CENTRAL TECH innovation hub in Liverpool is now at 96% occupancy, after welcoming twelve new arrivals and expansions across its laboratory, office and co-working spaces.
Having opened the building just a year ago as a new destination for science and tech businesses in the city region, owner Sciontec says its success is further evidence of the urgent need to bring forward even more innovation space, including its planned HEMISPHERE lab and office development at Paddington Village.
Road maintenance technology firm Robotized has taken 900sqft of mechanical laboratory space at the Russell Street building, where it will further develop its autonomous pothole detection, prevention and repair technology solutions.
Educato, which specialises in ethical education recruitment, has taken a six-person serviced workspace on the second floor, while UK health-tech company VitalHub, which provides digital patient flow and operational visibility solutions to the NHS, has taken a three-person office.
They are joined by EcoBear and 15 Talent, who have both moved into private, serviced workspaces within the innovation centre.
Meanwhile, two customers have expanded their presence at CENTRAL TECH. Guilford Street Laboratories, which provides AI-powered biomarker assays and precision diagnostics, has expanded into a ten-desk serviced office on the first floor, while the Royal Academy of Engineering now occupies an eight-person space.
Five companies named in this year’s LCR Tech Climbers lists have joined CENTRAL TECH’s coworking workspace. Digital health and wellbeing education specialist Beat Modules, workplace wellness platform Wellbeing Doctors and organic materials discovery platform.
Apoello. They are joined by neurodivergent community platform developer Sensified Spaces, and smart insole creator Haptiv8 Ltd.
India-founded digital transformation and smart solutions provider Xcubated has also taken coworking space, following an international delegation visit to Liverpool last month, as well as Citizen First LCR graduate Sean Bailey Wellness CIC, which runs innovative health and wellbeing programs to inspire positive change.
Leanne Katsande, head of commercial at Sciontec, said:
“CENTRAL TECH has proven a resounding success, measured not only on the high occupancy levels of its workspaces, but also by the response from members of the innovation community who meet here regularly for gatherings and events.
“With locations such as Liverpool Science Park also near to full occupancy, we are seeing that long-term levels of demand continue to outstrip supply, leaving innovation space very much at a premium in Liverpool. There is a real and pressing need to develop new innovation spaces now to cater for the future needs of our thriving city region knowledge economy.
“That’s why we’re working with our colleagues at Liverpool City Council and the LCR Combined Authority to bring forward new laboratory and office space at HEMISPHERE, adding 150,000 sq ft of much-needed capacity in the heart of the Knowledge Quarter Liverpool innovation district and creating more of tomorrow’s spaces today.”
Due to open in 2028, HEMISPHERE will be Sciontec’s new eight-storey development on Paddington Village, Liverpool City Council’s flagship development site, and will become one of Liverpool’s largest red brick commercial structures to be built for over 100 years.
HEMISPHERE will deliver the additional CAT 2 labs and larger innovative workspaces that fast-growing businesses already located within Liverpool City Region need, as well as help to attract new global players in science and technology into the Liverpool City Region, bringing new innovation and creating higher-value jobs.
To find out more about HEMISPHERE, please click here, or download our brochure here.
