STEAMhouse Phase 1
Published on 16 April 2019
United Kingdom
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
The GBS LEP’s Strategy for Growth has identified the need to drive the STEAM skills base of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull (GBS) city region, as well as the importance of strengthening the innovation capabilities of business and public services. The UK Innovation Survey 2013, placed the West Midlands 6th of 9 regions in terms of percentage of innovation active businesses. Furthermore, the Higher Education Funding Council for England reported that the GBS LEP area was performing below the national average in terms of SMEs involved in collaborative innovation. STEAMHouse will address these gaps by harnessing the power of the creative and cultural sectors to drive new forms of innovation - fusing learning, knowledge, practice and production across growth sectors and establishing a community of multidisciplinary thinkers.
STEAMhouse is a maker facility which provides open memberships and access for creative SMEs, policy makers, stakeholders, businesses, academics, entrepreneurs, designers, makers and others.
STEAMhouse:
• Generates research co-operations
• Provides improved innovation facilities for researchers
• Establishes a production facility featuring staffed workshops
• Provides space for making
Phase 2 is a more ambitious proposition bringing the learning from Phase 1 into a large-scale innovation campus in Birmingham which will support research development, co-creation of knowledge, simulation of innovation, incubation, new learning and business
STEAMhouse is a maker facility which provides open memberships and access for creative SMEs, policy makers, stakeholders, businesses, academics, entrepreneurs, designers, makers and others.
STEAMhouse:
• Generates research co-operations
• Provides improved innovation facilities for researchers
• Establishes a production facility featuring staffed workshops
• Provides space for making
Phase 2 is a more ambitious proposition bringing the learning from Phase 1 into a large-scale innovation campus in Birmingham which will support research development, co-creation of knowledge, simulation of innovation, incubation, new learning and business
Expert opinion
STEAMhouse is an innovation space that combines co-working spaces and makerspace. It focuses on developing science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) skills to create innovative products and services in Greater Birmingham and Solihull (GBS) city region. The initiative promotes the development of creative and cultural industries through diffusing the adoption of new technologies and digital equipment. STEAMhouse will create in its next phase a large-scale innovation campus in Birmingham which will support research development, co-creation of knowledge, incubation…
Some insights from the good practice:
-STEAMhouse illustrates the importance to anchor creativity and innovation within a city. It shows the importance to have high-level amenities and a central location to offer relevant innovation services to its users in the development of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) skills. Regions that aim to create a large-scale creative and innovation space could learn from this initiative.
-Such innovation spaces must consider providing high-level amenities to users such as a coffee shop or a restaurant within the innovation space, leisure spaces, and co-working community spaces open to the public to retain its users with the objectives to promote formal and informal face-to-face interactions, the creation of networks, and the spread of tacit knowledge.
Some insights from the good practice:
-STEAMhouse illustrates the importance to anchor creativity and innovation within a city. It shows the importance to have high-level amenities and a central location to offer relevant innovation services to its users in the development of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) skills. Regions that aim to create a large-scale creative and innovation space could learn from this initiative.
-Such innovation spaces must consider providing high-level amenities to users such as a coffee shop or a restaurant within the innovation space, leisure spaces, and co-working community spaces open to the public to retain its users with the objectives to promote formal and informal face-to-face interactions, the creation of networks, and the spread of tacit knowledge.
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
The initial start-up costs for phase 1 was £3.5 million. This was funded through ERDF, Arts Council and supported by Birmingham City University and Eastside Projects an artist led organisation.
The centre is staffed by 5 technicians and a programme manager.
The centre is staffed by 5 technicians and a programme manager.
Evidence of success
STEAMhouse provides the city with a brand new innovation facility in the heart of the creative quarter. Visitor numbers are growing steadily, people are attending a wide ranging programme of events from STEAMlabs to Production Space membership workshops. We already have 190 eligible registered members signed up, who have received 12 hours of support to develop new products and utilise the facilities.
Potential for learning or transfer
The STEAMhouse concept of developing a space which supports collaborative innovation by providing coworking, challenge and maker space under one roof is has potential for transfer and replication in other cities. The STEAM concept promotes the combination of the Arts with Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEAM), to create new products and service which is an emerging theme in innovation policy across the EU.
The funding model which combines the ERDF support with arts funding and also the integration and support from a university is also something which could be useful to other cities and regions.
The funding model which combines the ERDF support with arts funding and also the integration and support from a university is also something which could be useful to other cities and regions.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Birmingham City University
United Kingdom
West Midlands
Contact
Project Manager