DLOC Biosystems has selected Discovery Park, Kent, as the location for its new biology facility. The company will set up a biology lab within Discovery Park’s thriving life science cluster to continue development of its state-of-the-art organ-on-a-chip technology and deliver accurate assay testing services to pharmaceutical companies to advance drug discovery.

DLOC Biosystems was founded to enable faster, safer and cheaper drug development. The company’s chips provide an environment where cells can grow and reorganise into tissues, providing the perfect setting for large scale, affordable drug testing. Its technology will help to enable the reduction and replacement of animal testing, by providing more accurate data on safety and efficacy than current pre-clinical testing models.

With an engineering team based in Lebanon, DLOC was looking to build a new biology team based in the UK. The company selected Discovery Park’s high-spec lab facilities just over an hour from London due to its reputation as a leading hub for life sciences and the opportunity it offers for future expansion. Discovery Park’s extensive ecosystem provides future opportunities for collaboration as well as a network of potential customers, a key consideration for life science start-ups.

Wadah Malaeb, CEO and Founder of DLOC Biosystems, commented: “We were initially interested in locating in London as it offered access to an excellent talent pool, however, the cost and availability of high-spec lab space as well as living costs for potential employees proved inhibitive. When I visited Discovery Park, I was impressed not just by the quality of the facilities available, but also by the extensive business support offered by the team. The park and its surroundings provide an ideal location to build our business and I look forward to joining the Discovery Park community.”

Chris Broom, Head of Business Development at Discovery Park, added: “We’re passionate about supporting the transformation of ideas into successful commercial innovation. As well as access to our cutting-edge facilities, DLOC will have the opportunity to network and collaborate with our community of innovative start-ups and established companies. We are excited to welcome Wadah and his team to Discovery Park and look forward to working with them to support the growth of the company and deliver significant benefits to the drug discovery industry.”

DLOC is currently recruiting a biology team leader to start and build its new team at Discovery Park and will also expand its engineering team on site. It is also participating in the Discovery Spark programme for life science start-ups to develop and refine its business offering.

“We’re proud to be the home of pioneering vertical farm, GrowUp Farms and all the work they’re doing to transform UK agriculture. Building on Kent’s strong farming heritage, the GrowUp Farms team are integrating innovative systems to create a sustainable, resilient food system at scale. We look forward to continuing to support them and welcoming other organisations to this exciting community.” – Jane Kennedy, Chief Business Officer at Discovery Park.

Members of the Lords Horticultural Sector Committee visited pioneering Kent-based vertical farm, GrowUp Farms, in Sandwich last week to find out about how vertical farming will play a key role in the future of farming.

Lord Carter, Lord Colgrain, Lord Coles, Baroness Fookes, Lord Redesdale and Baroness Walmsley visited the farm – called Pepperness – which is leading the charge in vertical farms in the UK as it was the first to sell its salad ranges through UK supermarkets.

The House of Lords Horticultural Sector Committee was created in April this year to produce a report on the horticultural industry. A 12-strong committee from all parties including crossbenchers is considering the challenges faced by the sector, which is worth billions to the UK economy and is a significant contributor to UK food security.

GrowUp Farms is the UK’s leading vertical farm, and launched its Unbeleafable salad range in Tesco stores in July this year.

A vertical farm is an innovative agricultural system, designed to grow crops in vertically stacked layers in a controlled indoor environment.  The growing process means that salad can be grown year-round in the UK and uses up to 94% less water than traditional growing.

Pepperness grows the salad without the need to use pesticides of any kind, nor does it need chlorine-washing, in fact the salad doesn’t need to be washed at all before eating – all processes which degrade the quality of the leaves.  The supply chain is significantly reduced, so the salad only travels from Kent to UK supermarkets, rather than from overseas.  It tastes fresher and crisper and lasts longer than other salads, which means there’s less waste produced too.

“We’re very proud of what we are achieving here at Pepperness, and the part we’re playing in the future of food security for the UK” said Kate Hofman, founder and Chief Brand Officer of GrowUp Farms.  “Currently the UK imports around 67% of its salad from warmer climates, and this rises to 90% in the winter*, so vertical farms can help the UK to be more self-sufficient in producing food.”

“We were delighted to welcome the House of Lords Horticultural Sector Committee to Pepperness, and we very much support the inquiry into the considerable challenges facing this sector, not least the effects of climate change.

“We grow, harvest, and pack our salads for supermarkets across the UK, all at Pepperness in Kent.  The farm’s highly controlled environment simulates a beautiful Mediterranean spring day, every day, providing the perfect growing conditions for salad.”

Lord Redesdale, Chair of the Committee, said: “Horticulture is worth billions to the UK economy. From healthy fruit and vegetables to the multitude of crop and plant varieties that can be grown in the UK, it is a fundamental component of a secure food supply, supports the wellbeing of millions of people, and could provide innovative solutions to the challenges presented by climate change. Despite this, horticulture has been continually overlooked and undervalued.

“As part of our inquiry, we were delighted to visit Pepperness and see how GrowUp Farms is putting real innovation into practice to build resilience into the UK horticulture sector.”

Pepperness was originally a brownfield site. Following £100m investment, GrowUp Farms is building the equivalent of 1000 acres of Grade 1 farmland on the site and has recently got the green light to further expand the farm, which will increase its output by 40%.

GrowUp Farms was the first vertical farm to sell a salad in a UK supermarket when it launched its first salad brand, Fresh Lead Co. into Iceland in February 2023.  It is also the first to sell a vertical farm produced salad range in Tesco, with the launch of Unbeleafable in July.

Hofman does have a wider message for the Government: “Although we are already producing food and selling it through the UK’s biggest supermarket, we are at a disadvantage compared to traditional growers when it comes to access to incentives. Vertical farms are treated as emerging technology which means we cannot benefit from the ‘Sustainable Farming Incentive’ in Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS), which traditional farmers receive to improve their practices.

“If vertical farming continues to be treated as an emerging technology, the government is missing an opportunity to grow the industry, create a sustainable supply chain and deliver the outcomes laid out in the government’s Environment Plan. The extension of ELMS to include vertical farming would create a level playing field for more farming techniques that produce high-quality food and take care of the environment.”

*British Retail Consortium

About GrowUp Farms  

• GrowUp Farms was founded by Kate Hofman and Tom Webster in 2013 and is a pioneer in UK vertical farming.
• GrowUp Farms grows its salads in a controlled environment, where the climate provides the plants with perfect conditions. This means it can grow to the best standard all year round and is resilient to climate change.
• GrowUp Farms is the first vertical farm to introduce a branded salad into a supermarket chain in the UK with the launch of Fresh Leaf Co. in Iceland stores across the country earlier this year.
• GrowUp Farms’ newest vertical farm is near Sandwich, Kent. It combines innovative farming technology with renewable energy, using electricity and waste heat from the bioenergy plant next door, which means the farm is not affected by the energy price increases squeezing greenhouse and conventional farmers in the UK.
• GrowUp Farms is B Corp certified with a high B Impact Score of 104.7 points, against the pass threshold of 80 points. The score reflects GrowUp Farms’ commitment to the high standards set by B Corp to achieve social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability in all areas of the business as well as contributing to the economic and social well-being of the communities that GrowUp Farms operates in, alongside a commitment to environmental causes.

• The 8-week programme offers in person training from industry leaders to build strong business foundations and prepare for investment 
• Finalists have the chance to win a business support package worth over £100,000, including one year of free lab space at Discovery Park and £50,000 investment from Discovery Park Ventures 
• The winner will be announced at the GIANT Health conference on 5th December 2023 

Thirteen life science start-ups have been accepted onto Discovery Park’s new business support programme and competition, Discovery Spark.  The eight-week Discovery Spark programme will equip the early-stage companies with the necessary skills to catalyse their business growth plans and gives them the chance to win a business support package worth over £100,000. 

The start-ups span across the biotech, digital tech, engineering biology, synthetic biology and medical technology sectors. Participants were chosen by a judging panel that scored the start-ups based on their product or service, opportunity and market, team management, programme fit and investment potential. Taking part in the programme will be 3D Synthesis, Awen, Bing Bong Biologics, BioMavericks, BugBiome, CardioCrown, DLOC Biosystems, Dravya Discovery, KASNMR, Matrix Bio, Rapidx Bio, The Future Care and XR-Musica.  

As part of the programme, Discovery Park will host in-person training sessions, covering topics such as building an excellent team, understanding and conveying business metrics, and branding. The start-ups will also be able to take advantage of opportunities for networking, mentoring, learning from shared experiences and perfecting their investor pitch. The programme will culminate with an investor pitching event sponsored by Discovery Park as part of the GIANT Health conference on 5th December 2023. The start-up with the best pitch at the conference will win a business support package worth over £100,000. The package includes one free year of lab space at Discovery Park and £50,000 investment from Discovery Park Ventures, as well as comprehensive business support and mentoring. 

Discovery Park’s Head of Innovation, Renos Savva, is leading the programme, bringing extensive experience in science entrepreneurship including co-founding Domainex and providing training for life science audiences across academia and industry. He said: “We were overwhelmed by the number of applications for Discovery Spark. The start-ups selected show phenomenal potential and we’re excited to accelerate their growth. Being investor-ready is essential for start-ups and Discovery Spark ensures participants will have the best team, brand image and business know-how by the end of the programme.”  

BugBiome is harnessing the power of the skin microbiome to repel mosquitoes. Most mosquito repellents on the market provide protection for just a few hours and contain persistent synthetic chemicals that can harm the environment. BugBiome aims to utilise natural bacteria that repel mosquitoes to create an effective and safe solution. Alicia Showering, Founder and CEO at BugBiome, said: “We’re passionate about stopping the spread of deadly vector-borne diseases like malaria and Dengue by bringing longer-lasting natural repellents to market. Taking part in Discovery Spark will give us the necessary business tools to make this a reality.”  

Delayed diagnosis of microbial diseases leads 15 million avoidable deaths every year. RapidX has developed a disease detection technology to deliver point of care diagnosis in under 30 minutes. Its technology doesn’t require specialist training to use and has important implications for the targeted treatment of diseases which will be vital to combat microbial drug resistance.   

CardioCrown develops MedTech devices that empower stroke rehabilitation at home. Its integrated rehabilitation technology incorporates virtual reality, functional electrical stimulation and artificial intelligence to help accelerate the recovery of stroke patients. The engaging product will also reduce the time clinicians will have to spend with patients and help stroke units streamline processes. 

Mayer Schreiber, CEO at Discovery Park, commented: “Not only will participants receive business training fine-tuned to life-science start-ups, but also access to Discovery Park’s cutting-edge facilities, where they will have the opportunity to network, ideate and collaborate. Discovery Park is committed to supporting the next generation of life science leaders, and our Discovery Spark programme embodies that.” 

Discovery Park, Kent’s thriving life science community, welcomes today’s announcement that the UK will re-join the EU’s Horizon science research programme. This international collaboration brings together the brightest minds in the world and offers transformational funding that will be vital to drive scientific discovery.

Positioned in Kent at the interface of the UK and Europe, Discovery Park is home to a wide range of companies driving scientific development who will benefit from the opportunities this programme brings. Kent’s flourishing science and technology cluster will be a cornerstone of this growing international collaboration.

Following two years of negotiations, this news demonstrates the UK’s commitment to R&D and building a strong research pipeline. This will be key to developing solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges as well as building a strong science and technology economy in the UK.

Mayer Schreiber, CEO of Discovery Park, commented: “We’re excited by today’s news that the UK will once again be part of Horizon Europe’s world leading research programme. Collaboration is vital to successful science and innovation and the funding and partnership opportunities the programme offers will bring considerable benefits to the UK and Europe. Nowhere is this more relevant than Kent, on the doorstep of Europe. We look forward to seeing the companies based at Discovery Park and our local universities benefit from the programme as well as welcoming new organisations to the growing Kent science and technology community.”

