Collaboration between KQ Liverpool and Kensington Fields Community Association

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Innovation district organisations supports local charity food provision 

Kensington Fields Community Association (KFCA) provides vital services to the residents of one of the country’s most deprived wards.

The centre provides a much-needed programme of activities and weekly classes, runs social groups, and offers financial and well-being advice to keep people connected and feeling supported. Another key element of this support is related to food provision, enabling the local community to access affordable and good-quality food and groceries through the KFCA pantry. 

Helen Ball, Business Development Manager at KFCA, said:

“Our pantry is open to everyone in Kenny, and we provide emergency food support in times of crisis, run family food nights, and older and vulnerable persons lunch clubs to help make sure no one in our community goes hungry.

“We are also proud to help educate people around healthy eating with our cookery classes for both kids and adults, and by offering relaxing growing activities in the centre’s community allotment.”

To run the KFCA pantry, the charity relies on grants from charitable bodies, which are becoming increasingly harder to secure meaning they are also seeking donations from caring individuals and local organisations. 

Claire Kidman, Head of Partnerships at KQ Liverpool, added:

“We are pleased to announce that KQ Liverpool will be supporting the Kensington Fields Community Association by providing pantry donation points at a number of sites across our innovation district. 

“This initiative aligns with our 2040 Vision, and it’s important to us that we support the communities around us. It’s especially meaningful to know that our contributions will directly benefit those in need within our local area.”

The first donation points are already located in two of KQ Liverpool’s spin-out development company Sciontec’s innovation centres at Liverpool Science Park (iC1 Entrance Lounge and iC2 Entrance Lounge) with the next location being CENTRAL TECH (Ground floor Atrium).

KQ Liverpool would like to encourage businesses, stakeholders, and colleagues to contribute to this collection, which will be ongoing throughout the year. 

We would especially welcome any donations of items from the list below:

  • Tinned meat
  • Tinned tuna
  • Veg / Tomato Soup – Tinned or packet
  • Cereals
  • Sanitary products
  • Tea
  • Coffee
  • Beans 
  • Sugar

For further information about the Kensington Fields Community Association, please visit their website.

Sciontec launches CENTRAL TECH with more than 50% pre-lets

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Sciontec has now secured pre-let agreements with seven innovation organisations at CENTRAL TECH on Copperas Hill, which joined its portfolio of innovation assets in March. The building officially launches today, as part of the LCR Innovation Investment Fortnight (IIF) programme.

Among those, Bellrock, the property disrupter,  is creating a head office for their market leading IWMS product Concerto, which will take a 2,635 sq ft office on the building’s third floor, complete with breakout spaces, kitchen and a private terrace overlooking the Knowledge Quarter Liverpool innovation district.

AI-enabled platform Harker, which helps homelessness charities to manage their data more effectively to demonstrate their social impact and provide more personalised support, has taken two new first floor spaces at CENTRAL TECH, which will also accommodate software development and digital services firm Jamescape.

The Royal Academy of Engineering, which creates and leads a community of outstanding experts and innovators to engineer better lives, is launching their new ‘Enterprise Hub Liverpool’ within the four-storey building.

Labman, which specialises in laboratory automation hardware and software, occupies an all-inclusive space on the second floor of CENTRAL TECH, which stands adjacent to LJMU’s Student Life and Sport buildings.

Engineering firm DefProc, which works with innovators to help develop early stage ideas into market-ready products, is returning to occupy an 823 sq ft electronics lab and workspace on the ground floor of the building, having previously relocated to Sciontec’s Liverpool Science Park four years ago.

Innovation investment consultancy LYVA Labs is relocating its headquarters to a 750 sq ft space on the first floor as it aims to further increase its engagement with start-ups, corporates, higher education institutions, research technology organisations, investors and public funders.

Sciontec has also relocated its team to the building, occupying a 600 sq ft ground floor space in the innovation district’s newest development.

CENTRAL TECH also contains a communal roof terrace, events space, breakout areas and kitchenettes, while customers have access to discounted gym membership at the LJMU Sport building and to the Academic Support and Knowledge (ASK) programme, connecting them to a specialist team or expert at the University of Liverpool or Liverpool John Moores University.

Leanne Katsande, head of commercial at Sciontec, said:

“The arrival of CENTRAL TECH has created a real buzz among the city region’s innovation community and we have been inundated with enquiries over the past few weeks.

“CENTRAL TECH’s location, adjacent to the city’s main railway stations and within the KQ Liverpool innovation district, combined with our Sciontec AI all-inclusive packages on the first three floors and ultrafast internet connectivity through LCR Connect, means it is an easy choice for a lot of innovation-led organisations.

“Thankfully, we’ve been able to move quickly with a number of enquiries and have pre-let more than 50% of the building already. We remain firmly in discussions with several other interested parties and we’ll continue to provide tours of our new facility up to and after it opens on 14 May, so please do get in touch if you’d like to see what’s on offer.”

Adam Smith, chief technology officer at Concerto, said:

“The tech scene in Liverpool is buzzing, and we’re really proud to be part of that momentum. We’ve already started chatting with other companies about hosting meet-ups in our space but our new office won’t just be a workspace, it’ll be a bit of a showcase for what intelligent buildings can offer owner-occupiers, and we’re looking forward to showing our customers what’s possible.”

Summing up, Colin Sinclair, CEO of KQ Liverpool and Sciontec, said:

“We are delighted to be launching CENTRAL TECH on LJMU’s Student Life Campus, adding more much needed innovation space to Sciontec’s thriving portfolio of science and tech buildings.

