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Software firm's new £30m HQ aims to boost growth

Janine Machinand
Aimee Dexter,Cambridgeshire
BBC Caoimhe Keogan is standing in the middle of a room which is currently under construction. She is wearing a blue hard hat and a purple Hi-Vis jacket.BBC
Caoimhe Keogan said the new investment would help its growth in the future

An industrial software company hopes a new £30m investment in its new headquarters will support future growth.

Aveva said its research and development centre expansion would open at the Cambridge Science Park next year, coinciding with its 60th year of operation.

Its software aims to help companies design and run complex sites - like manufacturing facilities, oil rigs and ships - more efficiently.

"It is about a fit-for-purpose, highly sustainable building that we can consolidate teams in today, and create room for future growth," said Caoimhe Keogan, Aveva's chief people officer.

"We are very committed to Cambridge; we have access to great talent and we think it is a great home for innovation."

Steve Hubbard/BBC An aerial image of Cambridge Science Park. There are several large, modern buildings with a lot of glass. One of them, which is in the middle, is the Aveva building which is three storeys high and has a car park outside the front.Steve Hubbard/BBC
Aveva's new headquarters will be located at Cambridge Science Park, just off the A14's Milton Road junction

The company grew out of Cambridge University in the 1960s - pioneering 3D design - and has since worked with abound 25,000 companies including AstraZeneca, Michelin, Starbucks and Scottish Power.

About 500 of the company's 10,000 global staff are based across its two sites in Cambridge - at the Science Park and at Madingley Road.

Those workers at Madingley Road are all expected to transfer to the other site by 2027. The company will now occupy the whole Cambridge Science Park building as a result of the £30m investment.

Keogan said the company had also been welcoming new forms of artificial intelligence (AI), adding that it "provides us with the opportunity to make our software more user-friendly for the customer".

Philippa Read is standing in front of a glass door. She has short brown hair and is wearing a white and black polka dot shirt and a black blazer.
Philippa Read, who works at the Madingley Road site, said the move was exciting

Philippa Read works as a user experience designer at the company.

She said the move would "ease communication" and allow for more collaboration.

"It could be really exciting... we are going to be moving across in waves over the next six months or so," she added.

"It will be really good for those collaborative workshop scenarios for us to be face-to-face."

Jane Hutchins is standing in a room which has large glass windows and plants on the right. Hutchins has short light brown hair and is wearing a black blazer and gold necklace.
Jane Hutchins called Aveva's move to the science park "exciting"

Jane Hutchins, director of external affairs and innovation at Cambridge Science Park, said: "It is wonderful to see that Aveva has chosen to consolidate their astonishing talent pool in Cambridge on the Cambridge Science Park.

"The ecosystem here for the innovation sectors, science and technology... bringing new ideas to market, is really mature."

A new masterplan for the park is expected to be submitted this year, creating space for more businesses on the 150-acre site.

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