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17 Sept 2025 #1 Reuse first Sensibly Sustainable #1 : Reuse First Reuse isn’t glamorous. It doesn’t sparkle like innovation and it doesn’t grab headlines. But it’s quietly powerful. At One Portal Way, the reuse story starts with the building itself. What was once a standard office block is now being transformed into an Innovation Hub—not through demolition, but through a meanwhile retrofit. That decision alone is a massive act of sustainability. It means working with the structure that’s already there, extending its life and avoiding the carbon cost of starting from scratch. And that mindset has shaped every decision inside the building too. The desks and furniture left behind weren’t brand new—but they were solid, well-made, and full of potential. It would’ve been easy to start fresh. Order new. Throw the old in the skip and send it away. But we didn’t. Instead, we asked ourselves can we use what’s in front of us? And if not us (there were LOTS of chairs and desks), who else can use it? This approach takes time. Reuse isn’t the quick option. It means thinking about who might need something, reaching out, teeing it up, making yourself available. It means storing things carefully, coordinating repairs and trusting that the effort is worth it. You have to want it. Many of the desks that we already had are now being stored safely while the space is reimagined, and they’ll be repaired and adjusted with some help from the brilliant team at Sagal —ready to return in June 2026, refreshed and fit for purpose. Other things that were left behind in the building have found new homes. Planters and garden chairs have gone to our friends at Republic of Park Royal, on Minerva Road, with lots of other bits and pieces. A giant screen, once the centrepiece of a Microsoft Teams-enabled meeting room and now made unusable by technology obsolescence ( Charlie covered it in a post here ) , was carried (by hand!) by Johnny Brewin to the Foundry bar, where it now lives on in its second act. And, in a slightly more unexpected twist, one of our sinks has been claimed by the Imperial College facilities team, and it’s now going to be used in one of their kitchens. Sometimes reuse is practical. Sometimes it’s poetic. Sometimes it’s just a bit random. But always, it’s rooted in care. At Sciopolis, we believe sustainability starts with common sense. Not what’s trendy, not always the shiny new ball, but what’s necessary. And right now, what’s necessary is a shift from novelty to longevity. So next time you’re planning a space, a project ( or even a meal!) ask yourself: what can I reuse and repurpose? You might find the answer is already in front of you. Interested in updates like this? Follow us on LinkedIn and sign up to our Monthly Newsletter

2 June 2025 Our Monthly Update - May 2025 In May we focused on building 3 things: team, network and pipeline. On the team front, we’re thrilled to welcome Zara Davidian as our new Operations Manager —a milestone moment for any startup. With years of experience at Imperial, she’s already bringing structure and clarity to the chaos ( including how to address the challenge of dealing with mountain of chairs and cables on her first day—thanks, Charlie ). She’s hit the ground running, and honestly, we’re not sure how we ever managed without her. Oh, and if you’re curious about those chairs… Read our recent post on "desolate chairs" here Building a “network of experts” that innovators can rely on Long before the first tenant moves into one of our sites, we’re actively building a trusted network of partners across key services: legal, marketing, finance, F&B, lab supplies, and more. Why? Because innovators should be focused on discovery—not Googling “IP lawyers.” We’re walking the walk, curating a network of vetted partners so our tenants don’t have to. This isn’t marketing spiel—it’s a foundational part of our vision. When a tenant chooses a Sciopolis site, the building is only 50% of what they get. The other 50% is a support system designed to accelerate their success. And we’re building that before the walls even go up. PS: If you would like to become part of our network of experts, have a look at our new brochure here Immersing ourselves in Cambridge We’ve been spending more and more time in Cambridge, mapping out the departments, institutions, networks, and equipment that could be game-changing for our future tenants. It’s become a bit of an obsession. Cambridge is accelerating like never before (if you need datapoints, look no further than the recent Dealroom report ), and every trip we make or person we speak to deepens our understanding of the drivers of this momentum. This month we focused on Cambridge West as we wrote about in this post —where we were warmly welcomed at the Maxwell Centre, got a close-up look at Henry Royce’s impressive facilities, and peeked inside IdeaSpace. A few days later, we also had the privilege of attending the Founders at University of Cambridge “2025 Investment Day”, a showcase of ingenuity and polished pitches that reminded us why this city breeds unicorns. (#Morechem) labs with windows, please One of our favourite connections this month happened at London Lab Live , where Charlie chaired a lively panel on lab supply vs demand . A standout moment came from Ella Churchill at MedCity, who summed