Sky announces new Innovation Centre in latest phase of campus development

Innovation Centre to house tech engineering, software and app development

Sky has announced that it plans to create and build a dedicated innovation centre on its Osterley campus as it continues its push into developing world leading consumer technology. The space will house an ever-growing number of technology engineers and software developers focusing on innovation across Sky’s world class broadcast and streaming platforms, consumer products and the latest content innovations including virtual reality.

The Centre, totalling around 70,000 square feet, is being designed to create a new space where Sky’s most inventive, forward-thinking minds can come together to match customer insight with rapidly changing technology requirements. By creating this shared space and working across the customer value chain, Sky will enhance its ability to meet its customer’s needs.

The creation of the Innovation Centre will further strengthen Sky’s tech expertise, adding to Sky’s existing tech sites in Leeds and Milan. With three dedicated technology hubs, the Group will be in an even stronger position to extend its leadership in delivering customers the best viewing and user experience in Europe.

As part of Sky’s commitment to attracting and developing more women in tech roles and to address the chronic shortage of female talent in the industry, the new centre will become the home of the company’s brand new Get into Tech for Young Women scheme. Based on the success of Sky’s Get into Tech course, which has already helped over 100 women train to be coders, the new programme will provide girls of school leaving age the chance to train for free as a coder, with further opportunities at the Sky Software Academy when they have completed the course. This is just one of a number of programmes Sky is running to encourage more women to consider roles in tech and engineering.

The re-development of Sky’s campus has included the construction of five new buildings designed to promote the free flow of people and ideas, enabling talent to collaborate and deliver the best outcomes for customers. It is an award winning, flexible and secure workplace, supported by a wide array of services, including restaurants, a cinema and a health and fitness centre.

The campus and landscapes are designed to inspire Sky colleagues as well as benefit the environment. Sky has built sustainable, energy-efficient buildings that carefully combine innovative design with comfort and simplicity of use. These include Sky Central’s open and flexible workspace, at its heart featuring its recognisable Sky News glass box live news studio; the Hub, NOW TV’s agile tech environment; Sky’s best in class studios building, bringing news, sport and production all together in one place; and our Believe in Better building, a centre for learning and development. This next stage of Sky’s campus development represents a further investment in people, and in their performance and wellbeing.

Starting from porta-cabins, on the same site 29 years ago, Sky has grown to a thriving, diverse business with over 31,000 colleagues and 23 million customers, evolving into Europe’s leading direct to consumer media business. Like the rest of the Sky Campus, the new Innovation Centre will run entirely on green electricity, generated by renewable sources, and will be designed as a natural fit within the Sky landscape gardens, further encouraging the flow of people and ideas.

Jeremy Darroch, Group Chief Executive of Sky, said:

“Sky customers have always enjoyed cutting edge technology and the best products available - from satellite to streaming Sky has led the way. The launch of this dedicated innovation centre will enable us to push the boundaries even further.

The development of the west London campus reflects Sky’s journey over the past 29 years. Just as we have moved from porta-cabins to a world-class working environment we have also grown from a satellite business to Europe’s leading direct to consumer media company with content, consumer technology and innovation at its core. We have achieved this by always putting customers at the heart of everything we do and in every decision we make.”

About Sky

Sky has over 31,000 employees, including over 5,000 working in tech.

Sky’s Sky Central building recently won the British Council for Offices 2017 Corporate Workplace Award and the Best of the Best Award.

Sky is Europe's leading entertainment company, serving 23 million customers across seven countries - UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain and Switzerland. The company has annual revenues of £12.9 billion and is Europe’s leading investor in television content with an annual programming spend of £7 billion.

From exclusive partnerships with HBO, Showtime and Warner Bros. to Sky Original Productions, Sky offers the best and broadest range of content along with the best viewing experience to suit each and every customer. Whether that’s through the multi-award winning next generation box, Sky Q, or Sky’s contract-free online streaming service, NOW TV, customers have access to the latest movies, drama, sports and kids entertainment wherever and whenever they like. This is all supported by Sky’s best in class customer service.

Sky’s success is not just based on what the company does but how it does it. Named as one of the Top 10 Green Companies in the World by Newsweek, one of the world’s most recognised rankings of business’s environmental performance, Sky ensures its responsible business strategy is embedded right across the group.

Three new major commitments have been launched for Sky’s corporate campaign Sky Ocean Rescue; the reduction of our own single-use plastics by 2020; an investment fund of £25 million over five years in technology solutions; and support of marine protected areas across our markets.