Sciontec Developments Limited (Sciontec) has welcomed 12 new customers to its innovation centres in Liverpool city centre in a hectic start to 2024.
The diverse mix of organisations will be located across Sciontec’s property portfolio, within Liverpool Science Park and its flexible, all-inclusive Sciontec AI workspace in The Spine, in Liverpool City Council’s flagship development site at Paddington Village, with commercial deals ranging from a single hot desk to a full 5,500 sq ft floor plate.
UK National Measurement Laboratory, the country’s designated institute for chemical and bio measurement, is among four new arrivals at Sciontec AI, which also includes The Bloom Appeal: Merseyside Against Blood Cancers, a regional charity which helps patients with blood cancer through treatments, and Swedish Fintech start-up Univa.
Dr Harry Barraza, relationship development director – strategy and partnerships at National Measurement Laboratory, said: “The three primary drivers for us locating here were the connections into the Knowledge Quarter Liverpool health and life sciences ecosystem, strategic partnership opportunities and direct access to SMEs.
“The close proximity to the universities, other leading institutions and business community will enable us to develop our collaborative metrology strategy further, increase access to our national capabilities, and deliver expert support within measurement research and innovation in Liverpool City Region for years to come.”
Civic Health Innovation Labs (CHIL), a new University of Liverpool research centre that brings together health and technology experts to drive advances in care and wellbeing, has moved into a new 5,500 sq ft, full floor space at Liverpool Science Park. Co-located within CHIL’s workspace is NIHR’s Mental Health Research for Innovation Centre (M-RIC) and researchers from Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust – the NHS’ largest mental health and community services trust.
They are joined at Liverpool Science Park by Quantexa, a global data and analytics software company specialising in digital intelligence solutions, Culloma Technologies, a national organisation which develops and markets real-time video software products and Attaro, a north west-based tech business which engineers innovative software for the heating and plumbing industry.
Ray O’Brien, COO of Quantexa, said: “Opening an office in Liverpool Science Park puts us in the epicentre of a unique location that includes academia, the public and private sector. As Quantexa continues to invest in supporting the government in its ambition to boost the UK’s potential as an innovation nation, levelling up communities across the country, Liverpool is a perfect fit with our vision.
“We look forward to further establishing ourselves as a key member of the health and life sciences ecosystem in the city. This new location will allow us to hire talent outside of London, as we drive forward on our commitment to co-create with the NHS, government organisations and the private sector to support in delivering solutions that meet the healthcare sector’s objectives.”
Health charity North West Cancer Research and educational inequality organisation Tutor Trust have also arrived at Liverpool Science Park, where they will join their new neighbours architect practice MF Architecture and InsideUni, a student-led project to make Oxbridge applications more intuitive and accessible.
Colin Sinclair, CEO at Sciontec, said: “Demand for high quality, city centre workspaces in Knowledge Quarter Liverpool continues to rise, and this latest group of new arrivals reflects the outstanding nature of Sciontec’s unique portfolio of labs and offices.
“We know a lot of businesses are attracted by the opportunity to join our growing community of innovation leaders and we’re forecasting that this trend will continue throughout the year.”
Alongside the growing number of new customers moving into Sciontec’s innovation centres, several existing customers have recently expanded, including LCR investment and innovation vehicle, LYVA Labs, who agreed a three-year deal to move into a larger private office providing space for up to 20 desks in December, 2023.
The Pandemic Institute, which offers the world’s first end-to-end response to pandemics, has doubled its private office capacity with Sciontec AI at The Spine, while precision cardiac diagnostics business, MyCardium AI, has also recently expanded its workspace at Liverpool Science park by nearly 60%.