it up perfectly: “We are witnessing the renaissance of labs as nice places to work.” Turns out, scientists really do love labs with windows. At the same event, we discovered the #MoreChemLabs campaign by the Royal Society of Chemistry—an initiative that sparked a great conversation with Kate Carlisle, captured in this blog post, on the urgent need for university-adjacent, cost-effective lab space to support spinouts Last but not least, Charlie travelled to a surprisingly sunny Leeds for UKREiiF, where he never saw the sun, so busy was he talking to various Universities, Local Government and landlords about building future Innovation Hubs, and building them fast. Feasibility Studies: From Beautiful Building to Innovation Hub? While we can’t share details just yet, we’re deep into a feasibility study in London, exploring whether a nearly completed development could become a true magnet for creativity, science, and innovation. The building is truly beautiful—but does it have the right ingredient to attract the right tenants and spark that elusive magic of innovation? That’s what we’re going to find out, working to a tight four-week deadline to deliver a clear verdict. We genuinely love feasibility studies. Done right, they can accelerate thinking, challenge assumptions and unlock new possibilities for our clients. Curious about what these studies involve ? Take a look at our blog post here. We hope to be able to talk about this one next month! Follow us on Linkedin for more updates

Back to Sciopolis HOME THE BUILDING OLD OAK CONTACT ONE PORTAL WAY, OLD OAK where science & technology businesses grow IMPERIAL TO LAUNCH NEW SCALE-UP SPACE WITH SCIOPOLIS 31 JULY, 2025 Press Release One Portal Way, Old Oak is being developed through a partnership of Imperial and Sciopolis Read More WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR OFFERING? Download our brochure for more information Download Cookie Policy | Privacy Policy All rights reserved. ©Sciopolis@OnePortalWay 2025 | Website designed by Jamin Design

11 Nov 2024 The Crown Estate to breathe new life into Cambridge Business Park

8 July 2025 Monthly Update- June The Sciopolis team has been on the move, connecting with innovators, exploring new campuses and diving deep into the future of place-based innovation. Here’s what we’ve been up to this month. Exploring Cambridge North with Zara and Charlie This month, we took part in Cambridge Wide Open Week, giving our new Head of Operations, Zara Davidian, a proper introduction to the Cambridge innovation ecosystem. From The Glasshouse to St John’s Innovation Centre, Allia, and the Maxwell Centre, the day was packed with insights and useful encounters. It was a reminder of how efficient and energising this ecosystem can be. We wrapped up with an Aperol Spritz at the o2h Group garden party. Meanwhile Charlie went to visit the new Co-Laboratories space at Niab to meet with Laura Grimwood . Together with Brydell she has created some great space for growing science companies. Clearly the model is working as their current spaces are almost full and they are working to renovate more of it. Cleantech in Canary Wharf In Canary Wharf at KPMG’s offices for the Cleantech Venture Day during London Climate Action Week, we saw founders pitch for seed funding in a tough market. What stood out? More women at the helm : a welcome shift. Second-time founders sharing honest lessons from past ventures. Diverse innovation : from algae-based coatings to carbon-capturing cement. Duplication dilemmas : could merging similar ventures accelerate progress? Energy storage dominated discussions, with AI-driven demand volatility a hot topic. Ruthless Collaboration in Old Oak (North Acton) In Old Oak, we met with Tom and Will from Creative Wick and Johnny from The Republic of Park Royal to talk about community ownership and the power of hyperlocal media. The takeaway? There’s no app for placemaking. It takes time, trust, and a willingness to learn from those who’ve done it before. As ever, we’re here for the ruthless collaboration . Universities & the Industrial Strategy The Government’s new Industrial Strategy 2025 hit home for us. Universities aren’t just part of the innovation system—they are the system. From spinouts to skills, they’re the connective tissue between discovery and deployment. We’ve seen it firsthand at White City Innovation District with Imperial College London. As Patrick Vallance put it: not every region contributes equally. Prioritisation isn’t exclusion, it’s strategy. 📖 Read the full strategy The Funding Gap: Still Real At the Creating a Superpower Conference , the message was clear: the UK is great at inventing but struggles to scale. Key themes included: The need to prioritise high-performing ecosystems like Oxford and Cambridge (“we’d me mad not to” said sir Patrick Vallance) A shortage of commercialisation talent and an opportunity to attract it back from the US if we can solve our VISA and taxation issues. Lessons from Paris, New York, and Kendall Square on scaling innovation fearlessly were really inspiring: what stood out was “conviction and authenticity” Cat wrote about it in detail in her post here Riverside Innovation at ARC West London We enjoyed a visit to our friends at the ARC West London Refinery —a stunning example of how science, technology, and urban life can coexist beautifully. As Councillor Stephen Cowan reminded us, “we should never underestimate the power of beauty in driving innovation.” Looking Ahead: Civic Campus in West London At the start of the month, we were delighted to announce that Sciopolis has been appointed to lead a feasibility study for a new innovation initiative at Civic Campus in Hammersmith & Fulham , in partnership with Upstream London. Over six intensive weeks, we immersed ourselves in exploring solutions for this emerging place—grounded in local ambition, community insight, and strategic potential. While the findings are currently under discussion and we can’t share details just yet, we thoroughly enjoyed the process and are optimistic about what lies ahead. 🔗 Read more about the project here Follow us on Linkedin for more updates

