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OUR LOCATIONS We are busy building a network of sites across key locations. Watch this space for further announcements! ONE PORTAL WAY NEW: Exciting opportunity for ready-to-occupy laboratory and office space, with great amenities, in a well connected & strategic location, linked to Imperial. FIND OUT MORE CAMBRIDGE We are looking at opportunities in Cambridge for new innovation spaces that would suit early-stage science and technology businesses. Get in touch if you would like to find out more ENQUIRE NOW WANT TO DEVELOP A NEW INNOVATION HUB? Contact us to discuss how we can help convert existing space or build and activate new Innovation Hubs for science and technology businesses. +44 7943 980146 info@sciopolis.co.uk sciopolis

5 Nov 2025 Sciopolis November Update Capital alone doesn’t scale Innovation: infrastructure does October brought fresh insights into the UK’s innovation landscape, with the Beauhurst x Parkwalk Advisors Spinout Report 2025 highlighting strong investor confidence in university-led innovation. We are delighted, if somewhat unsurprised, to see the investment market improving. However, capital alone doesn’t scale innovation. Without the right infrastructure, spinouts risk burning through funding on workspace fit-outs in disconnected locations, slowing progress instead of accelerating it. At Sciopolis, we’re working to create that infrastructure every day. Here’s how we did it this month: We deepened Lab supplier relationships at the Lab Innovations event in Birmingham, seeking collaborators, not just vendors, who understand that value goes beyond equipment.. Read more here We explored the future of labs at the Royal Society of Chemistry’s #MoreChemLabs workshop , asking what minimum viable labs look like, and who’s ready to build them. We joined the Innovate Cambridge Summit , where the message was: ideas need capital, but ecosystems need infrastructure. Cambridge is the second most invested innovation hotspot in the world and we need to spread its power to other clusters – like Manchester for example, which we visited this week We stood on the balcony at Old Oak Common , witnessing the scale of HS2 and its potential to supercharge connectivity for our future tenants at #OnePortalWay . We believe you don’t have to build everything everywhere: it’s smarter to connect the dots. We shared our reuse-first approach in our Sensibly Sustainable blog , showing how hyperlocal circularity can be embedded into innovation spaces: simple in theory, harder in practice We celebrated community-led placemaking at North Acton Square where artists and makers are already thriving, and scientists will soon join them at #OnePortalWay . We advanced the AI conversation , from Italian Tech Week to the Ealing AI Conference, exploring what AI infrastructure our tenants will need, which sectors are emerging (is robotics about to have its “ChatGPT moment ” ?) and how we should respond - with excitement, caution.. or both? One Portal Way: as we progress our new innovation hub in North Acton , we’re spending equal time on construction (things going well. Opening in June 2026!) and on building the network and service infrastructure for our tenants that can make a material difference to their scaling. Fancy popping in? If you ever fancy a tour or a nose around, we’re onsite every Tuesday, just get in touch. We have had fantastic feedback to our tours: once you see the scale of what is being built in the area and the innovation potential, the penny really drops. We look forward to seeing you there!

