Innovation Factory has had an unprecedented 60% increase in enquiries for flexible, hybrid working options as business confidence returns.
Our Centre Director, Majella Barkley, said: “This surge of interest signals a growing confidence by businesses as they look for new ways to bring their teams together again. Companies are looking for flexibility, shorter lease requirements and the ability to scale up or down quickly.”
In the past two months, we have seen 11 businesses move in while five existing companies have expanded rapidly, growing their teams as they scale up to bigger premises within the building.
One of the new businesses, estate agency McAteer Solutions, moved to Innovation Factory as the company expands into the Belfast property market. With offices in Dungiven and Toomebridge, the company was ready for growth.
Company founder Olga McAteer, explained: “Our philosophy is to locate away from the high street in order to offer our customers easy, free parking whilst also challenging the conventional way of selling property in today’s market. Our forward thinking and straight-talking business etiquette lie at the heart of everything we do and helps us to be successful throughout the whole of Northern Ireland.”
For Steve Geary of graphic design agency, Forme Studio, the time was right to move out of the home office and into a dedicated workspace. His business is growing and he’s hoping to employ an additional designer and a junior soon.
“I was working from an office in my back garden, but lockdown changed my opinion of working from home; I realised how much I missed seeing other people and getting out to work. I chose Innovation Factory because I loved the space, which is ideal for meetings with clients. There’s such an interesting mix of other businesses with the potential to collaborate on projects,” he added.
