Innovation centre has a new Deller at the helm

A flourishing serviced offices centre in Southampton has appointed a new manager.

Stephen Deller oversees Ocean Village Innovation Centre (OVIC) in Ocean Village, Southampton.

The hub, which provides individual workstations and offices, is home to 40 businesses, with nearly 90% occupancy.

Oxford Innovation operates OVIC and 24 other innovation centres across the UK, including two others in south Hampshire – Fareham Innovation Centre and Portsmouth Technopole.

A fourth one in east Hampshire, BASE Bordon Innovation Centre, is a brand new workspace run by Oxford Innovation, supporting start-ups, small to medium enterprises and high-growth businesses.

Stephen was previously a business manager and operations manager at Learndirect, the UK’s largest provider of skills, learning and employment services, and a store director at retail store chain Beales.

Oxford Innovation’s regional manager for the South, Stephen Brownlie, said: “OVIC is flourishing as a supportive working environment for 40 businesses, with many benefitting from flexible workspace so that they can expand or reduce their footprints without being tied into long leases and costly lease terminations.

“With five new signings, Stephen has hit the ground running - OVIC is getting busier and busier, with occupancy levels at nearly 90%.”

Stephen Deller said: “OVIC is a hotbed for successful enterprises and is well placed to accommodate new and early-stage businesses, providing a collaborative working environment, workstations and tailored offices.

“Industry figures show that economic growth in Southampton is set to rise by 21% over the next eight years, generating further demand for flexible workspace from Millennials and follow-on Generation Z.”

He added: “There is also the benefit to occupiers of in-house advisory support from our innovation director Richard May.”

As Oxford Innovation’s innovation director for Hampshire, Richard provides advisory support, at no extra cost, to business owner occupiers with strategic advice, impactful introductions and ecosystem development.

Along with Stephen and assistant centre manager Jess Williams, OVIC has two centre support assistants - Caroline O’Neill and Hannah Fray.