ABOUT

“Relocating to Stirling brings us nearer to research colleagues in the industry, which can only help future collaborations and innovative thinking as we strive to produce healthier fish across the world. In a few hours we can be on a fish farm in mainland Scotland, the Hebrides, Orkney or Shetland – you can’t get easier access across the country and abroad, than here.”

  Dr Alan Tinch, director of genetics at Landcatch

Partners

• University of Stirling
• Stirling Council

History and Objectives

• Stirling University Innovation Park was established in 1986. Its aims are to assist the regeneration of the local and national economies by:
• facilitating the conception and growth of businesses with a high knowledge capital
• encouraging companies to develop new products and processes through collaboration
• promoting the commercialisation of innovative research work being carried out within the University
• attracting companies and research establishments from outside the local area to enter into new ventures based on the attractions of the University.

The site infrastructure was developed by the share-holding partners. The first and second phase buildings, the Alpha and Beta Centres, were funded by Scottish Metropolitan Property plc, the first investment of private capital in any such venture in Scotland. More recent development has been funded by Scottish Enterprise, Stirling Council, and Private Sector Development.

With fast access to Scotland’s major cities, airports and academic institutions and the quality of life associated with a major tourist area, the Park offers strategic and environmental qualities that help to stimulate the growth of innovative companies.

Strategy

In the rapidly changing dynamics of the 21st century global economy, the Innovation Park seeks to create an environment that will nurture the development of businesses with high growth potential in a new era of convergent technologies. In order to achieve that key objective a strategy has been devised to focus on attracting tenants in sectors seen to offer significant commercial opportunity while contributing to the wider sustainable economic agenda. Particular emphasis is being placed on offering support for companies operating at the cutting edge of development within sports-related technologies, people-centred healthcare and environmental technologies, sciences and heritage. The Innovation Park is home to the Sporting Chance Initiative, a partnership project with Stirling University, providing support for companies aiming to win lucrative business in the sports area.

Progress to Date

Land

The Park is situated near the Wallace Monument, one of Scotland’s most iconic landmarks.

It occupies 14 of the University’s 300-acre parkland campus and offers several landscaped, serviced sites with car parking. These sites are particularly suitable for research and development laboratories and medium-sized knowledge-based enterprises.

Bespoke Premises

A 1,400 square metre state-of-art laboratory has been built for Bioreliance Ltd, who provide biological testing and research services to the world’s pharmaceutical health care, biotechnology and chemical companies.

Accommodation Units

The Alpha and Beta Centre buildings have been designed to meet the needs of small innovative enterprises. These 1,200 square metre buildings provide flexible space with units ranging from 40 square metres to 150 square metres. All units are available on a short-term flexible lease basis. A Rent-a-Desk facility is also available to accommodate the needs of sole traders, start-up and small companies looking for very cost effective but high quality serviced office space.

Scion House, a 4,800 square metre building completed in 1993 and extended in 1997, provides flexible laboratory/office accommodation units ranging from 100 to 630 square metres. New developments are focusing on Incubator space and University spin-outs.

Logie Court is the fourth phase of the Innovation Park and is a development between IDS Ltd, a joint venture between Scottish Enterprise and ERDC Ltd.

The development was formally opened in March 2001 and occupies a prominent site within the Park. It offers a highly specified 2-storey building comprising self contained technology units of between 295 and 2,770 square metres to meet the needs of modern research accommodation.

Site Management Arrangements

Site management is provided by Stirling University Innovation Park Ltd, to provide technology and business development support services as well as site management and marketing. There is a staffed reception area, which provides a wide range of tenant support services: telephone answering, photocopying, report binding, facsimile and postal services. The units offer access to digital telecommunication networks, and high speed Broadband. A highly popular café is also provided for tenants’ use.

Meeting rooms, fully equipped with audio visual, video conferencing and telecoms facilities are also provided. The tenant-controlled alarm system is augmented by night-time University security staff patrols.

University Facilities

General

Arrangements can be made for tenants to have access to the University of Stirling’s library, laboratory equipment, extensive microcomputer facilities and conference rooms.