31 Mar 2025 Our Monthly Update - March 2025 It's nearly April, and just as the transition from winter to spring brings about significant changes in nature, our business has experienced a similar transformation this month. March has brought us a variety of opportunities and has allowed us to explore new locations, meet new people, and seize new opportunities. We started at the HS2 “From Trains to Cranes” event, where we heard some positive updates on HS2 getting back on track, and what effect it is already having- and is expected to have- on the Old Oak area (North Acton, West London). This is arguably London’s most exciting development, and Sciopolis was glad to be mentioned by Alice Sewell, Investment Director at Imperial, in regard to our future involvement in the area. More on this soon. HS2 Event: From Trains to Cranes, in Old Oak (North Acton) We were finally able to announce our exciting appointment as Development Advisors to The Crown estate on the Origin’s Pilot project at Cambridge Business Park. Whilst in the feasibility stage of the project, we are looking forward to exploring how this new Innovation Hub could reposition the area and be a catalyst for a brand new Cleantech community in Cambridge North. Read more here . CGI of Origin building, Cambridge Business Park The Bisnow UK Life Sciences Real Estate Conference in London gave us an interesting update on labs (getting more efficient and requiring less space, getting more automated, but there’s still not enough of them). Our team also attended the Climate Challenge 2025 Awards in Cambridge with CISL (Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership) where we caught a glimpse of the brilliance of the Cambridge ecosystem, and the vast array of climate solutions that are coming out of it. Our Chairman Mark Sanders reacted to the news that UK Life Sciences are missing out on £15bn a year to global competitors. This is concerning news, and we believe that the government should invest on the right infrastructure to retain innovators, increasing their chances to attract investment, develop their ideas and make it through their commercialisation journey. You can read Mark's views here And finally we spent time doing what we like best: connecting people with solutions that will advance their discovery and growth. And no better place for that than the Park Royal Design District, a hidden gem 5 mins away from North Acton's tube station, where a community of artists and makers, and a bunch of scientists are coming together in a very organic way. It was great to introduce some friends from nearby White City Innovation District to Johnny Brewin, knowing he will absorb them into the fabric of this community in no time. Johnny Brewin at the Park Royal Design District (North Acton) More exciting developments in April, watch this space and follow Sciopolis on LinkedIn for more updates Follow us on LinkedIn

23 May 2025 University spinouts are struggling, and here's why. The UK government has been clear: Universities are crucial for scientific innovation. Academics are expected to commercialise their research through spinouts, turning ideas into companies that solve real-world problems. But while the expectation is high, the support is lacking. Spinouts need money to get off the ground. The Government’s £40m proof-of-concept fund was supposed to help, but demand has been overwhelming. According to an article this week by City AM, the first £9m round had 2,750 applicants—far more than the funding could handle. That means thousands of potential startups may never make it past the first hurdle. But even when spinouts do secure funding, there’s another issue: where do they go next? Kate Carlisle from Royal Society of Chemistry presented the spinouts ideal journey at London Lab Live Early-stage science companies need space, flexible labs and business support to grow into something real. They also need for these resources and facilities to be well integrated into their development journey, as “upping sticks” to find affordable lab space elsewhere, when it’s not provided close to their university ecosystem, can sever precious links and lose specialised expertise that has taken time and effort to build, When spinouts exceed incubators capacity and don't find suitable lab space in their ecosystem, they are forced to move elsewhere, which breaks their flow. That’s where Sciopolis' scaling hubs approach and campaigns like # MoreChemLabs spearheaded by the Royal Society of Chemistry come in. Having access to affordable, well-equipped labs and facilities near