REMARKABLE PLACES where science & technology businesses grow Sciopolis provides flexible lab and office spaces for science and tech ventures in London and Cambridge. Innovation hubs with CL2 labs, workspace solutions and ecosystem support LATEST NEWS 5 Nov 2025 Sciopolis November Update Find out what the team have been up to, and what is coming up next Read More Sciopolis provides science and technology companies with the workspace and support they need to grow. We partner with landlords, universities, institutions and local government to deliver and operate thriving Innovation Hubs for early-stage science and technology businesses. By offering well designed, ready-to-occupy lab and office space, coupled with great amenities and offered to tenants under flexible lease terms, we make it possible for innovative companies to move in without having to invest upfront capital and to focus on growing their business. In parallel with our space provision, and arguably more importantly, we also activate an exciting ecosystem proposition, connecting tenants with the right support from universities, service providers and other organisations, to help them overcome their scaling challenges and increase their chances of success. Sciopolis is building a network of Innovation Hubs across strategic locations, with plans underway to deliver 100,000 ft of space in the next 12 months, initially focused in London and the Golden Triangle. ABOUT US WHAT WE OFFER TO LANDLORDS We support landlords, universities or local government who wish to create science and technology Innovation Hubs, by either converting existing sites or creating new ones. Our focus is on pragmatic, cost-effective and speedy delivery, coupled with meaningful ecosystem activation. Design & Build We know how to design, build, fit-out, activate and operate such spaces cost effectively. We can support every stage of the process Ecosystem creation Our experience and connections gained from years in the sector allow us to create the right mix of contacts and services to support our tenants Identity & promotion We are experienced at creating compelling propositions that will attract the right tenants and enhance the value of your asset Operational Support We are invested in the spaces we create and play an active part in operating them efficiently, to support the growth of our innovators’ community WHAT WE OFFER TO SCIENCE & TECH VENTURES We create functional and inspiring lab and office spaces, with shared amenities and event programmes to support growing science & technology businesses. Ready-to-occupy lab solutions Flexible service proposition Ecosystem connections Thematic clustering Allowing ventures to move in quickly, minimise upfront capital expenditure and operate cost effectively We offer a range of lease options to match the needs of each stage of a venture’s journey We connect tenants into scientific and commercial networks that will solve problems, save time and create opportunities We curate and nurture thematic communities at each of our locations, to drive focused collaboration We are busy scoping out innovation sites in Cambridge and London, comprising of lab, office and event spaces. If you are looking for space, please get in touch so we can capture your requirements early. NEED LABORATORY & OFFICE SPACE? WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT We start from the tenants, not the building. We know what early-stage science and technology innovators need, and we build with their needs front of mind. Speed Speedy and cost-effective deployment, with site opening as early as 12 months from sign-off. Deep Expertise Networks Commitment We have the expertise to design, build, fit-out, tenant-activate and operate such spaces. Experience and connections gained from years in the sector allow us to create the right conditions for ventures to thrive. We are passionate about creating the right infrastructure to support UK Innovation. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER Name Email Thanks for submitting! SIGN ME UP Sciopolis needs the contact information you provide to us to contact you about our products and services. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For information on how to unsubscribe, as well as our privacy practices and commitment to protecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy . THE TEAM An executive team with specific expertise. Combining skills, experience and networks to build and operate spaces for successful science ventures. Charlie Mitchell 20 years executing major projects in the oil and gas sector before leading the development, building, fit-out and operations at ScaleSpace, a life science hub in west London, in partnership with Imperial College. A proven record of implementing complex projects at speed. Adam Kelliher A seasoned life-science entrepreneur with more than 20 years experience in the sector. Took two companies from inception to exit and IPO, an experienced CEO of both public and private companies. He is a partner in the Venture Builder, Alkamis. Mark Sanders 25 years’ experience in building businesses, Mark was most recently Executive Chairman of Scale Space. Prior to that, Mark worked with the UK’s leading digital venture builder, Blenheim Chalcot, and was CEO of TDX Group, taking it through to an eventual sale in 2014. Caterina Rigoni With 25 years of marketing experience, Cat most recently served as Director of Marketing at Scale Space and assisted Imperial College London and the White City Innovation District. Expert at brand buiding and ecosystem creation. Lee Harle >25 years experience of building businesses and joint-ventures in consumer goods, technology and life-science industries, including deal-making for multinational companies. Deep experience in both emerging & developed economies. He is a partner in the Venture Builder Alkamis. Zara Davidian Zara has spent 21 years at Imperial working in various commercial roles. She has led strategic initiatives, drove operational improvements and managed complex stakeholder relationships. Skilled in business planning and project delivery, she has a collaborative leadership style. CONTACT US Contact us to discuss how we can help convert existing space or build and activate new Innovation Hubs for science and technology businesses. +44 7943 980146 info@sciopolis.co.uk sciopolis