It’s not just the award-winning facilities and stunning scenery that make Stirling Venues the natural choice to host meetings, events, exhibitions and training seminars. An award-winning centre of excellence, they are only 40 minutes from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth and benefit from great transport links from across the UK by road, rail or air. Set in the 330 acre grounds of the University of Stirling complete with lochs, 18th century castle and breath-taking views of the Ochil Hills and Wallace Monument, Stirling Venues offers outstanding value for money with flexible and affordable packages, including: 100 comfortable bedrooms available 365 days a year in the Stirling Court Hotel and a further 2,000 bedrooms on-site during the summer, including brand new four star rated guest accommodation and a vast array of meeting space. Stirling venues is a commercial venture of the University of Stirling, a registered Scottish charity. All profits are reinvested into the University of Stirling to ensure an outstanding student experience for this and future generations.

www.stirlingvenues.com

The University campus boasts an arts centre (with theatre and cinema), bank, pharmacy, mini supermarket, book shop, catering outlets and bars.

The recreational facilities on the picturesque campus are unrivalled. The Sports Centre offers a 50m swimming pool, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, squash courts, sports hall and a fully-equipped, modern gym.

Key Areas of Expertise

The Park’s tenants are encouraged to establish a close working relationship with the University’s academic and research staff. The University has a range of expertise in many areas of applied research, including:

• Aquaculture
• Biological and Environmental Science
• Computing Science and Information Technology
• Film and Media Studies
• Economics Accounting and Business Law
• Business and Management Studies
• Sports Science
• Psychology
• Applied Social Science

In addition, staff from the University can provide valuable research, counselling and support for new and established businesses. 

Services

The University’s Research & Enterprise Office will source the expertise required from within the University and establish a relationship between the company and the expertise provider. In consultation with the company and the expertise provider, the team will define a knowledge exchange project, which can take a variety of forms:

• grant-funded projects, such as Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
• collaborative research partnerships
• consultancy service
• tailor-made training and development (CPD)
• access to specialist research and facilities.

Assistance to Companies

Technical, marketing, financial and business development support is available for companies resident on the Park or wishing to locate there, through the local Business Gateway and Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce.

A range of seminars and workshops are also organised with leading service providers to promote knowledge sharing and collaboration between tenants, the University and external organisations.

Tenant companies can also take advantage of regular surgeries offering professional legal, HR and PR/Marketing advice.

Companies on the Park

Stirling University Innovation Park is home to over 45 companies of which the following are a selection:

Bioreliance Ltd www.bioreliance.com

Symbiosis Pharmaceutical Services www.symbiosis-pharma.com

Aqualife Services Ltd www.aqualifeservices.com

Bumblebee Conservation Trust www.bumblebeeconservation.org

Allen Associates www.allenhpe.co.uk

Medac UK www.medacltd.com

Medpace UK Ltd www.medpace.com

Hydro-logic www.hydro-logic.co.uk

Peacock Technology Ltd www.peacocktech.co.uk

Tunstall Group www.tunstall.co.uk

Landcatch www.landcatch.co.uk

Mortara Dolby www.mortaradolby.co.uk

Talking Mats www.talkingmats.com

Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre www.scottishaquaculture.com

The Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit www.nmahp-ru.ac.uk

Sporting Chance Initiative

Sporting Chance Initiative is Scotland’s hub for business innovation in sport.

Our main focus is to enable start-ups and established companies to bring new products and services to the sports market. Our team helps small and medium Scottish sports businesses (less than 250 employees) grow their ideas through a range of free services, competitions and awards. Since it started in 2010, SCI has helped nearly 700 Scottish companies. From textiles to tour companies, apps to archers, and chocolate to coconuts we’ve helped them all.

SCI is responsible for the development and management of the Sports Innovation Challenge – Scotland’s only student entrepreneurship competition – helping to identify and nurture the next generation of sports business talent.

SCI is also the organisation behind The Sports Business Innovation Awards – a national awards programme that champions the work of Scottish sports businesses whilst also recognising individuals’ historic contributions to sports innovation.