universities, with supportive ecosystems and room to grow can make the difference between success and failure for university spinouts. Kate Carlisle from the Royal Society of Chemistry made the argument well in her presentation at the London Lab Live event last week (see slide below) and we couldn’t agree more: think ecosystem, not just infrastructure. If the UK wants to stay ahead in scientific innovation and be a catalyst for companies that will change the world, it must do more than just encourage spinouts—it must support them properly, with funding, space, and partnerships. Spinouts need more affordable, ready-to-occupy, university-adjacent labs they can move into after leaving incubators. This allows them to stay rooted in the ecosystems that nurtured them, avoiding disruptive and costly relocations. Otherwise, we risk losing out on world-changing discoveries before they even get started. Click here for more blogs Follow us on LinkedIn

20 Oct 2025 University Spinouts ascend as scaleup capital deepens, but is the infrastructure ready? Two recent developments caught our attention last week: Parkwalk and Beauhurst’s Report on investment trends for UK spinouts in 2025 , and the British Business Bank’s £250m investment into scaleups . In a year where many sectors treaded cautiously, university spinouts surged ahead. Beauhurst’s latest report reveals that equity investment into UK spinouts hit £3.35 billion, up 40% from 2023, with biotech, AI, and quantum technologies leading the charge. Flagship deals like Autolus (£436m) and Bicycle Therapeutics (£435m) show that UK science is not just inventive, it’s investable. Parkwalk call for continued efforts to attract capital to support spinouts to realise the UK’s potential. Adding fuel to the fire, the British Business Bank invested £250 million in 33 tech and life sciences scaleups, over half of which are university spinouts. These companies have collectively raised over £2 billion, and the Bank has now lifted its investment ceiling from £15m to £60m per company, an unprecedented move to support scaleup businesses further into their development. The resurgence of scaleup capital is genuinely encouraging and it’s especially positive to see it flowing toward university spinouts. There’s unanimous recognition that the UK’s global edge in innovation stems largely from the strength of its universities, so it makes complete sense that capital should stay close to these institutions and help capture and scale their output. But capital alone won’t deliver impact. As innovation speeds up, the need for appropriate, immediately available infrastructure becomes critical. Without it, companies risk burning precious funding on workspace fit-outs in isolated locations, far from clusters and support. Sciopolis is designed to prevent that. We’re building spaces that are: Linked to universities , enabling proximity to talent and research Conveniently located in emerging, well connected innovation districts like One Portal Way Affordable and ready to move in , so companies can scale without delay We’re committed to ensuring that spinouts and scaleups have the physical platforms they need to deploy innovation quickly, sustainably and in the right environment. Sciopolis will soon open its first site in London Whether you're a spinout looking for your first lab or a scaleup ready to grow, in sectors spanning Technology, AI, Life Sciences, Cleantech - Sciopolis offer ready-to-occupy lab and office spaces, strategic business connections and curated support services, designed to help you thrive. We work in close partnership with universities and, in addition to providing inspiring and cost effective workspaces, we connect our tenants to the academic expertise, specialist equipment and collaborative opportunities that can help science and tech ventures move from idea to impact. 📍 Coming soon: One Portal Way, North Acton Developed in partnership with Imperial College London, our newest site – opening in June 2026- will offer flexible space and tailored support for ambitious ventures in the heart of WestTech London. Find out more about OnePortalWay here

10 June 2025 Feasibility Study: designing the Heart of Innovation in Hammersmith & Fulham The new Hammersmith Civic Campus is already turning heads— the distinctive RHSP design, bathed in summer light, is a confident, colourful development that reflects an equally bold vision. As the borough’s leader Stephen Cowan put it during our project briefing: “You decide every day if you want to be the most miserable or the best version of yourself. Working in a place like this inspires you to be creative, to bring energy, to be the most innovative version of yourself.” That’s exactly the kind of environment we aim to help create. With Upstream London, Phase 2 of its Industrial Strategy , Hammersmith & Fulham Council is building on the success of the White City Innovation District – its joint collaboration with Imperial College London. The ambition is to extend its STEM³ innovation formula—science, technology, engineering, maths, medicine, and media—across the entire borough. Creating an “Innovation Borough” is no small feat. It demands a clear-eyed understanding of local strengths and gaps, thoughtful integration of existing assets, and the creation of new infrastructure that complements rather than duplicates. Most importantly, it requires a central place—a visible, vibrant hub where this vision can come to life. That’s where Sciopolis comes in. We’ve been commissioned by Hammersmith & Fulham Council to deliver a Feasibility Study exploring what the “innovation heart” of the Civic Campus could and should be. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be working closely with Councillor Cowan and his team to shape a space that reflects the borough’s ambition and supports its innovation ecosystem. What We are Exploring As with all our feasibility work, we’re focusing on two key dimensions: · The Space: What should the physical environment look and feel like? What kinds of behaviours and interactions should it encourage? How can design support collaboration, creativity, and serendipity? · The Mission and Ecosystem: Who will use this space—and why? How do we attract the right mix of people, organisations, and ideas? What makes this hub distinct, and how does it connect to other local innovation assets? We’ll be mapping the borough’s capabilities, speaking with stakeholders, and identifying emerging needs. Our goal is to propose a space that is inclusive, future-facing, and deeply embedded in the local innovation narrative. Let’s Build This Together This is the kind of project we love: ambitious, collaborative, and rooted in place. But before we start designing solutions, we want to hear from you. 📣 Are you based in Hammersmith & Fulham? Do you work in science, tech, media, or innovation and have ideas about how the Civic Campus could support your work or your community? Are you interested in taking space and being part of this ecosystem? 👉 We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a message and help shape the future of innovation in your borough. 👉Read more about Upstream London: Hammersmith & Fulham’s Industrial Strategy

31 July 2025 One Portal Way, Old Oak - Sciopolis Appointment Imperial to launch new scale-up space for science and technology ventures in partnership with Sciopolis, delivering urgently needed affordable lab space for London Imperial College London is progressing the innovation-led regeneration of Old Oak with the launch of a new scale-up space for science and tech firms that delivers urgently needed affordable lab space for London One Portal Way, Old Oak is being delivered through a partnership of Imperial and Sciopolis, specialists in flexible, ready-to-occupy lab and office space. It has been designed to meet the needs of innovative scale-ups and will open its doors in mid-2026 The new facility is part of Imperial’s Old Oak Innovation Cluster , which brings together commercial spaces for innovation-led, high growth businesses and accommodation for more than 1,500 Imperial students and key workers Over the next decade, Imperial plans to transform its assets within the Old Oak area to create London’s new innovation and advanced manufacturing hub Imperial’s campus is part of the Old Oak and Park Royal Opportunity Area, London’s largest brownfield regeneration area, which is being delivered by OPDC, and at the heart of WestTech London, a globally significant innovation ecosystem that is igniting frontier innovation and cementing the UK’s position as a science superpower. Read the full coverage in The Standard Imperial College London is launching a new scale-up space for science and technology ventures, One Portal Way, Old Oak , helping to alleviate London’s shortage of affordable lab space and enabling rapidly growing businesses to remain in London as they scale. This new facility not only addresses the shortage of affordable specialist lab space in London, which threatens to hold back the growth of the UK’s science and tech sectors, particularly for startups looking to scale. It also creates a distinctive offer which enables direct connection and support from the world’s leading STEMB university, giving emerging businesses an unrivalled opportunity to grow at pace. One Portal Way, Old Oak will reinvent an existing building into 55,000 sq ft of fully fitted lab and office space, ready to occupy by a community of up to 30 scale-ups in mid-2026. The new facility is part of Imperial’s Old Oak Innovation Cluster, which brings together commercial spaces for innovation-led businesses and accommodation for more than 1,500 Imperial undergraduate students, staff and key workers. Imperial is partnering with Sciopolis – specialists in flexible, ready-to-occupy lab and office space – to develop and operate the space. Occupiers will benefit from the support of Imperial Incubator, the university’s home for early-stage lab-based companies, who will provide on-site assistance and facilitate connections to Imperial’s innovation ecosystem. Professor Hugh Brady, President of Imperial, said : “The UK, and London specifically, is exceptional at discovery science - but we risk becoming a place where great ideas are born, but cannot grow. One of the most urgent challenges is the lack of specialist, affordable lab and grow-on space. Our new innovation facility in Old Oak is a direct response to this challenge, a flexible, ready-to-use space that combines top-tier lab infrastructure with connection to a global university, creative industries, manufacturing capability and exceptional local, national and international transport connections.” Sciopolis CEO, Charlie Mitchell, said: “We know how