LATEST INSIGHTS News One Portal Way Origin Sciopolis 5 Nov 2025 One Portal Way, Sciopolis Sciopolis November Update Find out what the team have been up to, and what is coming up next Read More 20 Oct 2025 News University Spinouts ascend as scaleup capital deepens, but is the infrastructure ready? Insights from the recent Beauhurst and Parkwalk report on UK spinouts reveal a striking 44% year-on-year increase in equity investment, underscoring the growing momentum behind frontier innovation Read More 26 Oct 2025 News Why Ready-to-Occupy Labs are a game-changer for innovators By Charlie Mitchell, CEO of Sciopolis Read More 16 Sept 2025 News Scaling Stories: how community can help founders thrive Executive Chairman Mark Sanders explores how fostering a culture of empathy and understanding in the workplace is key to high performance and combating founder loneliness Read More 10 Sept 2025 News Summer Update 2025 Monthly Update: We're Back! New appointment, awards, and exciting developments — all in one place. Read More 16 July 2025 Sciopolis UK startups: brilliant at the baby stage, but what about adolescence? Sciopolis reacts to today's UK Government's Life Sciences Sector Plan Read More 10 June 2025 Sciopolis Feasibility Study: designing the Heart of Innovation in Hammersmith & Fulham We have been appointed to run a feasibility study for Hammersmith & Fulham's Civic Campus Read More 23 May 2025 Sciopolis University spinouts are struggling, and here's why. University spinouts are struggling to get funding and infrastructure to grow. Read our analysis. Read More 25 Apr 2025 Sciopolis What can we learn from Dubai’s Innovation Hub? A masterclass in developing an ecosystem that integrates work and life seamlessly. Read More 8 Apr 2025 Sciopolis Can your building be turned into an Innovation Hub? Only a Feasibility Study can tell. If you are thinking of converting an existing site to host science, a feasibility study is what you need. Read More 3 Apr 2025 Sciopolis The Times: Universities slash equity stakes in tech spinouts Sciopolis Chairman Mark Sanders reacts to the news that University equity stakes in tech spinouts have fallen to a ten-year low of 16.1% Read More 25 Mar 2025 Sciopolis UK Life Sciences miss out on £15bn to global rivals Isn't it time to build infrastructure to retain innovators and help them grow? Hear from our Chairman, Mark Sanders. Read More 11 Mar 2025 Origin, Sciopolis Origin Public Consultation: see what is being proposed and have your say. View the developing plans for The Crown Estate’s first Innovation Hub, in Cambridge Business Park. Read More 14 Oct 2024 Sciopolis Imperial announces a major investment in Old Oak Imperial has identified a need for flexible and affordable follow-on space to enable innovators to stay and scale in West London. Read More 9 Sept 2025 News Scaling Stories: prioritising location for a successful growth strategy The entrepreneur and Sciopolis CEO/Executive Chairman explores how your company’s physical space can make or break your scaling ambitions Read More 9 Sept 2025 News Looking for Labs? Here's 5 pitfalls to avoid Founders often underestimate the hidden costs of spending months on complex lab setups. To help you steer clear of common missteps, here are five pitfalls to watch out for. Read More 31 July 2025 One Portal Way, Sciopolis One Portal Way, Old Oak - Sciopolis Appointment Sciopolis is appointed by Imperial to launch new scale-up space for science and technology ventures in Old Oak, London Read More 10 Oct 2025 News Notes from Italian Tech Week 2025 What are the emerging trends in AI and Life Sciences? Our Director of Ecosystem explores some findings from her recent trip to Italian Tech Week in Turin. Read More 17 Sept 2025 News #1 Reuse first A series exploring the everyday decisions that shape a more sustainable future. From fixing instead of replacing to reusing what already exists, we believe sustainability starts with common sense. Read More 6 Oct 2025 News October - Monthly Update From Strategy to Execution: find out what we've been up to, and what is coming up next Read More 4 Sept 2025 News Scaling Stories: how do you know when to step aside as a founder? Our Executive Chairman discusses the challenges of stepping aside as a strategy for accelerating business growth Read More 8 July 2025 Sciopolis Monthly Update- June As June brought both sunshine and serious conversations, the team been on the move, connecting with innovators, exploring new campuses and diving deep into the future of place-based innovation. Read More 2 June 2025 Sciopolis Our Monthly Update - May 2025 How we built our team, network and pipeline last month Read More 5 May 2025 Sciopolis Our Monthly Update is here - April 2025 We filmed, selected strategic partners, learnt about innovative materials, visited interesting locations and went to the pub. Read what April was all about. Read More 16 Apr 2025 Sciopolis Cleantech solutions for Real Estate? We want to hear from you Do you have a sustainable construction material or product you would like to see adopted? Talk to us! Read More 9 Apr 2025 Sciopolis Record £13.9 billion of R&D funding unveiled to boost innovation Our Chairman Mark Sanders welcomes the announcement in our latest blog. Read More 31 Mar 2025 Sciopolis Our Monthly Update - March 2025 March was a great month for Sciopolis, with events, a major announcement and many community building moments. Read More 19 Mar 2025 Origin, Sciopolis Sciopolis appointed as Development Advisor by The Crown Estate Sciopolis has been appointed to look at the feasibility of activating science and technology innovation at Cambridge Business Park. Read More 11 Nov 2024 Origin, Sciopolis The Crown Estate to breathe new life into Cambridge Business Park Bold proposals to support the UK’s science, innovation and technology ambitions by providing office and lab spaces for start-ups and established businesses. Read More 29 Nov 2023 Sciopolis Sciopolis (sai-op-o-liss) - What's in the name? Hidden away in out-of-sight locations such as university basements, rural company HQ’s... Read More 18 May 2023 Sciopolis British Land To Turbocharge Massive Life Sciences and Innovation Drive REIT Plans 2 Million Square Feet of Development Including Possible Debenhams Makeover Read More

