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Companies operating from STFC’s joint venture project Sci-Tech Daresbury are forming valuable collaborations with both STFC and universities at a higher rate than ever.

The news, which comes out of the latest tenant survey to be conducted by Sci-Tech Daresbury, is evidence that the Science and Innovation Campus is achieving its aim of accelerating growth for high-tech tenant businesses by driving collaboration.

High-tech SME companies at Sci-Tech Daresbury are encouraged to form collaborative and mutually beneficial relationships with both STFC and regional universities.

The latest survey shows that interaction with STFC in the last year has increased with 48% of Daresbury companies now utilising services and/or expertise from STFC. This percentage is significantly up from 39% in 2013.

In addition 64% of those companies surveyed were collaborating with a university, compared with 55% in 2013. This represents the highest level of university collaboration to-date.

The increase in university collaboration was driven by a strong growth in collaborative research, student placements and recruitment; and sales activities to universities.

Professor John Womersley, Chief Executive of STFC, said, “We work hard to minimise business failure and accelerate growth for high-tech SME companies located on our campus.

“We do this partly by promoting interactions and collaborations with and between companies, the science base of STFC and the universities, and regional and national business support organisations.

“Collaboration between companies on site is very important. This grew by 16% last year: there are now more than 140 collaborations underway between campus companies. The value creation delivered through collaboration is impressive and we are determined to keep building on it year after year.”

Overall, 77% of Daresbury companies reported that they had a collaboration with either STFC or a University, a big leap from 64% in 2013 and about one-third higher than the level reported in 2012.

The Universities of Liverpool and Manchester continue to be the most active with campus companies, followed by Lancaster, Cambridge and Oxford.

The total business value from collaboration for Sci-Tech Daresbury companies increased from £4m to £5m, a rise of 25%.

You can learn more about Sci-Tech Daresbury here.

Contact

Wendy Ellison
STFC Press Officer
Daresbury Laboratory
Tel: 01925 603232
Mob: 07919 548012

Sci-Tech Daresbury

Sci-Tech Daresbury is one of two National Science and Innovation Campuses established in 2006, (originally named as Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus). It is located in Cheshire close to Runcorn and Warrington, and within easy access of Liverpool and Manchester.

In December 2010 a new joint-venture company was created to spearhead the longer-term development of the site. Partners in the JV company are the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), Halton Borough Council and Langtree Property Partners, a property developer and investor. It changed its name to Sci-Tech Daresbury in July 2012.

Sci-Tech Daresbury is internationally recognised through the reputation of the STFC Daresbury Laboratory and Cockcroft Institute in leading-edge research and development, and the successful establishment of its open innovation model.