challenging it is for startups and scaleups to secure suitable and affordable laboratory space. Speed is of the essence, as many ventures are being held back by the lack of grow-on infrastructure, which is why we are partnering with Imperial and other landlords to rapidly convert well-located, unused office and industrial space into innovation hubs with labs, amenities, and support. These spaces are designed to act as catalysts, attracting innovators and quickly building vibrant communities. One Portal Way, Old Oak is a prime example: a building bursting with potential to transform an area and launch a new chapter for Imperial in Old Oak.” Imperial’s One Portal Way, Old Oak will catalyse the transformation of Old Oak, within London’s largest regeneration zone, and play a role in supporting the major development pipeline for the local area which is being led by OPDC with the close involvement of other strategic partners including Ealing Council. In the future, the wider area will benefit from the Old Oak Common Station superhub, which is set to be the UK’s best-connected rail interchange with HS2, the Elizabeth line, Great Western Main Line and Heathrow Services. Imperial’s Old Oak Innovation Cluster is already well connected to central London and the UK via the Elizabeth line, central line and A40, and adjacent to Park Royal, the UK’s largest industrial area which is home to c.1,700 business and supports over 40,000 jobs. One Portal Way is less than 10 minutes from Imperial’s White City Deep Tech Campus. Located at the heart of WestTech London, the creation of One Portal Way, Old Oak ignites Imperial’s plans for the long-term transformation of its assets in the Old Oak area and supports its commitment to make West London the science and technology growth engine for the UK. WestTech London is an emerging innovation ecosystem that will become a globally recognised powerhouse for investment, economic growth and job creation, cementing the UK’s position as a leader in science and technology. WestTech London is bringing together industry, investors, universities, NHS trusts, local authorities, developers and government to fuel innovation and drive global impact. Ealing Council’s Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, Ealing Council’s lead member for decent living incomes, added : “Our borough is at the heart of WestTech London and our role as a national centre for science and technology is growing all the time. Our jobs and skills strategy – which is aligned with the National Industrial Strategy and London Growth Plan - highlights science and innovation as a priority growth sector for the borough, which can deliver thousands more well-paid jobs for residents over the coming years. The plans coming to fruition at One Portal Way will bring new businesses here that will help to grow our economy. We look forward to continuing to our joint working with Imperial and OPDC, establishing Old Oak as London’s new town for frontier innovation.” OPDC’s Chief Executive David Lunts says : “OPDC’s regeneration of Old Oak will create a revitalised urban district for West London, bringing major new investment into the local economy alongside thousands of new jobs, affordable homes and transformed public realm. Old Oak will deliver over 8,000 new and affordable homes, 6 acres of green open space and up to 2m sq ft of workspace." Imperial’s Old Oak Campus includes student accommodation and key worker homes, with 1,500 students and staff currently resident in the area, as well as the 9.6 acre Victoria Industrial Estate, which Imperial is repurposing to provide vital prototyping and advanced manufacturing follow-on space for scaling businesses. Imperial has ambitious plans for its assets in the Old Oak area which will support c. 4 million sq ft of additional development, including the long-term redevelopment of the broader 4.5 acre One Portal Way site. Imperial’s redevelopment of the One Portal Way site will deliver a new green heart for Old Oak, including a major new public garden, retail, amenities and services, alongside new homes across various tenures, including student accommodation, and 300,000 sq ft of flexible workspace. For more information about the scale-up space or to book a tour visit sciopolis.co.uk/oneportalway

3 Apr 2025 The Times: Universities slash equity stakes in tech spinouts Last week, The Times reported that the average stake taken by universities in tech spinout ventures dropped to 16.1 per cent, a ten-year low, having been as high as 24 per cent in 2019 – based on a study commissioned by The Royal Academy of Engineering. I was very encouraged to see this statistic as I have, first hand, seen the tension that comes when a business wants to spin out from a university environment and the university wants to take a significant equity stake. Where businesses can be formed with relatively little capital and can be inspired by concepts that do not need access to significant physical assets to prove them then it doesn’t seem reasonable for universities to take significant stakes in the spin out. However, it seems entirely reasonable that universities should be rewarded appropriately for creating the environment for an idea to become a business and for enabling and supporting the early stages along with providing access to academic insight and supervision. I expect that a more proportionate approach will lead to more businesses being established, as the risk / reward trade off for founders who decide to take the leap to create a business is more favourable to them and I also suspect that such moves will encourage founders to look to the university to help (and therefore they will take a stake) rather than seeking to avoid it. In the long run, I believe this trend will lead to more innovation, entrepreneurship and therefore, one could argue, greater total returns for the university sector. Universities have a key role to play in nurturing and promoting innovation and translation into impact and this modernisation of the equity position they take in spin outs is, I believe, a positive move for all. Read The Times article here Follow us on LinkedIn