6 Oct 2025 October - Monthly Update Saying Yes to Talent, Chairs and Sustainable Stories September was a month of movement across campuses, communities and conversations. Our Oyster cards and Lime bikes got a workout. From immersive college labs to mustard chairs and air ducts in listed buildings, we saw how small actions and shared values can unlock real momentum. And in Old Oak, the story is gaining speed. Building Talent Pipelines: College Visits We began the month at North Hertfordshire College, thanks to our partners at CK Group. From GMP-ready labs and VR sets to reconstructed hospital wards, the facilities were a powerful reminder of how education and industry can co-create the skills our economy needs. Later, we visited West London College’s Ealing campus, hosted by Daljit Singh Bains and Julie Claridge. Specialist labs and immersive rooms showcased the depth of local talent being developed. These visits are part of our commitment to connect enterprise with education, building future tenant pipelines at One Portal Way while giving students a glimpse of science in action right in their community. We feel very strongly about our duty and opportunity to make an impact on this. Gamification with Purpose: Imperial’s Digital Media Lab We also visited the Digital Media Lab at Imperial College London, where digital media, VR games and immersive STEM experiences are designed to inspire the next generation. What stood out most was the team’s grounded approach. Technology was treated as a tool, not a trend. Huge thanks to Daniel Mitelpunkt and Robyn Lowe for the tour. Plenty of inspiration as we shape our own digital space at One Portal Way, and hopefully we will work with this talented team in the near future. Circular Economy in Acton: A Chair Exchange At 8am, Panji Kaonga from Fabulr Studios collected surplus mustard chairs from One Portal Way, North Acton (AKA Old Oak). By 9am, they were already in use at Scale Space, part of the White City Innovation District. A small but powerful example of circular economy thinking and a reminder of how close we are to our friends at White City. These everyday exchanges build bridges between hubs, between people and across WestTech London’s growing innovation community. Sustainability in Labs: Learning with I2SL We joined the I2SL General Meeting and Summer Party, co-hosted by Pioneer Group and Oxford Properties, for a first look at the transformation of Victoria House in The Knowledge Quarter. The standout feature was air handling units suspended on bridges, with visible ducts threading through Grade II listed architecture. A striking blend of heritage and modern lab design. Sensibly Sustainable #1 : Reuse First Our reuse-first approach is gaining traction. From sinks to chairs to whiteboards, we are re-homing and reusing as much as we can. Given the success of our approach and the feedback we re getting, we’ve launched the first blog in our Sensibly Sustainable series 👉 Read #1: Reuse First here Let us know what you think and share ideas we could pilot next! LEAP Incubator Opens: Optimism in Action LEAP, the new incubator at ARC in Hammersmith powered by Imperial Incubator, is now open. It’s an ode to optimism with inviting design, a roof terrace and access to world-class facilities. A single bench at LEAP connects scientists to a mighty network, and with the LEAP Pass two lucky startups could get it for free, for a year! Apply now. In just a few months, we’ll open our own hub at One Portal Way, with Imperial Incubator , and we can’t wait to link tightly with this network of innovators. Onsite On Tuesdays.. Strategy moves into execution at One Portal Way. We’re building a space that works hard for our future tenants and we’re thrilled by the interest we are getting. Want a tour? We’re usually onsite on Tuesdays, and have plenty of hard tops to share! Just ask Charlie, Cat or Zara to show you around the building and the area.

