Discovery Park, based at Sandwich in Kent, has become the first Life Science and Innovation Campus to join the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC), further cementing its ambition to become a centre of excellence.
The move is part of Discovery Park’s wider commitment to engage with the UK’s industrial biotechnology community, supporting innovation and commercialisation of new industrial biotechnology (IB) processes and products.
With the global drive towards sustainable living, IB offers a green and alternative to fossil fuels, whether it’s for energy, medicines, or sustainable food sources, and is at the heart of all net zero ambitions. Joining IBioIC allows Discovery Park the opportunity to link with a broad but interrelated network of industry, universities, and governments to bring biotechnology processes and products to the global market.
Discovery Park’s drive towards IB builds upon the site’s reputation for drug discovery and manufacture, having been home to Pfizer since the 1950s. Work is currently underway to refurbish 50,000ft2 of laboratories and collaborative workspace, creating an ‘incubator’ for start-up biotech and life science businesses.
Jane Kennedy, chief business officer at Discovery Park, said: “The Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre has undoubtedly done a fantastic job of catalysing the growth of the sector in Scotland.It is clear to me that joining the IBioIC offers Discovery Park opportunities to collaborate and make connections between my tenant companies in Kent with the fast-growing network in Scotland. We hope to bring together companies that can learn from each other how to turn great ideas into great businesses.”
Mark Bustard, chief executive of IBioIC, added: “The innovation centre plays an important role in supporting the growth of the UK’s bioeconomy, connecting industry partners with world-leading research teams to explore alternative bio-based materials and processes across a range of sectors. So far, we have supported more than 200 companies to bring new products to the global market and connecting with IB research and science hubs such as the Discovery Park will no doubt unlock further opportunities. Almost £30 million of additional industry investment has been generated as a direct result of IBioIC innovation activities to date, contributing to more than 3,000 high-value green jobs.”