North-West London is emerging as a new base for Britain’s advanced manufacturing push, with a new innovation hub giving science and technology startups access to infrastructure needed to move from research to production.
Base One, a science and technology hub in North Acton, launched on September 9 through a partnership between Sciopolis and Imperial College London. The facility includes 24 laboratories and 29 offices for companies working across biotech, cleantech, advanced materials, AI and other deep-tech sectors.
The hub addresses a major barrier for founders: the cost and availability of suitable space for prototyping and early-stage manufacturing. Its location alongside Imperial’s Grapht Works manufacturing facility allows companies to move from laboratory development into pilot and commercial production.
For founders, the model could create opportunities to access specialised infrastructure, technical expertise, talent and investor networks that are often difficult for smaller or underrepresented businesses to secure independently
