Innovation-focused start-up body expands its office footprint in The Spine
LYVA Labs has expanded its footprint at The Spine, in Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter Innovation District, doubling its office size within 18 months in a new three-year deal with Sciontec Developments.
It will move into a larger private office, providing space for up to 20 desks.
Having been one of the inaugural customers when the flexible office space model, Sciontec AI, was launched in April 2022 at The Spine, LYVA Labs has now outgrown its original eight-person office, having significantly expanded its team over recent months.
Sciontec AI is located within the Royal College of Physicians’ (RCP) space on the first and second floors.
Leanne Katsande, head of commercial at Sciontec, said: “We have worked closely with the Royal College of Physicians to secure this deal with LYVA Labs, which will help future proof their ongoing expansion plans and ensure that they remain an integral part of our Sciontec AI community.
“Our Sciontec AI footprint within The Spine has, itself, expanded to accommodate this deal, which is testament to the popularity of our flexible, serviced space offer that is so highly sought after in the current market.”
This news comes just three months after Sciontec shared details of another Sciontec AI footprint expansion within The Spine, which is owned by Liverpool City Council and sits on its Paddington Village flagship development site, to accommodate a significant letting with the University of Liverpool.
With an ever-growing community of businesses, research institutes and innovation-driven companies, the Sciontec AI workspace model is enabling organisations within the innovation district to scale at pace, in turn creating jobs and contributing to the city region’s economic growth.
LYVA Labs was set up in 2022 to support and fund entrepreneurs and innovators in the Liverpool City Region and deliver economic growth through the commercialisation of innovation. Since then, it has invested £705,000 in three life science start-ups, supported 15 start-ups to secure £6m from grants and other private investors, and enabled the creation of four companies in the region.
More recently it launched two new programmes that offer both financial and business support, an R&D Partnership programme, and a deep tech incubator.
Additionally, LYVA Labs has been funded by Innovate UK to run two pilot programmes, the Innovation Network for the LCR Advanced Manufacturing Launchpad and a national Microbials Accelerator as part of the Biomedical Catalyst programme, both of which will be delivered from the new Sciontec AI office.
Lorna Green, CEO of LYVA Labs, said: “It is incredible to think how much we have scaled up over the past 12 months, and our new office suite marks the next step on our exciting growth journey.
“Being able to expand in Sciontec’s all-inclusive workspace at The Spine reduces the hassle of daily operations and gives us an amazing workspace from which to engage with key stakeholders and partners, whilst delivering innovation support and investment to businesses across LCR.”
