Science City York secures £19.7m funding
SCIENCE City York can now go-ahead with major expansion plans, which will create nearly 700 jobs after securing £19.7m in European funding.
The project, which has been led by Science City York in partnership with York University and The Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA), is expected to boost productivity of the region’s hi-tech industries by £37m, create 90 new businesses and assist a further 697 ventures.
The bulk of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) investment will support the development of more than 11,000 sq metres of new business floor space for technology-based ventures, provide purpose-built knowledge exchange and business incubation facilities at York University and the creation of an ‘Innovation Campus’ at FERA’s Sand Hutton laboratory complex on the outskirts of York.
Fay Treloar, head of operations at Science City York and project leader, said:
“That York has been able to attract this level of investment from the ERDF programme is a testament to the influence of the strategic partnership between Science City York and two of the primary research institutions in the North of England,” she commented.
She added: “This is a significant achievement which will have a major impact on the city, offering tangible, long-term benefits and helping to strengthen the region’s economy.”
More than £15m will help fund the expansion of facilities on the university’s new Heslington East campus, to include the development of an iconic central ‘Hub’ building.
The Hub will also house a new Higher York Creative Technology Centre and offer collaborative research space, office and exhibition space, creating a custom-made environment for start-up and early-stage businesses.
Professor Brian Cantor, vice chancellor at York University said: “One of the principal drivers for the University’s expansion was our conviction that world class universities, such as York, are the intellectual, cultural, social, economic and technological dynamos of the modern world.”
Knowledge exchange accommodation will be further complemented by The Catalyst – a new, on-campus business incubation facility supporting the development and growth of businesses in the creative, digital and media sectors.
Managed by York Science Park, 1,850 sq metres of the facility will be lettable space in the form of 42 flexible incubation units.
The Science City York project will also provide specialist grow-on space for SMEs and research and development collaboration across the life sciences, biotechnology and environmental sectors.
Finally, £2m will be invested into two nationally significant bio-refinery projects being undertaken by York University.
The funding will be used to support the creation of a semi-scale bio-refinery at the University, enabling the scaling up of laboratory research examining the potential for the production of chemicals and bio-fuels from waste materials.
Earlier this year Science City York successfully secured £1.3m to fund a new structured coaching programme to individuals within high growth businesses.
