The University of Plymouth’s Brixham Laboratory has been recognised for its positive contribution to business and the community at the 2019 United Kingdom Science Park Association (UKSPA) Awards.
The site was Highly Commended in the Location Setting the Pace Award for UKSPA members operating and delivering in locations of under 100,000 sq ft of lettable space.
The nomination was made by the Plymouth Science Park (also a UKSPA member), and is a major boost for the Brixham facility, which is home to over 30 tenant organisations providing more than 130 jobs and attracting investors, innovators and customers from Europe, Asia and America.
The University took on the Brixham Laboratory from former owner AstraZeneca in May 2014, and it has since been transformed into a hub for local, national and international businesses.
It is currently more than 90 per cent occupied with clients including an anchor tenant, Scymaris, which provides ecotoxicology, environmental and analytical chemistry services to the agrochemical, pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
Other tenants include a wide variety of small and medium-sized organisations across the marine, photonics, business services and charity sectors.
Frank Roberts, Site Manager at the Brixham Laboratory, said:
“This is great news for the Brixham Laboratory and reinforces our efforts to transform it into a science and technology based business hub providing facilities and jobs in the local community. To be nominated by our colleagues in Plymouth also demonstrates that collectively we can speak with louder voice for the Science Park community in the South West
“Over the past five years, we have gradually grown our client base and helped keep local industries, such as photonics, operating within the region. We hope to continue that growth in the future, providing high quality jobs and innovation across the Torbay area.”
As well as owning the facility, the University is also working with many of its businesses through grant-funded research, knowledge transfer partnerships and the creation of employment opportunities for students and graduates.
These include ARC Marine, which is working with Lecturer in Marine Ecology Dr Louise Firth to develop new forms of coastal infrastructure as a means of improving biodiversity along our coastline.
It is also home to spinout companies such as Molendotech, established to commercialise the work of Professor Simon Jackson into water testing kits which can dramatically reduce the length of time it takes to assess the quality of recreational water.
The Laboratory also has a range of rooms available to hire for business meetings, training workshops, networking events or for bespoke conference requirements.
The 2019 UKSPA Awards celebrated member achievements in providing world class facilities as well as exceptional innovation support, solutions and projects for their businesses.
