Discovery Park welcomed experts in healthy ageing to its Innovation Summit on 20th June, calling for the life science network in Kent to join forces to make the county a leader in healthy ageing and longevity. 

Over 230 attendees came together at the one day event to discuss innovation in healthcare, taking a close look at trends in healthy ageing, developing more integrated care, and the role of digital collaboration in future healthcare delivery.

Over-85s are the UK’s fastest growing age group. Healthy ageing needs both biomedical and societal innovations, but data shows that if everyone in the UK had an extra year of healthy living, it would be worth a huge £5 trillion to the UK economy. 

Keynote speaker Ian Philp, Founder, Age Care Technologies, said: “The Innovation Summit brought together an incredible network of experts working in technology, drug discovery, medicine and academia. Using this momentum, we are on a mission to make Kent a leader in longevity and ageing well, where healthy ageing is accessible to everyone. Ageing is a fact of life, and we all have a personal stake in this important endeavour.” 

Discovery Park tenant Age Care Technologies are currently running a national demonstration project in East Kent, looking at preventive care for older people. This uses the world’s leading tools to allow older people to report concerns for their health, independence and wellbeing, connecting them to support as well as providing data for policymakers to improve services, to meet the needs of an ageing population. Next year, Discovery Park will host a delegation of leaders in the care of older people from Japan and Taiwan, to learn about the innovative work of Age Care Technologies.

Mayer Schreiber, CEO at Discovery Park, said: “Healthy ageing is a significant challenge that affects us all. With the proportion of people over 60 expected to double by 2050, it is essential that we foster innovation and develop technologies to address the complexities of ageing. From combating loneliness to enhancing integrated care, we want to champion people-focused solutions. 

Discovery Park is at the forefront of scientific and technological advancements, and our annual Innovation Summit plays a vital role in bringing together this dynamic network to forge connections and drive meaningful progress.” 

Alongside speeches, networking and workshops, Discovery Park held an opening ceremony for its new shared lab space, CoLab, in partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University. Designed to support early-stage life science businesses, CoLab provides flexible bench space in a collaborative coworking environment.

Other Innovation Summit keynote speakers at the event included Cynthia Bullock, Deputy Director of the Healthy Ageing Challenge, Innovate UK, and Sally-Ann Emmas, Strategy & Innovation Leader, Medicines Discovery Catapult. 

Martin Carpenter, Digital Transformation Officer, NHS Kent & Medway and Hassan Chaudhury, Commercial Director, DATA-CAN took part in a fireside chat about the future of digital collaboration. 

A panel discussion on Healthy Aging was chaired by Rakesh Koria, Ageing & Dying Well Clinical Lead NHS SE, and included Ian Philp, Founder, Age Care Technologies, David Wilkinson, Professor of Psychology, University of Kent, and Sarah Bradnum, Communications Lead, The Joy Club. 

Closing the morning session, Cornelia Wilson, Reader and Academic Laboratory Director, CCCU gave an introduction to Discovery Park’s new CoLab shared lab facility, with final remarks from Mayer Schreiber, CEO at Discovery Park. 

The afternoon included four workshops, covering different themes: 

• The Leadership Team of the BSG SIG on Ageing, Business and Society
• Unity Insights: Importance of Evaluation for the Adoption of New Technologies in Healthcare
• Navigating Digital Inclusion in Ageing and Dementia
• DLRC Regulatory Consultancy: How to Communicate with Regulators

Partners for the event included Age Care Technologies, NHS and the Medicines Discovery Catapult.

Discovery Park, Kent’s thriving life science and innovation community, is preparing to welcome 300 healthcare innovators to its campus on Thursday 20th June for its second annual Innovation Summit, with only final spots remaining. 

This year’s summit has a focus on innovation in healthcare, taking a close look at trends in healthy ageing, breakthroughs in medicine and life science, and the role of digital collaboration in future healthcare delivery.

The one day event at Discovery Park’s campus in Sandwich includes morning  keynote speeches from leaders including Cynthia Bullock, Deputy Director of the Healthy Ageing Challenge, Innovate UK, and Ian Philp, Founder, Age Care Technologies. With time for networking throughout, the day concludes with a choice of afternoon workshops, with specialist sessions on Navigating Digital Inclusion in Ageing and Dementia and How to Communicate with Regulators. 

Jane Kennedy, Chief Business Officer at Discovery Park, said: “We are excited to welcome healthcare leaders to Discovery Park for our second Innovation Summit, exploring the transformative trends shaping the future of health, medicine, and life science. Along with expert insights, the Summit provides important networking opportunities amongst influential attendees, including esteemed academics, industry leaders, and innovative entrepreneurs.” 

More information and the event agenda is available on Discovery Park’s website: https://discovery-park.co.uk/innovation-summit/ 

Attendees are encouraged to secure their free spot now, by registering here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/innovation-summit-tickets-811221283697?aff=oddtdtcreator 

Partners for the event include Age Care Technologies, NHS and Medicines Discovery Catapult. 

Last week, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Gareth Jones, Founder of Discovery Park-based Wave Search, to discuss his latest venture: RecBox.

In our insightful conversation, Gareth shared the inspiration behind RecBox and how its advanced features aim to streamline every stage of recruitment.

Can you start by sharing a bit about you and your professional journey? 