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

26 Oct 2025 Why Ready-to-Occupy Labs are a game-changer for innovators This blog is part of the "Building Momentum" series by Charlie Mitchell, CEO of Sciopolis. Most scientists and innovators didn’t get into research thinking that they would need to become real estate experts. But for years, that’s exactly what they’ve had to do. Just imagine that you’ve got a breakthrough idea, a small team and a ticking clock. But instead of diving into your science or technology development, you’re stuck negotiating leases, hiring contractors, and figuring out how to build a lab or a space for your technical work. It’s nine to twelve months before you can even start. That’s not just frustrating, it’s a momentum killer. And the risks aren’t just delays. They can also be costly mistakes. One of the most promising companies we know had a simple plan: install a shower head in their lab to clean the benches. Straightforward, right? But somewhere along the way, the spec got lost in translation. The builders installed a full residential shower: tray, tiling, curtain- bang in the middle of the lab. The founder laughed about it later as it was a relatively small and low-cost mistake, but think about the disruption, the cost, and the aggro of fixing something that should have taken five minutes to get right. This kind of thing happens all the time. Founders are forced to make decisions about plumbing, lighting, HVAC, and lease terms, all while trying to build a company. It’s a distraction they can’t afford. That’s why we’re building ready-to-occupy lab and office space at One Portal Way, with our laboratories being suitable for a broad range of technical work including life sciences, chemistry, biology, cleantech, robotics, computing etc. Think of it like a hotel room for science. Walk in, plug in, and get going. No delays. No distractions. Just space that works from day one. We’ve seen brilliant founders waste time and money on fit-outs that don’t suit their needs. We’ve watched teams burn through runway before they’ve even run an experiment. We’ve seen scientists trying to decipher lease clauses when they should be designing experiments. So we’re flipping the model. Our spaces come fully equipped: flexible lab space, offices, meeting rooms, event spaces, and even a café.( check out One Portal Way , opening in June 2026) But the building is only half the story. The other, and arguably more important, half is what happens inside it and how we support our tenants to be successful From branding to legal advice, from mentorship to marketing help, we’re building a service proposition that wraps around the space and helps companies grow. We’re not just offering square footage. We’re offering momentum. And for small science companies, that can make all the difference. One Portal Way launches in June 2026: book your tour now

8 Apr 2025 Can your building be turned into an Innovation Hub? Only a Feasibility Study can tell. In the last 18 months, we have conducted several feasibility studies for universities and landlords who wanted to ascertain whether an existing building could be converted into an Innovation Hub or to confirm if their plans to develop a new building make sense. Our team loves getting its teeth stuck into such projects, as they allow us to reach a definitive yes or no answer in a short period of time, while also absorbing everything there is to know about a new area or ecosystem. We are very passionate about creating innovation for the benefit of UK plc. Therefore, we understand the great responsibility of providing the right answers, ensuring our clients avoid spending time and money on projects that lack potential. So what do we look for in assessing these buildings (existing or new) ? We use what we call an “A-B-C methodology”, which consists in asking ourselves the following 3 questions: A for Attractive: will the space and the area be a ttractive to the target market? B for Building: can such a space be b uilt economically? C for Cluster: can the space become part of a c luster and an innovative community? Across everything we do, the building is only ever 50% of the answer. The other 50% is the potential for the building to be activated in a way that drives innovation. That’s why our feasibility studies focus on both aspects; Technical feasibility of constructing a suitable physical space, including consideration of design, MEPH adjustment, taking into account budget constraints and the overall business case. Ecosystem feasibility – identifying the right target tenants and creating a narrative around how this location will form a distinctive place for science and technology, how it links to universities and to other adjacent hubs, and what its specific purpose may be, based on its geographic characteristics or the pre-existing nature of a place. Once we believe that a location is potentially suitable both from a technical and ecosystem perspective and that it can be delivered, we develop a business case based on our experience of designing, developing and operating innovation spaces. This model will include sensitivity analysis of potential returns under stressed assumptions. In our experience, if a building is well connected transport wise, it’s close to a university, has a landlord with a strong idea they want to implement (i.e. there’s a strong potential thematic angle that the Innovation Hub will pursue) and has certain characteristics from a building standpoint which allow the creation of labs and amenities (ceiling height, reception space, floorplates that can allow convergence etc) then the answer tends to be that yes, it can be turned into an Innovation Hub. Are you thinking about developing an Innovation Hub and want some help? Get in touch

