18th May 2012
Entrepreneurs: Bedford Proves it has an i-Kan Attitude
6th Mar 2007
Aspiring entrepreneurs are set to benefit from a brand new incubator centre to be developed in Bedford Town Centre. Meeting the needs of early stage business start-ups; the Bedford i-KAN will offer affordable, quality office space and a host of shared services providing a supportive environment in which new ventures can prosper.
Once the centre opens in early 2008, i-Kan tenants will choose from virtual, full or part time tenancy; whichever best suits their business needs. i-Kan will also feature an extensive array of shared services including mail room, photocopying, faxing, kitchen and catering facilities, an accommodation address for start ups, PO Box numbers, meeting rooms, access to advice, networking and business support events.
This £1.2 million project will deliver wholesale refurbishment of a 3000 sq ft disused Georgian office building in Bedford’s Mill Street. i-Kan will be managed by Bedford Borough Council and is jointly funded through the Council and the Investing in Communities (IIC) Partnership Board, following a successful funding bid.
IIC is an EEDA initiative aimed at focusing resources from public, private and community organisations to tackle deprivation and inequality. i-Kan secured the funding to allow more equitable access to affordable business space. Traditional tenancy agreements can often be inflexible and expensive and IIC partners felt disadvantaged groups were being unnecessarily excluded from starting their own businesses.
i-Kan also aims to increase both business start up rates and rates of survival in the area. It is hoped the flexibility, added support and value offered by i-Kan will go a long way to achieving these goals for the benefit of the local community.
