In February, we caught up with Dr Kath Mackay, Director of Life Sciences a Bruntwood SciTech. Bruntwood SciTech, a 50:50 joint venture between and Legal & General, is the UK’s leading property provider dedicated to the growth of the life science and technology sector.
It was great to chat to Kath about Bruntwood SciTech which currently has over 10 science and tech clusters across the UK and is focused on creating the specialist environments and innovation ecosystems that science and technology businesses need to form, scale and grow.
Kath is a scientist by training having acquired both her first degree in and doctorate in Physiology from the University of Manchester, both of which have given Kath a unique understanding of occupier requirements within the life science sector.
Kath is passionate about business support and Innovation Services which she sees as a key differentiator for Bruntwood SciTech.
Innovation Services
“Innovation services support for our businesses, which is part of the offering, is as important as the property. Creating that community and supporting businesses to scale and grow is absolutely critical.”
The service provides mentors and expertise to aid businesses through their cycle - from initial business planning, first grant applications, angel round through to sophisticated scale-up support. Kath’s understanding of occupier requirements from her science background alongside a development team with experience in developing life science property ensures specific occupier needs are fully and challenges resolved efficiently.
“The interface between the life science and occupier understanding and the development and construction team is fundamental“.
Through this deep understanding of customer needs, Bruntwood SciTech is constantly working to support the growth of its customers, whether that’s through the likes of mentoring and coaching, accelerators, access to regional grant support or access to investors. Kath derives huge satisfaction from playing a role in the growth and success of numerous start-ups and scale-ups.
Journey of Alderly Park
We also spoke to Kath about Alderley Park and its journey to maturity. Acquired by Bruntwood in 2014, the site has been transformed into a thriving life science and tech campus which now supports over 250 life science and tech businesses, from spinouts and start-ups to larger established businesses.
Kath’s view is that the critical mass and market positioning of Alderley Park within the wider northwest regional life sciences cluster of Manchester, Liverpool and Cheshire now make it a highly credible location for both domestic & international businesses looking for quality space within a vibrant life science and tech ecosystem.
“People come to Alderley Park because they want to be part of the ecosystem. When they are there, they tend to put down roots and want to contribute back to the system.”
The critical mass at Alderley Park also allows for specialist science services, including co-working labs,access to analytical labs,shared equipment, pre-clinical imaging and a host of support services such as logistics, clinical waste disposal glass cleaning, sterilizing and suchlike,all available on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Tech Hub Glasshouse
We asked Kath about Glasshouse, a 13,940 sq m (150,000 sq ft) tech hub at Alderly Park, launched in February 2020, pre lockdown. Glasshouse now hosts over 80 companies engaged in big data, analytics, artificial intelligence, software development, fintech, and animation. Bruntwood SciTech is in the process of establishing a support programme similar to that of the life sciences Innovation Services Platform but tailored to tech occupiers. The crossover between life sciences and tech will only grow.
Challenges of UK Life Sciences Sector
Finally, we asked Kath to name a couple of challenges facing the UK life sciences sector in 2022. Her answer was:
- Costs - There is a cost associated with developing specialist facilities and care needs to be taken to ensure that SMEs are in a position to absorb these costs.
- People - The importance of the talent pool for life sciences is well known. Recruitment is a real issue nationwide, with particular challenges in areas of data analysts, bioinformatics, lab technicians and process development within manufacturing. Kath points out that while this is not a direct real estate issue, it is having a real impact on the ability of businesses to grow and meet their fullpotential.
It’s a highly complex sector but Kath and her Bruntwood SciTech team continue to work very closely with their customers to understand the issues, support growth and facilitate the very best solutions.
