Science Creates launches new lab design and fitout service for science and technology scale-ups

Science Creates has launched a new specialist service supporting science and technology companies to design, retrofit and deliver their own laboratory and R&D facilities as they scale.

As companies grow beyond shared incubator environments, many reach a critical stage where existing lab space is no longer sufficient. Scaling organisations frequently require purpose-built facilities aligned to their technology, equipment and operational workflows. At this stage, companies are no longer searching for available lab space — they need to create infrastructure tailored to their own growth.

However, delivering a dedicated facility — such as a pilot manufacturing space or a large-scale R&D environment — introduces complex design, planning and infrastructure challenges that fall outside the expertise of most technical teams. Science Creates now provides dedicated support to help organisations plan, design and deliver these environments while allowing leadership teams to remain focused on advancing their science and technology.

The new service, Science Creates Development, formalises over a decade of experience supporting companies to deliver specialist scientific infrastructure, helping organisations move from growth ambition to operational facility.

Who Science Creates Development is for

This service is designed for organisations that need to deliver their own laboratory or R&D infrastructure, including:

  • Companies at critical growth stages for whom establishing dedicated facilities quickly is critical to enable their route to commercialisation, e.g. Series A
  • Startups in need of larger or more specialised facilities than those offered by existing university hub, science parks or incubators, so need to transition into their own independent premises
  • Companies developing pilot manufacturing or clean room environments
  • Property owners enabling laboratory-ready buildings
  • Universities and innovation districts delivering R&D space for spinouts and startups
  • Investment-backed companies planning long-term technical expansion

Lab Design, Fitout and Development Services

Science Creates provides end-to-end support across the lifecycle of lab and R&D facility delivery.

Lab design & architecture

Design of specialist lab and technical environments, including:

  • Spatial planning aligned with scientific workflows
  • Scalability roadmaps

Lab fitout & technical infrastructure

  • Delivery of bespoke lab fitouts for R&D, such as CL2 labs, clean rooms or pilot-scale facilities
  • Coordination of mechanical, electrical and process infrastructure

Retrofit & industrial-to-lab conversion

  • Conversion of industrial or commercial buildings into science innovation-ready environments
  • Planning of adaptive reuse strategies for existing assets

Planning & regulatory strategy

  • Navigation of UK planning processes for lab developments
  • Advise on change-of-use and technical compliance strategy
  • Stakeholder and approval coordination

Surveys & technical due diligence

  • Laser scanning and site analysis
  • Infrastructure feasibility assessments
  • Early-stage risk identification

Development management

  • End-to-end project leadership
  • Coordination from feasibility through construction
  • Delivery through to operational handover

Business case & delivery strategy

  • Project definition and investment readiness
  • Support for board and investor approval
  • Delivery roadmap development

Removing infrastructure as a barrier to growth

The service builds on the founding principle behind Science Creates: ensuring infrastructure never becomes a barrier to scientific progress.

By combining scientific understanding with architectural and development expertise, Science Creates supports organisations to deliver facilities capable of enabling long-term innovation and scale.

Ready to build your next R&D space? Find out more about the service