Sorry for the radio silence! We’ve been so wrapped up in delivery work since the beginning of the year that this update is arriving a little later than planned.

Construction is shifting up a gear, our community is growing by the week and we’ve been neck‑deep in defining the details that help science and tech companies scale in reality, not in theory.

Sciopolis in North Acton: from drawings to reality

Steel is up. Floors are taking shape. Services are being installed. Fume extracts in place. Sciopolis at 1 Portal Way in North Acton is now visibly transitioning from concept to construction.

As we prepare to open in June 2026 with 24 labs and 29 office spaces ready to go, we’re inviting companies to engage early — this is the window where meaningful customisation is still possible.

And with the last two months bringing almost nothing but rain and grey skies, we’ve channelled our energy into injecting colour into North Acton. From the exterior to the interiors, it’s becoming a vibrant, uplifting landmark. You truly won’t miss it.

Our Tuesday Tours are giving founders and partners the chance to see progress first-hand. Recent visitors have included several potential tenants, Scottish Enterprise, Imperial College London’s Sustainability Team plus local friends and neighbours OPDC and Ealing Council, and we’re looking forward to welcoming many more.

See our latest construction update (the next one will be coming very soon..)

Reserve a spot on a TuesdayTour and take a look

Designing (chem)labs with founders, not just for them

We’ve continued contributing to the Royal Society of Chemistry’s #MoreChemLabs discussion, focusing on a question that matters for the sector: what actually defines a “chemistry lab”?

Beyond supply shortages, ambiguity around baseline requirements can limit development. We’re exploring whether clearer definitions could enable to build more suitable space... or does it simply boil down to the availability of fume ducting and waste management?

We’re inviting founders to shape this conversation. Understanding non-negotiables at move-in stage is critical to designing labs that support real growth rather than theoretical use cases.

Chemistry Founders: tell us what you need here

Innovators sparking up the ecosystem

The wider innovation community around us continues to gain visibility and scale:

• Solena Materials has moved into a Pilot facility at Imperial College London’s advanced manufacturing site (a mere 5 minute walk from 1 Portal Way), transitioning breakthrough research into scalable production of performance fibres.

  
  

• Multus has progressed from incubation through R&D into manufacturing its cultivated-meat medium in North Acton, with recent national press coverage highlighting their journey.

  
  

These stories reflect the strength of the ecosystem we’re building within North Acton/Old Oak and reinforce our focus on delivering the next generation of lab and office space to support science-manufacturing innovators.

Infrastructure beyond labs (aka coffee!)

Innovation hubs are built on more than technical specification. January has also seen us focus on the everyday infrastructure that shapes community and productivity.

We’ve been exploring onsite food provision, from kitchens and providers to menu concepts: because accessible, well-considered food options support talent attraction and retention.

And yes, we’ve spent a surprising amount of time thinking about coffee. With an onsite café planned and in-building machines under review, we’re taking seriously the role informal interactions play in collaboration.

Community often forms over small moments — and we intend to support them.

TuesdayTour, anyone? Come have a look at what we are building

If you’re planning lab or office space in London, or simply want to see progress up close, we’d be delighted to host you on a Tuesday Tour.

Just drop us an email to arrange a visit.