Harwell Science and Innovation Campus has officially opened CO:LABS, a new 128,000 SQF development designed to help science and technology businesses move from early-stage ideas to commercial success. 

Located at the heart of the 700-acre campus, CO:LABS brings together flexible lab and office space, specialist facilities and shared spaces that support businesses at every stage of growth. Organisations can start in Motherlabs accelerator space, move into fitted laboratories as they scale, and progress to bespoke floorplates, all within the same building. 

Businesses will also benefit from CO:LABS founding partner network, where companies offer expertise and support, including the Rosalind Franklin Institute, Agilent Technologies’ with a Demo Lab of mass spectroscopy equipment, Venture Café and Oxford University Innovation, which provides commercialisation support, coaching and mentoring. 

At the centre of the development is The Link, a three-storey, wellbeing-focused space designed to bring the community together. From lectures and funding pitches to informal meetings, focused work and networking, it provides a place for businesses to exchange ideas, access expertise and connect with the wider Harwell community. 

Neuroinclusive design is embedded throughout CO:LABS, with spaces designed to support different sensory needs, working styles and preferences. Developed in collaboration with inclusive design consultancy Motionspot, the approach includes considered lighting, comfortable spaces for focused work and shared areas that encourage connection, helping create an environment where people can work in ways that suit them best. 

Monika Zemla Business Development and Leasing Director at Harwell Campus added: “CO:LABS is about more than providing lab and flexible workspace. It gives ambitious science and technology businesses the space, connections and expertise to move forward, with the support and flexibility to grow as their needs change. This makes CO:LABS an important addition to the campus, helping businesses turn scientific innovation into commercial success” 

Bidwells was appointed as Project Manager and Employer’s Agent creating a future-focused environment that champions sustainability, collaboration and innovation. Following delivery, the project transitioned to Bidwells’ Business Space Agency team, who continue to support Harwell Campus in marketing the development and connecting the next generation of occupiers. 

Piyush Rangras, Senior Project Manager at Bidwells, said: “Delivering CO:LABS has been a privilege for the team. As the first life sciences development in Harwell Campus’ new Accelerator Quarter, this was never just about handing over 128,000 sq ft of laboratory and office space. It was about setting a benchmark for the environments that enable science and technology businesses to innovate, collaborate, and grow. Acting as Project Manager and Employer’s Agent, we’ve worked closely with Harwell Campus to balance the technical demands of CL2 laboratory infrastructure with a sustainable, future-proofed building. Seeing CO:LABS open its doors, ready to support the next generation of science and technology businesses, is exactly the outcome we set out to deliver.” 

CO:LABS forms part of Harwell’s Accelerator Quarter and its 2050 Vision for sustainable growth, creating new opportunities for science and technology organisations to establish themselves, collaborate and scale within the campus. 

To mark the opening, Harwell brought together local businesses and creatives for a series of collaborations celebrating the connections between science, innovation and the wider community. 

These include a limited-edition coffee from Missing Bean featuring illustrations of Harwell’s national research facilities; bespoke chocolates from Oxfordshire chocolatier Hollychocs; and a collaboration with independent brewery Tap Social Movement, bringing together Harwell beers Cell Level AF and Star Gazer. Local illustrator Naomi White created a series of colourful illustrations celebrating Harwell’s architecture and the science taking place across the campus, while a collaboration with Cranston Pickles a local food producer and street food chef and innovative water refill solutions Bevi also featured at the launch. 

Together, the collaborations reflect the spirit of CO:LABS: bringing different disciplines, businesses and ideas together to create opportunities that extend beyond individual organisations.