With a £110 million funding injection from Santander Corporate & Commercial, the Harwell Campus Joint Venture will further expand the Campus with its next 400,000 sq ft development. Catering for science and technology organisations at every stage of their growth, the development will further expand Harwell’s unique portfolio of hybrid buildings, offering flexible space comprising offices, laboratories and high-tech manufacturing facilities.

As well as being the UK headquarters for multinationals, Harwell offers business incubation from Seed or Series A, and throughout their life-cycle. The Campus provides free business service workshops covering legal, financial, and marketing advice, networking events, and access to an onsite network of corporates, public agencies and venture capital firms to collaborate with, and access funding from.

Europe’s largest collection of open access scientific facilities, worth over £2billion is located at Harwell. What this means for companies looking to grow at pace, or explore new markets, is they can advance their research, and validate and test their technology, whilst tapping into the knowledge and skills of the 5,500 people strong science and tech Campus community. Focusing on the core sectors of Life Sciences, Energy and Space, and with an estimated Gross Value Added of more than £1billion, these investments generate impressive returns in terms of job creation and national economic growth.

Harwell and Santander continue their shared commitment to investing in the UK’s science and technology sectors and growing the UK’s knowledge economy. As Lance Anelay, Real Estate Finance Director, Santander Corporate & Commercial, said: “As Europe’s leading hub for science and technology, Harwell is a cornerstone of the UK’s competitiveness within these sectors. This funding reaffirms Santander’s commitment to ensuring businesses and entrepreneurs can upscale, explore innovative concepts and export their ideas to new markets.”

Angus Horner, Partner and Director of Harwell Campus commented, “Our relationship with Santander is born out of our mutual commitment to stimulate the UK’s science and tech sectors, drive economic growth in the UK and boost the nation’s standing in the global market. Harwell Campus is one of the most ambitious regeneration and rejuvenation projects happening right now in the UK.”

Harwell Campus is rapidly expanding via a private public partnership between Harwell Oxford Partners and U+I, plus two Government backed agencies, the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA).