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.

Ahead of the opening of Thanet Parkway railway station at the end of next month, Discovery Park has unveiled a dedicated shuttle service for visitors to the county’s largest science and innovation park, near Sandwich in Kent.

Operated from its visitor centre, the all-electric Mercedes Sprinter will take guests to and from the new railway station, with Southeastern connecting East Kent to London St Pancras in little over an hour, and 32-minutes to Ashford International. It will be made available to the 160 companies operating from the 220-acre site.

Mayer Schreiber, CEO, Discovery Park, said: “The new station will be an important part of the Discovery Park story by improving our rail connectivity not only to London, but also to the rest of the county.

“It will also help enhance the work-life balance of the thousands of people employed here, cut down on car miles, and make Discovery Park an even more productive place to work.”

Southeastern will operate the service from Thanet Parkway from 31 July.

By Emma Palmer Foster, Director of Discovery Park Ventures

 

Since Discovery Park Ventures launched last year, I have listened to dozens of pitches from early-stage life sciences companies, most recently spun out from universities.

Being an investor has provided unique insights into how young companies can be taken seriously by funders. Of course, your science must be strong, the hypothesis exciting and with potential to scale, but that in itself is not enough.

Here are my five insights for early-stage companies to consider when thinking about funding and preparing to pitch to investors:

 

Build and utilise your network: Find a mentor – Look for someone who is a ‘critical friend’, someone who will challenge your thinking and help you to navigate the inevitable bumps in the road.

The skills of business are very different from the skills of science. Successful start-ups identify mentors and collaborate with peers, building a network. Mentors can help you to navigate obstacles and overcome hurdles, as well as providing fresh perspective and valuable feedback before you pitch. Renos Savva, Head of Innovation at Discovery Park is the best of the best when it comes to mentoring and supporting new entrepreneurs.

 

A good idea is not always a good business: Put yourself into the mind of your investor and be sure to articulate clearly the commercial opportunity in your scientific discovery. How will you make money from your idea? And who will be your potential customer?

Approach pitches from the perspective of an investor, focusing on the problem your process or application can solve, and the benefits this could bring. All the companies who received investment from Discovery Park Ventures focused on the product and did not become over-enthused by the joy of discovery.

 

Understand the market: Do your research – understand the size of your market. Are there any time constraints? Who are your competitors? What is your next milestone and where and when might your eventual exit be?

An investors’ job is to probe for weaknesses, to identify where new technologies are adding unnecessary complexity or where start-ups have failed to research their competitors. Always take a step back to reflect on the bigger picture and how you play into it.

 

People matter: Much of the investment decision is based on who’s in the team and what have they done previously. The investor needs to believe you have the drive and ambition to deliver, so demonstrate all the skills in your team, not just technical know-how!

Investors don’t just look at the science, it’s an investment in the people driving the business. This means showing your personality and demonstrating that your business ethic is as strong as your laboratory know-how.

 

Know your elevator pitch: You must be able to clearly articulate your proposal in just a few minutes and remember that investors may not have a scientific background, so keep it smart and simple.

Discovery Park Ventures was amongst the sponsors at BioSeed 2023, providing early-stage life science companies with access to potential investors. For participants, the five minute slot provided probably didn’t feel like sufficient time to explain the principles behind their ideas and convince investors to come onboard, but in reality, if you can’t sum up your proposal in less than half that time, potential backers can switch off and lose focus.

 

Harnessing the wealth of exciting science emerging from across the UK is a national priority and Discovery Park Ventures has ambitious plans for expansion. Within three years, we expect to have grown the fund from £1m to £25m and we are constantly on the search for exciting new start-ups.

To all entrepreneurs and early stage companies, this is your moment. Policy and investors have never been more supportive and geared up to recognise life science talent from all avenues. Now, happy pitching!

A partnership has been forged between Discovery Park and EKC Group to inspire more of East Kent’s young people to experience a career in science, technology, engineering and maths.

Discovery Park, the 220-acre science and technology campus near Sandwich in East Kent, home to over 150 companies and employing more than 3,500 people has struck an alliance with EKC Group. The further education provider supports 15,000 students across six community colleges in Ashford, Dover, Canterbury, Folkestone, Swale and Thanet, plus EKC Training, which provides Apprenticeships, community learning, employability provision and prison education.

EKC Group recently became the first further education provider in the country to be graded ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted for all of its educational centres, achieving top marks across all the assessed categories.

Graham Razey OBE, Chief Executive Officer of EKC Group, said: “With many local employers saying they are struggling to fill critical positions in a range of key sector areas, this is a timely opportunity for EKC Group to work in closer collaboration with Discovery Park and engage them with our outstanding students.

“It will also give young people across the East Kent area the opportunity to demonstrate the skills they have developed within our family of colleges, with genuinely inspirational learning experiences across the park. As a leading life sciences hub, this partnership also offers a significant opportunity for science students who may well aspire to be the next crop of talent within Discovery Park. We have already seen Dover Technical College engineering students engaged in a real-life project for Discovery Park, and that gives them the opportunity to develop their skills in a way that ensures when they progress from us, they are ready to take the next step, whether that’s building their careers or progressing into higher education.”

 

Mayer Schreiber, Chief Executive Officer at Discovery Park added: “We’ve always seen EKC Group as one of the country’s most forward-thinking education providers and the outstanding Ofsted results confirm this. We’re delighted to have joined forces with them to help their students get practical hands-on experience in a professional work environment and to help them make connections with many of the companies on site here.”

The partnership’s first practical demonstration is an engineering project, where students used 3D printing to design and produce approximately 1,000 floorplate covers for use in Discovery Park’s offices and laboratories.

Mayer Schreiber added: “This first project is an excellent example of how we are all benefitting from collaboration.

“Our facilities team had identified a need and worked directly with the lecturers and students at EKC Group. Many of the floorplates covering our electrical sockets had come to the end of their lives, leading to health and safety issues. Thanks to the students, we have now a solution to a real-life issue and they have gained valuable, practical experience which will hopefully enhance their future job prospects and employability.”

 

EKC Group’s students will have the opportunity to work with companies on site at Discovery Park, which is one of the largest R&D facilities in Europe and one of just six Life Science Opportunity Zones established across the UK.

The new partnership will provide students with the opportunity to work with companies involved in life sciences and medtech, agritech and environmental sciences, engineering and professional services.

Congratulations to Discovery Park-based eXroid Technology, one of the first recipients of The King’s Award for Innovation for its use of electrotherapy technology.

The company has developed a successful medical device and clinical service, with its equipment manufactured in the UK, and now has an eye on global expansion from its headquarters at the Sandwich-based science and business park.

 

This prestigious accolade has been awarded to eXroid for its work in developing a highly safe and effective, surgery free treatment for haemorrhoid sufferers, meaning they are no longer faced with a choice of treatment options that are known to be extremely painful and carry risks of complications, to become symptom free.

Commenting on winning the award, Michael Wilshaw, Managing Director of eXroid, said: “This accolade represents a milestone for the company as we reach for new heights and strive for better: for our patients, for our partners and for future sufferers.”

 

The company is one of 148 companies across the UK to be recognised for their contribution to international trade, innovation, sustainable development and promoting opportunity (through social mobility).

Mayer Schreiber, Chief Executive Officer of Discovery Park, said: “It is great to see eXroid get the Royal recognition that it rightly deserves, and I’m sure the award will help it take it to the new international markets.”

Following 25 years overseas working for multinational companies and Big 4 accounting firms, Graham Cook has returned to Kent to take up the position of Finance Director at Discovery Park.

Graham grew up in Canterbury but after working in London for several years, he moved to Australia where he spent 21 years in various senior roles at Ernst & Young, now EY; Aristocratic Leisure Ltd, an Australian listed global gaming and technology company; and Fuji Xerox Australia which is part of the FujiFilm Global Group. Graham, along with his wife and teenage daughter, moved to Auckland in 2018 to become the Chief Financial Officer and Director for FUJIFILM Business Innovation New Zealand.

