Guest Articles
A New Chapter for Scottish Innovation: Red Tree Labs and Clyde Gateway’s UK Science Park Journey
Clyde Gateway’s journey to becoming a recognised UK Science Park is about more than designation, it’s about building the conditions for long-term innovation, collaboration and inclusive economic growth. At the heart of this is Red Tree Labs at Shawfield, a...
Navigating Cyber threats – What SMEs Need to do in 2026
The traditional assumption made by SMEs is they are too small to be a target for hackers and cybercrime, but the 2024 UK Government annual Cyber Security Breaches Survey found that 49% of small businesses reported at least one cyber breach or attack in that 12-month...
Philip Macdonald, UKSPA Board Director and Managing Partner of Oberlanders Architects Reflects on the UKSPA Spring Conference in Glasgow
We’re a few weeks on and reflecting on a hugely successful UKSPA Spring Conference in Glasgow, where it was especially nice to have welcomed the national community back to Scotland. The atmosphere across both days reflected a sector keen to reconnect, collaborate and...
How Dark Labs Will Influence the UK’s Science Sector
Author: Andrew Somerville, Partner, Cundall There has been a recent resurgence of interest in dark labs within the UK. They can be key to some very niche, but important, breakthroughs in science. The fascination, however, lies in how the buildings exist and operate....
Philip Macdonald, Managing Partner, Oberlanders Architects and UKSPA Board Director Looks Forward to the Forthcoming UKSPA Spring Conference in Glasgow
The UKSPA Spring Conference is one of the standout moments in the sector’s calendar and an event I look forward to every year. It’s a brilliant opportunity to reflect and build on the vital role our science parks and innovation districts play in sustaining the UK...
“Dark labs”: the Future of Science – and the Key to Radical Energy Savings?
Ed Hayden, Partner and Architecture lead for Science and Research at Ridge We are entering a new era of AI-powered “dark labs”, in which built-in robotics, product tagging and intelligent monitoring systems will remove the need for the majority of manual intervention....
Wondering How “Sustainable” Your Lab Really is? This Benchmarking Tool Can Help
Phil Kelly, Partner at Ridge, and Deputy Research and Technical Officer at I2SL’s UK chapter How do you define a “sustainable” laboratory? Net Zero, BREEAM, LEED, Ska, WELL, LEAF – the potential metrics go on and on, and each is continually evolving. It’s no wonder...
Cogent Skills: Helping Science Parks Grow and Keep Their Talent
Cogent Skills is a charity with one clear mission: to help businesses in the UK’s science, technology, and manufacturing sectors attract, recruit and manage the people they need to thrive. Strategic Workforce Support Cogent Skills works with businesses to identify...
Data drives the opportunity for the UK science and technology sector to meet the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard
By Simon Wyatt, Sustainability Partner, Cundall As an industry so heavily reliant on carbon, suggesting a building is net zero carbon is a big claim. The launch of the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard last September is the most significant advancement the...
Why SMEs Are Rethinking Their Marketing Strategy to Grow in 2025
By Helen Earl, Centre Manager, The EpiCentre, Haverhill The marketing landscape has changed significantly in the past two years, and many SMEs are beginning to take notice. For start-ups and growing businesses focused on R&D, strategy, or business development,...
The 8Cs of Smart Business Expansion: A Simple Framework for Going Big, the Right Way
[Copyright Gary Jennings] By Gary Jennings, Innovation Director, The EpiCentre, Haverhill Expansion Isn’t Just About More Sales It’s easy to assume that business growth is all about getting more customers, selling more products, and making more money. But...
Finding Clarity, Support and Momentum as an Innovation Entrepreneur
Gary Jennings, The Innovation Director at The EpiCentre Entrepreneurs in the innovation space—whether they are launching a deep-tech startup, commercialising cutting-edge research, or spinning out from a university—face additional challenges that often go...
Why Regional Hubs are Critical to Biotech Success
The Next Biotech Breakthrough Won’t Happen in Isolation. By Gary Jennings, Innovation Director, The EpiCentre, Haverhill The biotech sector is pivotal in innovation and scientific advancement and is going from strength-to-strength. But often for start-ups in this...
What Are The Current Investment Trends In The Life Sciences Sector?
Research conducted by Pioneer Group sheds light on the current investment trends shaping the life sciences landscape, offering insights into where capital is being allocated and what it means for the sector. The fall in venture capital investment levels over recent...
Tackling the Growth Challenge: We need to focus on Chasm II – Uday Phadke
The UK’s focus on early-stage prototype development and later stage ‘scale-up’ overlooks the complexities of commercialisation so in this blog we discuss the need for a more comprehensive approach to tackling 'Chasm II' which would require a shift in policy and...