Mission Street, a specialist investor, developer and operator for the science and innovation sector, and BGO, a leading global real estate investment manager, have signed Xyme, the UK’s leading AI-driven enzyme design company to the first purpose-built commercial science scheme in Oxford’s West End.
Founded in 2024 by techbio entrepreneur Andrew Hopkins CBE, Xyme uses AI and Quantum Chemistry alongside experimentation to empower the design of new enzymes. Hopkins has assembled an impressive leadership team in order to rapidly scale the company and implement Xyme’s vision.
Xyme chose Inventa for its first major lease due to its unrivalled location in Oxford’s central urban science district which is within walking distance of Oxford train station thereby increasing their access to talent. Completed in 2024, Inventa was designed to accommodate science and innovation companies via its high technical capacity of lab and office as well as its rich amenity offering which includes 9,000 sq ft of internal collaboration space.
In December 2023, Mission Street secured planning permission for the West End’s second phase, Fabrica. Construction began in September 2024, with the scheme set to provide an additional 183,000 sq ft of labs and offices across five storeys. The projects highlight Mission Street and BGO’s conviction in Oxford’s West End, with the leading urban innovation hub enjoying a long-term pipeline of 2 million sq ft of commercial science and innovation space.
Artem Korolev, founder and CEO of Mission Street, said: “At the forefront of AI-powered innovation, Xyme is exemplary of the kind of cutting-edge research and development that we are enticing to Oxford’s West End, a second-to-none location close to the city centre.
“The signing follows a close period of collaboration with Xyme to ensure design and development of the facility goes hand-in-hand with the firm’s ambitions.”
Andrew Hopkins, Xyme, said: “We have been impressed with the approach that Mission Street has in developing Inventa. Design of both the internal and external common spaces encourages collaborative working which we value highly. Furthermore, Inventa is perhaps the best-connected building for commercial research in Oxford and we are delighted to make this our first home”.
Bidwells and CBRE acted for Mission Street.