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

4 Sept 2025 Scaling Stories: how do you know when to step aside as a founder? You’ve started a business and thrown all your creativity and passion into building it into a successful start-up but then comes the inevitable running of the machine. Retaining the momentum of the company is a key part of that process but there comes a time in the journey of many a founder when the skills that built the company aren’t the skills needed to help it accelerate. Here, Mark Sanders, Sciopolis founder and CEO, explores how to know when this moment has arrived and how to take action . I recently stumbled across an article in The Standard entitled ‘ Want to Grow Faster? It Might Be Time to Replace Yourself’ and found a lot of truth in it. Many successful businesses go through phases where the leadership changes and that can often be the best move for the company, the customers and even the founder. The skills and energy needed to start a business are not always the same as those required to grow it. Starting out is about creativity, momentum and solving problems. Scaling is about discipline, systems and structures. There is honesty in knowing what you enjoy and what you’re good at. In my career, I have always gravitated to growth areas or new ventures, even within big organisations. I wanted to focus on the creativity of building something and learning. And if your passion is innovation and invention, you might not want to be involved in the detail, in the minutiae of how a business operates. This all becomes necessary as you grow but that doesn’t mean it drives your passion. A good example is my time at TDX. The founder was hugely innovative but didn’t want to run a large, complex operation. I came in to handle the parts he didn’t want to do, eventually becoming CEO. Once the business became multi-continental, I realised that wasn’t the environment that energised me and it was this self-awareness that led me to move on. It’s crucial to build a team around you that complements your strengths while staying open to feedback from trusted advisors or your board. As a founder, one of the hardest things is recognising when you might be the barrier to growth. It’s rare to wake up one day and think, ‘I’m the problem’. You have to deliberately structure your thinking, surround yourself with good counsel and be willing to act on what you hear. Liked Mark's blog? Read his next piece on the power of the right community to help founders thrive to discover more insights about Mark's approach to business .

19 Mar 2025 Sciopolis appointed as Development Advisor by The Crown Estate Sciopolis has been appointed by The Crown Estate to explore opportunities for new start-up, lab, amenity and events space at Cambridge Business Park, North Cambridge. This will form part of the transformation of Cambridge Business Park to become a gateway to a broader innovation district in the area, combining local social impact with national, mission-led innovation. Sciopolis is now working with The Crown Estate to conduct feasibility studies to reposition existing buildings as an Innovation Hub. This could provide space for early-stage businesses, researchers, academics, industry partners and the wider community to locate and collaborate. Together, the organisations will explore how this Innovation Hub might contribute to the local area, and how they can support growing science and technology sectors, such as Cleantech. Sciopolis was appointed as a Development Adviser for this phase of the project based on its extensive experience in developing innovation hubs and for its focus on establishing effective ecosystems to help tenants scale and grow. The company partners with landlords, universities and local government to either convert existing sites or create new ones. Its mission is to build a network of such hubs across strategic locations in the country, providing much-needed infrastructure to help drive the Government’s Science Superpower mission. Sciopolis is expected to support the development of the site and to operate it, as well as initiate ecosystem-building activities at Cambridge Business Park. Mark Sanders, Chairman of Sciopolis, said: “We are proud to be advising The Crown Estate on creating not just a building, but the start of a long-lasting ecosystem. Working for a purpose driven organisation with a long-term focus is a great privilege and we know that this work has particular significance in The Crown Estate’s ambitious vision for Cambridge Business Park.” Charlie Mitchell, CEO of Sciopolis, added: “We never start from the building; we start from understanding what science and technology innovators need, and build for them. Cambridge has no shortage of talent and ideas, and the city is on the ramp up to boost innovation, so it needs infrastructure to match. This means more labs and more space to converge great minds through open design, thoughtful amenities and a relentless focus on collaboration. Cambridge Business Park is the ideal place for a new hub, and we are laying the groundwork for it to become a success story.” Click here to see the proposal under consultation

16 Sept 2025 Scaling Stories: how community can help founders thrive When launching a new business, there are a few key things you must consider: what you enjoy doing, location and building a high-performing team. Experienced founders will know that the latter is key to longevity. Building a strong community of people not only fosters a supportive and collaborative environment but it also means you are sharing the scaling journey with other people, which is so important and necessary when you consider how lonely it can be as an entrepreneur. There's the unseen part of being a founder or an entrepreneur. It’s the work you're doing when you're not in the office; the kind of things that tend to consume your mind. You'll find yourself sneaking stuff in an evening and a weekend because you've got to keep up with the pace of everything. Inevitably, that does mean you make sacrifices in your family life. Giving up time to work on getting ready for the week ahead or catching up on the week before. This is where you see the benefits of being near to people who are having a similar journey. As a founder, there is an expectation to know everything, but knowing that you don’t know everything and being willing to ask for help is a very powerful leadership move. What matters is having a supportive network around you. Whether it’s collaborating with your team to get the best out of them as part of the community or talking to a peer in another industry, who just happens to be in the same building about things you're wrestling with, is really helpful. The more someone feels they belong to a community the more likely they are to perform at a high level and the less likely they are to leave. It’s well documented that being a founder and an entrepreneur is a lonely gig. Not only is community vital for helping to combat that, it is key for fostering employee engagement and for boosting productivity. 👉 If you believe in growing in the right community, explore our locations and be part of something big, from the start.