Manchester-based national EV charging network Be.EV has signalled expansion plans for 2024 by taking an entire floor of the city centre innovation hub
12th December 2023, Manchester: Electric vehicle charge network Be.EV is moving offices to keep pace with its ultra-rapid growth.
The company has signed a lease to take the whole 3,840 sq ft floor at 111 Piccadilly. It will more than double the size of the office space Be.EV currently occupies at 3 Piccadilly Place, giving them workspace for over 40 people, along with a range of dedicated meeting spaces and private breakout areas.
Ahead of the move, Be.EV redesigned the office in collaboration with branding agency Heavenly, creative agency Damsel in Design and interior designers White Circle. The fully branded environment draws from Be.EV’s community-led and people-first approach, and is designed to encourage collaborative working though its open-plan layout.
The new office is fully branded with Be.EV’s distinct green logo, vibrant colour palette and illustrative cable graphics created as custom-made neon-style wall art.
Be.EV joins a host of businesses already working in the hub, with neighbours including online grocer The Modern Milkman, fast-growing FinTech company Total Processing, and healthcare communications agency Amiculum.
The new premises are managed by Bruntwood SciTech, a partnership between Bruntwood, Legal & General and Greater Manchester Pension Fund.
Bruntwood SciTech is the largest dedicated property platform serving the UK’s innovation economy, with a portfolio of 4.8m sq ft across nine campus locations and 31 city centre innovation hubs in Manchester, Cheshire, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Cambridge and Glasgow.
Be.EV will now gain access to Bruntwood SciTech’s national network of 1,100 startups, scale-ups and global businesses, and specialist business support including access to highly-skilled talent, new connections, and additional funding opportunities.
The city centre innovation hub received the first Platinum WELL accreditation in Europe, which focuses on ten elements that can improve human health, such as good air, water, and light quality.
111 Piccadilly also features a ground-breaking exterior lighting concept incorporating LEDs throughout, with rooftop solar panels generating enough renewable electricity to power them year-round. The hub was comprehensively upgraded recently and now features breakout areas and a cafe on the ground floor.
Be.EV was founded with sustainability at the forefront, from its entire network of EV chargers being powered by deep green energy, traceable back to its real renewable source (wind, solar and UK based sources). EV drivers who have used the Be.EV network in 2023 together saved 1,200 tonnes of Co2 - the equivalent of planting 6,714 trees.
The expansion by Be.EV, which recently won the Sustainability award at the 2023 North West Business Awards, hot on the heels of the Best Newcomer award at the 2023 Downtown in the Business City of Manchester awards, is a huge boost for the Piccadilly area of the city.
Be.EV is the largest public EV charging network connecting communities across the North of England and boasting impressive reliability (99.6% operational availability across the entire network).
Asif Ghafoor, CEO of Be.EV, says: ”We’re delighted to be at the heart of the Manchester business community and looking forward to enjoying our new home. Although we are a national network, our roots are proudly in Manchester and the northwest.
“This year has been a year of growth for Be.EV and our new office is the perfect headquarters from which to put our exciting plans for 2024 into place.”
Jack Maher, Head of Flexible Workspace at Bruntwood SciTech, added: "We’re delighted to welcome Be.EV into our vibrant community at 111 Piccadilly. Their forward-thinking approach in the EV sector and rapid growth are impressive and they will be a great addition to the businesses in this state-of-the-art innovation hub.
“Be.EV's commitment to sustainable energy and innovative charging solutions aligns perfectly with our goals for Bruntwood SciTech. We aim to foster environments that not only encourage technological advancement but also prioritise sustainability.
“By joining our hub, Be.EV becomes part of a dynamic ecosystem where cutting-edge ideas and sustainable practices combine. This partnership is an exciting step forward, demonstrating how collaborative efforts can significantly contribute to the burgeoning innovation landscape in Manchester and beyond.”
