Oxford Innovation Space has announced a new collaborative alliance with London Gatwick, aimed at fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and strategic engagement between the newly launched Crawley Innovation Centre and the airport.
This alliance reflects a shared commitment to driving economic growth and innovation across the region. It will see Oxford Innovation Space and London Gatwick collaborate on a range of initiatives to strengthen the regional innovation ecosystem and accelerate the development of cutting-edge technologies.
Activities will include an annual innovation challenge for local businesses to encourage creative solutions to real-world airport and aviation challenges. Specialist colleagues from London Gatwick will also participate in networking events at the Crawley Innovation Centre, creating valuable connections for businesses.
Located in the heart of the Manor Royal Business District, the Crawley Innovation Centre is a dynamic hub designed to support high-growth SMEs and micro-enterprises, particularly those operating in advanced engineering, clean energy, and digital technologies. Owned by Crawley Borough Council and managed by Oxford Innovation Space, the centre offers modern, flexible workspace, workshops, and meeting facilities alongside in-house business support services to accelerate business growth.
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“Working with London Gatwick is a significant milestone for the Crawley Innovation Centre and Oxford Innovation Space,” said Neil Griffin, Business Support Director of Oxford Innovation Space. “This collaboration will open doors for businesses at the centre – and potentially our wider network – to engage with one of the UK’s most important transport hubs, creating exciting opportunities for innovation and growth.”
Richard Lennard, Economic Partnerships Manager at London Gatwick, explained:
"London Gatwick is delighted to be working in partnership with Oxford Innovation Space to provide opportunities for local entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs. As a regional economic anchor with an extensive supply chain, we recognise and value the need to help embryonic companies grow, which in turn provides a boost to the local economy and productivity by creating new high value jobs. As an established industry partner of the Sussex and Surrey Institute of Technology, we are looking forward to further enhancing the local innovation ecosystem as the Crawley Innovation Centre helps local businesses to grow over the coming years."
One of the first initiatives to emerge from the new alliance was a dedicated Gateway to Innovation event, which took place at the centre on 19 February 2026. Featuring speakers from both London Gatwick and Oxford Innovation Space, the event gathered together local technology businesses to network, showcase their innovations, and engage directly with industry experts.
Oxford Innovation Space employs a holistic approach to supporting entrepreneurs by designing and managing space with their needs in mind. The company collaborates with a range of industry-leading organisations including Microsoft, Google and Dell, to provide its SME customers with exclusive tools, resources, and specialist support.
Currently supporting over 900 businesses throughout its network of over 30 centres across the UK and Ireland, Oxford Innovation Space plays an integral role in building communities of SMEs, championing innovation and driving local economic growth.
For more information about the Crawley Innovation Centre, visit www.crawley-ic.co.uk.
