Oxford University Innovation (OUI) has been announced as a founding partner of CO:LABS, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus’s new landmark development designed to help science and technology businesses connect, collaborate and grow.

This strategic partnership marks another milestone in bolstering the resources and expertise available to emerging companies at CO:LABS, as OUI joins The Rosalind Franklin Institute, Agilent and Venture Café as founding partners.

As a founding partner, Oxford University Innovation (OUI) will bring its expertise in transforming academic knowledge and research into innovation-led impact to the CO:LABS community, supporting resident startups through seminars, workshops, coaching and mentorship. By helping early-stage businesses develop the skills, knowledge and commercial understanding needed to turn scientific discoveries into products, services and viable businesses, OUI will play a key role in helping innovations progress from research to market.

CO:LABS provides a collaborative environment for science and technology organisations at Harwell, bringing together workspace, specialist facilities and opportunities to connect with industry, academia and the wider innovation ecosystem.

Designed to support businesses at all stages of growth, CO:LABS is home to the Motherlabs Accelerator, offering fitted CL2 labs and shared services for early-stage companies, as well as flexible grow-on space and bespoke floors designed around the needs of expanding businesses. Connecting these spaces is The Link, a hub for collaboration and knowledge-sharing, with seminar and pitch spaces, a café, library, meeting rooms and collaborative work areas.

The addition of OUI as a founding partner strengthens this offer, bringing together scientific capability, commercial expertise and a collaborative community to support the next generation of science and technology businesses.

Jim Stretton, Managing Director at Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, said: “CO:LABS is about bringing together the expertise, facilities and connections that help science-based businesses move forward. OUI’s experience in turning research into real-world applications will be a valuable addition to the community, giving resident startups access to the commercial insight and support they need to develop their ideas and grow their businesses.”

Mairi Gibbs, CEO, Oxford University Innovation, added: “Great science achieves its greatest impact when the right expertise and opportunities come together. As a founding partner of CO:LABS, we’re excited to bring Oxford University Innovation’s experience of supporting ideas and companies to grow, while building stronger connections across Oxfordshire’s innovation ecosystem and making the University’s knowledge more accessible to businesses on Harwell campus. By working alongside the CO:LABS community, we can help ambitious science-based companies turn promising ideas into products and services that make a meaningful difference to the economy, people and the planet.”

CO:LABS is Harwell Campus’ landmark new 120,000 SQF laboratory development for life-changing science. It has been intentionally and inclusively designed to support starting and scaling science businesses.