My name is Gareth Jones, and I’m the Co-Founder of RecBox, alongside my business partner, Elkie Holland. With nearly 20 years in the recruitment industry, I have a deep passion for AI and recruitment technology. Since 2015, I’ve been running my business, Wave Search, at Discovery Park. Our journey led us to develop RecBox, a revolutionary recruitment productivity tool. In late 2023, we partnered with KTB Technologies, a market leader in workforce management technology, to bring RecBox to life!

What is RecBox?

RecBox is an AI-powered recruitment toolkit designed to streamline and enhance every stage of the hiring process. It provides recruiters with a suite of tools to make smarter, faster, and more efficient hiring decisions. The beauty of RecBox lies in its simplicity—a user-friendly dashboard allows users to complete repetitive and time-consuming tasks in seconds, with just one click, using a CV or job description.

What inspired you to develop RecBox, and how does it address the pain points recruiters face?

Elkie and I saw the potential of AI and automation to address inefficiencies in the hiring process. Recruiters often spend countless hours on manual tasks, missing out on top talent. RecBox was created to tackle these pain points by automating routine tasks and enhancing candidate matching through AI technology. This not only reduces the time and cost to hire but also improves the quality of hires, benefiting recruiters, talent acquisition professionals, and their clients or stakeholders.

Is RecBox just for recruiters? Can you share a bit about the use cases?

While RecBox is a powerful tool for recruiters, its applications extend beyond traditional recruitment roles. HR professionals, talent acquisition specialists, and hiring managers can all benefit from its features. HR teams can streamline internal hiring processes, and hiring managers can make data-driven decisions. Essentially, anyone involved in the hiring process can find value in RecBox.

What measures has RecBox implemented to protect sensitive recruitment information?

Security is a top priority for RecBox. We’ve implemented robust measures to protect sensitive information, including secure cloud storage and stringent access controls. Our platform undergoes regular security audits and updates to ensure data is safeguarded against potential threats. Additionally, we comply with all relevant data protection regulations, giving our users peace of mind regarding the security of their information.

What future features can users expect from RecBox?

We have an exciting roadmap for RecBox with several innovative features in development. We’re working on advanced integration tools so users can connect RecBox to their current CRM, ATS, or HR software for a more seamless experience. Our goal is to continuously evolve RecBox to meet the changing needs of the recruitment industry and provide our users with the best possible tools for success.

Find out more about RecBox and how it can help you here.

Discovery Park, Kent’s thriving life science community, has opened the doors to CoLab, a new shared lab facility. In partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University, CoLab has been specially designed for early-stage life science businesses, providing flexible bench space in a collaborative coworking environment.

Dr Cornelia Wilson, Senior Lecturer and Academic Laboratory Director at Canterbury Christ Church University, said: “Finding lab space is too often a blocker for promising life science spin outs and startups, and CoLab exists to solve this. This specialist lab offers flexible and cost-effective space in a collaborative environment, with a dedicated lab technician onsite to provide expert advice and remove the stress of lab management.” 

The three first tenants who have moved in CoLab include:

• RS & RS Scientific, who are focused on new innovative molecular strategies in the field of cancer research, aiming to improve understanding and manipulation of complex tumours to pave the way for more effective and personalised cancer therapies.
• BioFlares, a specialist in bioluminescence imaging tools and solutions to allow complex genetic information to be viewed using bright molecules, with applications in cancer research, gene therapy and stem cell research.
• Phlow, a start up revolutionising menstrual hygiene management with a biodegradable, non-plastic flushable period pad, using cellulose.

CoLab tenants benefit from being located at Discovery Park, a thriving life science community with an on-site Barclays Eagle Lab, giving access to free business mentoring and investor connections. Discovery Park also has an onsite innovation team and its own investment fund, Discovery Park Ventures. 

Reza Salimi, Co-Founder at RS & RS Scientific and CoLab tenant: “We’re excited to join the thriving life science and tech hub of Discovery Park. Being based at the CoLab provides us with invaluable opportunities for collaboration and business support. The Discovery Park team members are very supportive, enhancing our experience and helping us grow. The location in Kent also means we are close to both Europe and London, allowing us access to everything we need and to expand into future markets.”

Renos Savva, Head of Innovation at Discovery Park, said: “CoLab provides tailored space and resources for emerging life science businesses, but importantly also a network of like-minded innovators. This latest industry-academia partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University demonstrates how Discovery Park provides a community for visionary entrepreneurs and leaders, and the ideal environment for businesses to start, scale and succeed.”

Discovery Park is offering up to 6 months free membership to CoLab for eligible businesses. With flexible terms, life science businesses can rent a single bench space for up to two people within a state-of-the-art CAT 2 lab, plus access to a write-up desk. CoLab has an experienced lab technician on hand as well as access to a diverse range of specialist equipment, enabling companies to more easily scale and develop without the need for heavy capital investment. CoLab equipment includes microfuges, autoclaves, fume cupboards, incubators, cell culture facilities, protein and DNA electrophoresis.

CoLab companies can also access more extensive or specialist state-of-the-art technology at Canterbury Christ Church University’s main campus in Canterbury, Kent. The University has a team of industry-leading experts to support businesses, from undertaking component analysis to providing a comprehensive package of analytical and technical support. The University has simplified the process for CoLab businesses to access their experts, ensuring rapid delivery, precision and complete confidentiality. 

Finding lab space is a key challenge for new life science companies. In London, available lab space makes up less than 25% of current demand, with the capital seeing a 61% increase year-on-year in new company incorporations. 

More information: https://discovery-park.co.uk/shared-lab-space/