A thriving business centre in Southampton has record occupancy levels following the arrival of five new companies within four weeks.
Southpoint Films, a video production specialist, is the latest firm to locate to Ocean Village Innovation Centre.
The independent signed up to a two-desk office, one of 57 serviced offices at the five-storey centre operated by Oxford Innovation.
Other businesses to sign up in June alone include marine software provider iXBlue, legal firm Rowe Sparkes Partnership, quantity surveyor PBQS and energy sector recruiter Nine Twenty Energy.
Rob Greenberg, OVIC’s centre manager, said: “Southpoint’s arrival, hot on the heels of the four other firms in the past four weeks, takes occupancy to a record 78%.
“What we have here is a thriving business hub where start-ups and early-stage companies can flourish, generating jobs and inward investment for Southampton and the wider region.”
Southpoint Films was founded 18 months ago by managing director Rowan Johnson, a graduate from Southampton Solent University. He is assisted by Paul French, executive producer.
The business, which works for companies in Southampton, Hampshire and London, specialises in promotional films and live video streaming of conferences and events.
A recent commission includes covering a video streaming conference at the Royal College of Music in London and a community documentary about the £86,000 tribute in Romsey to the horses and mules that died in the First World War.
Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, unveils the life-size bronze resin statue of a horse and trooper in the War Memorial Park this Friday (JULY 3); Joey, the human horse puppet from the hit West End show War Horse takes part as well.
Rowan was introduced to the innovation centre in a speed networking event held there in February and organised by Eastleigh-based Southern Entrepreneurs.
Rowan said: “The networking event with Southern Entrepreneurs opened our eyes to Ocean Village Innovation Centre, which is conveniently located in Southampton, our commercial heartland, and has excellent facilities, freeing us up to focus on growing the business.”
In association with Southern Entrepreneurs, a networking event is now held every second month, with the next one due on Monday, July 29, from 6pm to 8pm.
Anne Dawson of Southern Entrepreneurs said: “As a non-profit making business support service, we are always pleased to point expanding businesses, such as Southpoint Films, in the right direction. In this case, we happily played match maker.”
Other occupiers at Ocean Village Innovation Centre include tugs company Svitzer Towage, Project Kudos, the international asset-backed investment specialist, business organisation Business South and The Training Room, a full-service careers provider.