A report into the economic impact of Kent’s largest community of science and innovation companies suggests Discovery Park is estimated to be worth more than £324 million a year to the UK economy.

 

The value is thanks to the combined efforts of the 160 companies and 3,100 employees at the Sandwich site. A further 900 contractors were employed at the science park during the last year, and an estimated 1,840 jobs are supported elsewhere, thanks to the activities of the Discovery Park-based companies.

 

Welcoming the news during a visit to Discovery Park, Cllr Roger Gough, Leader of Kent County Council, said: “The report confirms Discovery Park’s place as one of the county’s most important economic drivers. With some 14,600 STEM undergraduate and postgraduate students at the county’s universities it is important that we do everything to retain these skills in Kent. The commitment to promoting collaboration between the companies on site and the county’s colleges and universities is a model of good practice that we should highlight and encourage others to consider in strengthening Kent’s skills base and improve productivity.”

 

Of the jobs on site, 57% are involved in life sciences, health and social care, technology, information and communication companies. A further 9% work in manufacturing and engineering, plus 10% in construction, development and facilities management, and 13% in professional services.

 

Mayer Schreiber, CEO of Discovery Park, said: “The report recognises the work we have done to promote innovation and provide business support for our companies. We have successfully helped open doors to funding opportunities, made high quality laboratory and office space available, and nurtured the STEM skilled workforce of the future.

 

“Our mission is to become a world-leading science park. Many of the companies based here are driving improvements in healthcare through innovation and collaboration, and we are determined to play our part in creating the right conditions for growth.”

 

Demand for laboratory and office space remains strong. A £6m investment in a flexible laboratory facility, offering spaces from 250 sq ft to 3,000 sq ft, has proved popular with companies eager to set up and then scale-up, without the need to relocate as they expand.

 

Funding for start-ups and scale-up businesses remains a challenge for the country’s science community. Since it launched Discovery Park Ventures, the early-stage life sciences fund, it has invested in six high potential businesses. The companies are involved in manufacturing, digital and AI, cell and gene therapies, synthetic biology and neurology, including ophthalmology.

 

An important element of Discovery Park’s success has been achieved by helping companies grow on site by focusing on skills development. The Skills Hub, a partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University, EKC Group, Pfizer, The Stem Hub and University of Kent, is helping tenants to offer further training to their workforce, as well as helping them to find new talent and retain existing people to drive their businesses forward.

 

Discovery Park recently became home to one of the country’s 30 Barclays Eagle Labs offering co-working and incubator communities for start-ups and scale-up companies. Based in Innovation House, it helps entrepreneurs and ambitious businesses innovate and grow, with a focus on collaboration between the life sciences and technology sectors.

 

The 220-acre science park has also been identified by the Government as a Life Sciences Opportunity Zone, with established links to academia and a thriving scientific community.

A Kent social enterprise that offers popular and practical workshops on science, technology, engineering, arts and maths (STEAM) to people in East Kent has struck a deal with Discovery Park, the science and innovation park near Sandwich.

Discovery Planet CIC, which is based in Ramsgate and operates across Thanet, partners with scientific institutions and industry professionals to connect young people and their families with the exciting world of science.

The charity has secured the support of Discovery Park in connecting it with businesses on the 220-acre science park, as well as East Kent College and local universities.

Having worked closely with Discovery Park’s management team, Discovery Planet will now work with companies at the science park to design and deliver a series of extracurricular workshops and learning opportunities.

Xanthe Pitt, Director at Discovery Planet, said: “This is fantastic news as it will give greater access to the practical applications of exciting science and how it solves real-world problems.

“It will connect us and the district’s young people with many of the forward-thinking, innovative companies at Discovery Park which have made a commitment to working with the local community.”

