A NEW round of investment has been announced by Innovation Martlesham, the hi-tech cluster organisation for firms based at BT’s Adastral Park near Ipswich.

With a number of new tenants from the information and communication technology sector having moved into the Innovation Martlesham (IM) base at the complex in recent months, only one office currently remains available.

But with a high level of interest from other small firms keen to co-locate with some the major industry players based at Adastral Park, IM is now to press ahead with the refurbishment of more space within its home, the Ross Building, which will be available for occupation from February next year.

The investment was announced yesterday at a celebration event held to mark the IM initiative’s success in passing a number of milestones since its launch in 2008.

“Innovation Martlesham’s drive to attract ICT companies to Adastral Park, creating a high tech cluster has been a success,” said IM chairman David Ralph. “Since 2008, Innovation Martlesham has attracted over 20 new companies to the campus, and we have seen steady progress recently with seven new ICT tenants moving into newly refurbished Ross Building over the past six months.”

Mr Ralph said the additional space would provide office accommodation for a further five to nine staff and there was already “significant interest”. “Innovators out there may have to move quickly to secure their space”, he added.

IM has supported a number of start-up businesses through an incubator program, with firms accepted on the programme getting rent-free office space and communications services as well as access to a group of business mentors.

Scanner imaging software firm Disect Systems recently became the first incubator company to “graduate” and become a paying tenant.