29 Nov 2023 Sciopolis (sai-op-o-liss) - What's in the name? The making of science was rarefied and hardly ever linked to the hustle and bustle of urban dwellings. This view was profoundly changed by the Covid crisis, which almost overnight rebranded Science as an urgent, highly relevant activity which necessitated the convergence of many strands: central and local Government impetus, joined-up talent pools, entrepreneurship, easy access to technology and equipment, laboratory space, and access to capital. Crucially, all of these ingredients required an element of physical proximity and connectivity to jell together in a timely fashion and to generate momentum. Covid made science sexy (demand for STEM courses is higher than it’s ever been) and propelled it from the peripheries to the centre, more specifically to city centres, where virtuous connections are more easily created. While Covid has waned and we have generally returned to normality, it remains clear that doing science in cities is here to stay, because of a number of benefits that make it a compelling choice for researchers, entrepreneurs, and innovators alike. Hence the name we chose for our company, Sciopolis = Sci ence in the metr opolis. Our objective is to make “Science in the City” a success, by facilitating the construction and operationalisation of vibrant tech and science ecosystems. Easier recruitment: Access to top talent is the #1 problem for growing science companies. Aside from the simple fact that cities are exciting places which attract young people to live, work and play, they are also often home to world-class universities, hospitals and research institutions, as well as a diverse pool of skilled professionals with a wide range of expertise. Cities create an obvious centre of gravity where excellent talent can be more easily sourced. Easier collaboration: For the same reasons as above, it is also easier in cities to collaborate with top researchers, engineers, and other specialists, and to tap into a rich network of mentors, advisors, and investors. Cities offer more networking events, conferences, informal gatherings, etc. all of which bring together communities of like-minded people, providing more opportunities to connect and advance ideas. In particular this is most important for early-stage startups who face numerous challenges and uncertainties which - in the absence of a supportive and accessible community - they may struggle to solve by themselves. Easier access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources: Many cities have specialised research centres, state of the art hospitals, and other resources such as training and mentorship programs, that are specifically designed to support scientific research and development, and to accelerate the pace of innovation. The right equipment, at the right time, coupled with the right academic expertise can fast track scientific discovery. All of this is made easier when access between different institutions is facilitated by good transport infrastructure which is typically found in big cities, but also by the support of a landlord who makes the effort to create useful networks for their tenants to access directly. The logistics of access to institutions should not be underestimated. Easier to create stickiness: A vibrant environment with wrap-around support, excellent infrastructure and common amenities serviced by the public transport is critical to support scientific innovation. Nurseries are as vital as labs in the creation of stable scientific ecosystems, and choosing locations where – for example- young lab technicians (typically not the highest paid of professions) can live, work and play without driving long distances is key in creating a stable cluster, and increasing its long term stickiness where companies and people choose to ‘stick’ for the long term. Of course, doing science in metropolitan environments also comes with its own set of challenges and trade-offs. They can be expensive, competitive, and fast-paced places which can sometimes, and somewhat conversely, make it more difficult to attract and retain top talent, secure funding, and navigate complex regulatory environments. However, even taking these challenges into account, Sciopolis firmly believe that the opportunity and benefits of doing science in the city far outweigh the challenges. Ultimately we are absolutely convinced that creating flexible spaces to support the development of science activities in well connected metropolitan locations is a logical and strategic step which forms a key reason for our formation.