As part of the deal, Discovery Park will make its events, marketing, social media and public relations teams available to Discovery Planet to help promote its work.

Jane Kennedy, Chief Business Officer at Discovery Park, said: “By collaborating with Discovery Planet, we reaffirm our commitment to making STEAM learning accessible for all and helping to foster a passion for these subjects from school years right through to working at the science park.

“We have many companies on site that are keen to show how science and technology can improve our world, and also promote the career opportunities that STEAM subjects can open up. By joining up with the team at Discovery Planet we will be able to make that happen quicker for the benefit of the local community. Together we will arrange and promote a programme of events, including one with global power specialist Cummins’ on-site team.”

Individuals and businesses interested in working with Discovery Planet should contact nikkihildesley@discoveryplanet.co.uk.

As we find ourselves just over the midpoint of 2023, it seems only fitting to pause and reflect on the state of the UK Life Sciences sector. In a new year’s speech on building a better future for the UK, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak referenced the importance of innovation. “The more we innovate, the more we grow”, citing an increase in R&D public funding to £20bn, aiming to enhance the UK’s strengths in AI, life sciences, quantum, fintech, and green technology.

 

It’s a strong pledge, but now is the time to reflect on progress made so far and priorities for the future. Given the Government’s focus on innovation, we need to sustain investment in life sciences as an area of high growth potential. We know investment in life sciences has a significant impact on GDP, and its promising to see the Government’s recent ‘Life Sci For Growth’ £650 million so called “war-chest” including up to £250 million to incentivise pension schemes to invest in our most promising science and tech firms, helping to keep promising companies on home soil.

 

Alongside this Government investment, industry has a role to play in providing further support and skills, and I was immensely proud to hear the Minister of State at the new Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, George Freeman MP, remark on Discovery Park as “a world class incubator of new life science technologies and companies.” In reflection of this, we’ve just launched Discovery Spark, a learning programme which lays healthy foundations for future company success and equips early stage life science businesses with the skills needed to thrive.

 

We need to continue to keep the channels open, allowing Government, industry and academia to work closely together. To be a true life science superpower, we need to ensure we are looking beyond the Golden Triangle. George Freeman MP, spoke following Discover Park’s recent Innovation Summit: “The success of Discovery Park is the result of a strategic long-term public/private partnership between Government in London and Kent. It demonstrates the power of the UK’s £94 billion life sciences sector in driving economic regeneration in clusters all around the UK.” 

 

Discovery Park works closely with our Local Enterprise Partnership (LEPs), but this relationship will be sadly ending as LEP responsibility is transferred to local authorities. South East LEP helped us to unlock funding to develop our new incubator lab complex as part of the ‘Getting Building Fund’, and we have received huge demand from science and technology companies looking for space to set up. We’ve seen the most need for smaller lab sizes, ideal for spinout or scaling companies. As the LEPs end, we need to ensure there is a continued focus on infrastructure to support early stage companies – especially outside the triangle.

 

Government life science investment also needs to take an end-to-end approach, with determination on the part of the Government to build a stronger supply chain and manufacturing. While these items are referenced in the recent ‘Life Sci For Growth’ package, from the investment figures it is clear the focus remains earlier in the discovery cycle. Discovery Park has aspirations to create a manufacturing hub and similar facilities need to be replicated across the country, but that will take serious investment.

 

We must also continue joining the dots between education and academia, showcasing the career opportunities at all levels. Science parks have a leading role to play, but we need Government buy-in to make it work, especially as science is having to compete with other sectors to recruit essential tech skills.

So, as we enter the second half of 2023, it’s pleasing to see Government confidence that life science is a key vehicle to support economic growth. Now, let’s keep momentum for the second half of the year.

• Discovery Park’s new programme ‘Discovery Spark’ provides business support, learning and mentoring over a period of eight weeks
• Includes a pitch competition for a prize package worth over £100,000, including £50,000 investment from Discovery Park Ventures and free lab space for 1 year at Discovery Park
• Deadline for applications closes midnight on 20th August 2023

Leading science and innovation campus, Discovery Park, in Sandwich, Kent has launched a new business support programme and competition, ‘Discovery Spark’. The programme will lay healthy foundations for future company success and equip early stage life science businesses with the skills needed when pitching to investors.