 

Commenting on his appointment at the science and innovation park, Graham said: “The way Discovery Park has grown in recent years and is continuing to further invest is impressive, not only bringing in local life science companies and other businesses but also attracting talent from London and beyond.

“The organisation’s values align with my own – focused on people and a community spirit, there is an inspirational values-based leadership, a focus on customer quality and a mindset of continuous improvement and consideration for the environment. I’m looking forward to bringing my experience to the role, and teaming up with, supporting and challenging the senior leadership team to help Discovery Park meet its strategic goals.”

 

Mayer Schreiber, CEO of Discovery Park, said: “We’re very pleased to be able to attract someone with such extensive experience and I’m looking forward to working with Graham as we continue to work towards our ambition of becoming a world-leading science park in the next five years. Discovery Park is all about collaboration and learning from each other – something our tenants will testify to – so I can’t wait to see what we can gain from Graham’s insight .”

Graham also spent 16 years volunteering for the State Emergency Service in Australia, including as an Emergency Team Leader and Deputy Controller, followed by two years volunteering for the New Zealand Civil Defence (First Responders).

 

He and his family are now living in his childhood home in Canterbury, a short commute from Sandwich. Graham explained: “When the pandemic hit, New Zealand had extremely tight restrictions and it became very difficult, if not impossible, to visit family – including my wife’s elderly parents. We still had family in the UK so it seemed like a good time to return when we were able to. Seeking a role in London was an option but there was no need – Discovery Park has everything I was looking for.”

Discovery Park Ventures (DPV), the early stage life  sciences fund associated with Discovery Park, has made investments in two high-potential businesses, Ignota Labs and Oxford Medical Products. The funding, which  takes the number of companies in its portfolio to six, makes a significant contribution to the growth trajectory of both firms as they work towards their next milestones.  Established in 2022, DPV invests in novel and disruptive technology usually related to  Discovery Park’s focus areas¹ and has plans to expand to up to £25m.

Ignota Labs is helping drug developers navigate the toxicity landscape of drug  discovery with state-of-the-art scalable toxicity screening tools for the pharma and biotech industry. It provides insights across a range of toxicity problems, enabling  improved drug design optimisation from the start of the discovery process. The  company believes that proactive use of its technology has the potential to save the  industry significant amounts of time and billions of pounds each year via reduced  failure risk and creation of improved drug candidates. Also backed by Sustainable Ventures,  Ignota Labs has completed its first strategic partnership and is now raising a  £1.5m seed round.

 

Oxford Medical Products, led by CEO Dr Camilla Easter, has developed the novel weight-loss product Sirona. Excessive weight increases the risk of poor health and is estimated to cost the global economy over $2tn every year. Based on a proprietary  hydrogel and now in clinical trials, Sirona comprises a self-expanding pill which  occupies physical space in the stomach, reducing hunger and leading to significant  weight loss in a non-invasive way. In addition to Discovery Park Ventures, Oxford  Medical Products is backed by Ada Ventures, Nesta VC, Selvedge Venture and OION.

Sam Windsor, CEO of Ignota Labs, said, ‘We are delighted to be backed by Discovery  Park Ventures. Its team’s extensive experience of company building, business  development and fundraising will be invaluable to Ignota Labs as we create  partnerships around our toxicity screening technology and build our offering.’

Dr Camilla Easter, CEO of Oxford Medical Products, said, ‘Discovery Park Ventures  is a very welcome addition to our investor base. With Sirona in clinical trials this is an  exciting stage of development for Oxford Medical Products and we look forward to  working with the DPV team as we progress towards the market.’

Mayer Schreiber, Chairman of Discovery Park Ventures, said, ‘Although very different  businesses, Discovery Park Ventures is excited by the significant growth potential of  both Ignota Labs and Oxford Medical Products. We’re pleased to welcome them to the  DPV portfolio and network and look forward to helping them succeed.