New lab space for science and technology
2,204 jobs from apprentice and entry level to PhD
Incubator space to support the growth of small and start-up companies
Community science classroom for schools and young people
Increased footfall for local cafes and shops from full-time lab employees
The east side of the current shopping centre will be converted into laboratory and office space for start-ups, small businesses, and established companies in the science and technology industry.
The mall’s concourse will be transformed into event space, where public lectures and presentations could be held, and conferences for the centre’s researchers to meet funders and investors. It will also feature activities for groups from schools, colleges, and businesses, such as displays and exhibitions about the innovative work being done by researchers here.
Jobs in science and research
The science centre will house 2,204 employees – increasing employment at the Grafton Centre by 1,869 employees. These jobs would be from PhD to entry level. We estimate that the types of jobs would be as follows:
• Skilled technical jobs: 1684
• Business and administration jobs: 415
• Customer service jobs: 63
• Facilities and support jobs: 42
About Pioneer Group
Pioneer Group deliver high-quality laboratory and office space to rent, investment, accelerator programmes, scale-up training, and connections to esteemed figures from the world of science and technology. Pioneer Group run life science and tech-focused locations in eleven cities across the UK, all beautiful spaces to work from with science at their core.
You can read more about Pioneer Group on their website.
How we support science startups
By providing spaces suitable for international companies and small start-ups in one building, we create a sustainable research ecosystem, linking start-ups with experts in our network. We work with entrepreneurs to help them launch, grow and scale, directly investing in science and technology businesses and providing them with advice and mentoring to help them grow and bring their products to the public.
We run buildings in ten cities across the UK, but we’re not just a landlord – we are an expert life sciences investor and network-builder that helps our ecosystems grow and thrive. This means that we are committed to making the redeveloped Grafton Centre succeed in the long term.