whole new layer of innovation, turning York into a permanent home for ventures which are marriages between commerce and academia.