The free and hybrid programme running over the course of eight weeks, aims to ignite potential from the best of Discovery Park’s facilities, people and networks. Delivered in four in-person sessions, plus mentoring, networking and group learning, the sessions will cover teams, coherent communications, financials, market impact and pitch prep, all concluding with drill pitches at Discovery Park.

Discovery Spark is currently accepting applications from life-science start-ups, with a closing deadline of 20 August. From the first cohort of up to 12 companies, one business will be selected to win a prize package worth over £100,000, including £50,000 investment from Discovery Park Ventures, 1 year of free lab space at Discovery Park, plus wrap-around business support and dedicated mentoring.

Renos Savva, the original founder of Cambridge-based Drug Discovery CRO, Domainex and now Head of Innovation at Discovery Park, said: “Discovery Spark is essential for all future leaders looking to audit and hone their skills to excel in business and win investment. You will also have unique access to industry analysts, seasoned leaders and executive trainers for advice and support, plus a new network of peer entrepreneurs. 

“The benefits will go even further for one company selected to win £50,000 investment, plus free lab space for 1 year at Discovery Park. This bespoke prize also includes business support from Barclays Eagle Labs and pro bono support from firms specialising in IP and legals, finances and tax, talent and board management, marketing and PR, and web and data management. On top of this, as an experienced bio-business facilitator and mentor, I’ll be providing dedicated and ongoing mentorship, coupled with other specialist colleagues at Discovery Park.” 

Mayer Schreiber, CEO at Discovery Park, added: “Discovery Park is the ideal environment for starting and scaling companies, with a thriving incubator community and room to grow. We understand the pressure to find lab space and the pinch on many scaling or spin-out companies, so Discovery Spark is an important reflection of our commitment to use our facilities and network to bolster the next generation of life science leaders.” 

Those selected for the programme will have the opportunity to pitch for the £50,000 investment and support package at an investment conference, sponsored by Discovery Park, taking place in London in November.  A further ‘wildcard’ prize of free lab space will also be available to programme participants and voted for by attendees.

Applicants should register their interest on the Discovery Spark page for more information.

Key Discovery Spark Dates:

• Deadline for applications: Midnight 20th August 2023
• Programme Kick off: 26 September

To enter, companies will have been incorporated in the UK, demonstrated proof of concept and have the freedom to operate, with the end goal of pitching their business concept to a panel of investors, industry experts and partners to secure the prize.

Full details of entry and prize requirements are included at Discovery Spark. 

By Jane Kennedy, Chief Business Officer, Discovery Park

 

I recently had the pleasure of chairing a fireside chat with Steven Roberts, Chief Scientific Advisor at Barclays UK. This conversation had key lessons about our digital world, and the overriding importance of community.

Opening the 2023 HealthTech Integrates congress, Steven spoke about starting his career at Barclays in ‘digital transformation’ at a time when everyone went into a bank to manage their money. Steven realised the direction of travel and was the person convincing more senior colleagues that digital technology was coming and here to stay.

Fast forward, and technology has indeed changed the way we operate. Many of us bank online and don’t need to visit a branch. Engagement with communities was still key for Barclays, so Steven focused on new ways to get people to visit and use Barclays’ physical spaces. Originally, he piloted ‘maker spaces’, a start-up friendly environment with facilities for companies to rapidly prototype. This prototyping concept didn’t catch on as anticipated, but interestingly, entrepreneurs and start-ups loved the culture of the space, choosing to come and work there. From this observation, the Barclays Eagle Labs were born, now serving as the UK’s biggest co-working and incubator network for start-ups and scale-ups. These labs combine many different verticals, offering expert advice, growth programmes, and crucially, a community, which is essential when being a founder can be a lonely place.

There are lessons for start-ups and scale-ups from Steven’s experience of founding Barclays Eagle Labs. If something doesn’t work initially, don’t despair. Just keep experimenting, listening to the feedback and staying humble. Don’t be afraid to change course, or recognise when something isn’t happening the way you expected. Lastly, don’t underestimate the value of community and network.

We’re very lucky to be the only science park in the UK with a Barclays Eagle Lab, part of a total network of 33 spaces across the country. I see the impact of our lab on the community at Discovery Park, bringing together innovators as a force for good.

It’s inspiring to hear stories of early digital pioneers like Steven. We know the traditional life sciences sector is changing and developing at pace, with 67% of life sciences companies already collaborating with tech software partnerships or expecting to do so in the near future.

Alongside the Barclays Eagle Lab, I see the role of Discovery Park as matchmaker, creating serendipity to bring together like-minded companies and individuals to turn great ideas into great businesses. Splitting my time between the South East and Scotland, I alway strive to make connections far and wide, building a community which stretches right across the UK.

Knowledge sharing also flows both ways. While early stage companies may need advice, support or funding, they’re also a hotbed of fresh thinking and new ideas. More established companies have the resources, but often aren’t as nimble to try new approaches. The perfect community would also include all sectors and organisations, including academia and Government.

Powerful things happen when we build diverse and engaged communities. We’re proud that Discovery Park is a prime example of this, constantly branching out to include new sectors and companies. Whatever the stage of your organisation, our community is here to help.

The UK’s science minister has praised a decade of growth at Discovery Park.

The ministerial vote of confidence coincided with the Innovation Summit, which attracted more than 300 industry professionals from across the UK, from science, technology, and engineering businesses, plus education, finance and government.

Minister of State at the new Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, George Freeman MP said: “The success of Discovery Park is the result of a strategic long-term public and private partnership between Government in London and Kent. It demonstrates the power of the UK’s £94 billion life sciences sector in driving economic regeneration in clusters all around the UK.

“Having helped set up the Discovery Park Task Force and Life Science Opportunity Zones in the coalition government 10 years ago it is great to see how Discovery Park is now a world class incubator of new life science technologies and companies – as this Summit of 300 life science leaders shows.”

Innovate UK, the national innovation agency, presented at the summit, highlighting support for UK companies with a total portfolio of £6 billion of public money. Its session included information on Government focus areas, including precision neuroscience and new agri-tech, plus opportunities for collaboration and grants accepting applications.

Mayer Schreiber, CEO of Discovery Park, added: “The success of Discovery Park has been built on creating the right environment to equip early-stage and scale-up businesses, combined with the Government’s commitment to nurturing innovation and backing for the high-growth industries of today and tomorrow, to succeed.

“Our work has helped foster partnership, promote skills and unlock finance and business support. As a Life Sciences Opportunity Zone, Discovery Park is perfectly placed to nurture a culture of innovation. Life sciences and technology remain areas of priority for investment from the Government, so it’s imperative we unite different industries and academia to share experiences and learnings.”

The Innovation Summit highlighted how technology and AI is advancing exponentially and revolutionising industry.

Attendees toured Discovery Park’s newly opened flexible lab complex which is designed for start-ups and growing companies. The new facilities come with a range of business support services, including an on-site Barclay’s Eagle Lab and Discovery Park’s own seed fund, Discovery Park Ventures.

The summit included a session focused on driving innovation through creative and breakthrough thinking, hosted by David J Hall​, Founder and CEO of the Ideas Centre Group. Experts covered the use of AI and big data, ensuring intellectual property is aligned to a company’s growth and continuing to be innovative. Two panel discussions also took place, covering the digital future of healthcare and food systems.

Steven Roberts, Chief Scientific Advisor at Barclays, gave a keynote speech on addressing challenges in the corporate landscape using innovation. Other key speakers and panellists included representatives from Pfizer, GrowUp Farms, Digital Catapult, Cancer Research Horizons and sponsor, Abel + Imray, the trademark and patent attorney.