Doors to ‘exceptional’ £18m Stowmarket Innovation Gateway officially open

14/07/26

A transformational skills and innovation centre has been officially opened today during an event attended by more than 100 local businesses, organisations and dignitaries.

Mid Suffolk District Council’s Stowmarket Innovation Gateway, backed by Freeport East, offers office spaces for high growth start-ups, collaboration and innovation areas, meeting rooms, a café and high-quality training spaces.

It will be a hub for firms with a particular focus on the green economy, digital and AI technology.

The project has been delivered in partnership with Universities of Suffolk and Essex, West Suffolk College, Suffolk New College and Colchester Institute who will be delivering a programme of professional development courses to address the region’s skills gap.

The workshops and courses are open to all adults with local employers receiving direct access to higher-level training that used to mean travelling outside the district.

Cllr Richard Winch, cabinet member for housing and property at Mid Suffolk District Council, said:

“I am thrilled to see the doors of this exceptional centre officially open.
The Stowmarket Innovation Gateway was designed with growing sectors such as the green economy and digital/AI technology at the heart.
Its mission is to help ensure that businesses and individuals in the area are not left behind by the next wave of economic change but are instead equipped to shape and build it.”

It has been made possible thanks to a Freeport East agreement to provide £16.66m to the project, with the remaining costs provided by Mid Suffolk District Council.

Attendees at today's event took part in a series of demonstrations, including robotic strawberry picking from Verstile RobotX, AV headsets with Space East, West Suffolk College's SimVan, and a responsive AI avatar from 1956 Individuals.

Lisa Perkins, Chair of the Suffolk Business Board, who delivered the keynote speech at the event said:

“It’s great to see the Stowmarket Innovation Gateway officially open. I am a firm believer that innovation doesn’t happen in isolation, it needs the right environment. It needs to be a space in which businesses, founders, students and entrepreneurs can come together and this building allows for that and ultimately, is set up for success.
Suffolk has some incredible assets which often, don’t get the credit that they deserve – this centre is another fantastic addition to the county and a truly exciting opportunity for local businesses and budding entrepreneurs.”

Mark Lemmon, Chair of Freeport East, said:

“The Stowmarket Innovation Gateway is another asset at Gateway 14 to attract world-class ambitious businesses to the region. A fantastic new facility designed to house, support and enable innovative business activity which will also support local communities to develop the skills they need to thrive in modern jobs.
It will be a focal point for the region in terms of an inspiring place to build new initiatives and partnerships in tech, agriculture, sustainable construction and much more.”

It will be operated by Hethel Innovation, which provides innovation growth support to hundreds of businesses across East Anglia and already manages three innovation hubs in Norfolk.

Chris Sargisson, Chief Executive Officer at Hethel Innovation Ltd said:

"The Stowmarket Innovation Gateway is more than a building – it is a catalyst for innovation, collaboration and business growth. Together with our partners, we are creating an environment where ideas can flourish, ambitious businesses can scale, and communities can benefit from high-value jobs and investment. Our doors are open to all — and always will be."

The building, which was delivered by Wilten Construction and Jaynic in partnership with Gateway 14, meets a BREEAM excellent rated, includes a green roof and solar panels, as well as offering incredibly fast 10 gigabits per second fibre connection - the fastest available anywhere in the region.

Gateway 14 is already home to a 1.17 million sq ft logistics and distribution centre for The Range, a distribution centre for Ipswich-based Bauder, and a factory for Assan Panels - both manufacturers of eco-friendly construction materials.

Official opening of the Stowmarket Innovation Gateway