Less than a year after welcoming its first tenants, half of the units in a £6.8 million Lincoln tech centre have been snapped-up by some of the city’s most go-ahead firms.
The Boole Technology Centre, which is at the heart of the Lincoln Science & Innovation Park, on Beevor Street, is continuing to prove a real magnet for innovative, high-growth companies.
And, as the latest prepares to take-up residence, with more waiting in the wings, Science Park Director Tom Blount and Lincoln commercial agent, Banks Long & Co, which is letting space in the centre, are confident more will soon follow.
They shared their views after Banks Long & Co revealed it has just let space to Equinox Instruments.
The Boole Technology Centre is specifically designed to appeal to the needs of ambitious and expanding technology businesses. Its flexibility and location are among factors which make it attractive.
Units average 800 square feet in size and can be tailored to suit a variety of forward-thinking laboratory-based aerospace, IT, digital, pharmaceutical and related firms. Tenants are also ideally placed to tap into high-end research facilities available in the nearby Joseph Banks Laboratories.
Mr Blount said: “Equinox is a Lincoln-based company which has been trading for ten years. It supplies meteorlogical instrumentation to universities and research companies in the UK and Ireland and has taken on new space from which to expand.
“We have agreed terms on another unit, so half of the 22 originally available have now been let and we have formal offers for a further three.
“The proportion of let space is encouraging and we are pleased to report that the take-up of accommodation has been faster than we expected,” said Mr Blount.
Of the firms that have moved into the Boole Technology Centre over the past ten months, several have recruited technical and scientific staff, including computer scientists and life scientists, from the University. Some have moved here specifically to access those skills and the wider expertise within the Joseph Banks Laboratories, such as Arden Biotechnology,” said Mr Blount.
“A number have also worked on research projects with the University, which is funded by Innovate UK (the Government’s R&D programme).
“Many of the companies are growing well and we have seen several million pounds of new capital raised by our tenants so far.
Other tenants include Nutrapharma Ltd, a developer of new technology in the field of neutraceuticals; cyber security specialist Krypto Kloud; software developer Tenantia and Metis Aerospace, whose technology allows for the detection of civilian drones.
Banks Long & Co Director William Wall said: “As expected, The Boole Technology Centre continues to attract the attention of innovative companies with high-growth potential.
“They are particularly keen to tap into the flexbility of the premium office and lab space which is on offer. The position of The Boole Technology Centre also gives them the advantage of being able to serve local, national and world markets whilst making the most of other specialist skills on their doorstep.”