“Demand for CENTRAL TECH has already been unprecedented showing that Liverpool City Region is riding a wave of innovation. The building perfectly complements Liverpool Science Park and Sciontec AI at The Spine and is further growing our community of start ups, spin outs and SMEs.”

For further information, please contact enquiries@sciontec.co.uk, or visit https://sciontec.co.uk/locations/central-tech/ 

Top property professional Colin Sinclair appointed to head up high-powered investment task force.

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ONE of the region’s most influential property professionals has been appointed to head up the Invest Liverpool City Region (ILCR) Partnership Taskforce. Colin Sinclair, Chief Executive of Knowledge Quarter Liverpool and Sciontec Developments Ltd, has been unveiled as Chair of the Taskforce which brings together senior representatives from local authorities, the private sector and key stakeholders to ensure a joined-up approach to attracting, securing and delivering inward investment. It also plays a critical role in shaping and delivering the Liverpool City Region Capital and Real Estate Investment Programme. Colin is a prominent figure in the region’s innovation and investment landscape and has been instrumental in driving major regeneration initiatives, positioning the city region as a global destination for science, health, education and technology.

Colin said:

“The Liverpool City Region has an extraordinary investment story to tell and I am honoured to chair the ILCR Partnership Taskforce at such a pivotal moment. I am confident that we can deliver a new strategy which ensures that the city region will build on its successes to date, and use its enormous development potential to attract investment that will not only boost the economy, but create collaborative and inclusive opportunities which leave a positive legacy for generations to come. Our collective ambition is to ensure the region is not only visible on the global stage but competes successfully for investment that drives inclusive growth. Investment doesn’t just happen – you have to win it, and we are ready to do exactly that.”

In his new capacity as Chair, Colin will lead the Taskforce in providing strategic oversight for the programme and ensuring the region’s £11 billion investment opportunity is showcased to global audiences. Members of the Taskforce contribute sector-specific expertise and play a key role in positioning the city region as a prime location for sustainable and impactful development. Councillor Nick Small, Cabinet Member for Growth and Economy at Liverpool City Council said:

“Liverpool and the wider City Region continues to gain recognition for its forward-thinking investment propositions, including transformational regeneration schemes, innovation districts and strategic employment sites. Working in conjunction with the Chair and Taskforce, we will continue to develop our collective effort to leverage the city region’s assets and realise our ambition to attract long-term, sustainable investment delivering high-skilled jobs and careers.”

The news comes as Liverpool City Region prepares to showcase £11bn worth of investment opportunities across the region at UKREiiF 2025, the UKs Real Estate and Infrastructure Investment Forum. The event takes place later this month in Leeds and is set to welcome 16,000 delegates, speakers and investors across three days.

Innovation Investment Fortnight to showcase billions of pounds of Liverpool City Region opportunities

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  • More than 20 diverse events highlighting scale and scope of city region innovation
  • Launch event to showcase University of Liverpool’s groundbreaking Life Sciences Innovation Zone projects and more
  • Builds on last year’s inaugural Innovation Investment Week
  • Includes fourth annual Innovation Investment Summit, major maritime event, and Dragons’ Den style pitching returns
  • Other events covering world-leading sports science, inspiring the innovators of tomorrow, design, and space innovation

More than £2bn of investment opportunities are to be showcased at a two-week festival highlighting the breadth, depth and quality of place-based innovation across the Liverpool City Region.

 

Running from May 12-23, Innovation Investment Fortnight (IIF) will feature at least 20 events covering topics ranging from the city region’s world-leading life sciences innovation to maritime, space, AI and sports science.

 

Innovation Investment Fortnight - blue logo with a picture of a lightbulb

 

The fortnight also includes a Dragons’ Den style pitching event, the fourth annual Innovation Investment Summit for Scaling and three nights of ‘Pint of Science’ in which leading city region academics will speak at pubs across the city region.

 

Liverpool City Region currently has £1bn of live innovation projects with a further £2bn of projects in the pipeline and seeking investment.

 

The city region’s Life Sciences Innovation Zone, which launched in April 2024, is alone expected to attract £800m of public and private sector investment.

 

Kicking off with a major University of Liverpool event showcasing its pioneering collaborations, including Life Sciences Innovation Zone projects, the fortnight will highlight the city region’s world-leading assets and distinctive approaches that put it at the forefront of UK place-based innovation.

 

Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said:

 

“Our region has always been a place where great ideas are born – and through Innovation Investment Fortnight, we’re putting a spotlight on the people and projects turning those ideas into world-class industries.

 

“From life sciences to space tech, our region is helping shape the future – and we’re doing it in our own unique way. We’re not just talking about innovation – we’re investing in it, unlocking billions in opportunities, and making our region a magnet for talent, creativity, and investment.”

 

May 12: The University of Liverpool is teaming up with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to bring together global leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, researchers, and policymakers to explore Liverpool’s cutting-edge collaborations and investment opportunities at the What IIF! How Pioneering Partnerships Are Driving LCR’s Innovation Future event. The event will feature some of the biggest names from LCR innovation and include the launch of the Microbiome and Infectious Disease (MaID) Innovation Hub. It will also showcase groundbreaking innovations in AI, materials, climate tech, and the future of music.

 

May 13: Day 2 will feature an LCR Space Partnership launch workshop

 

May 14: Day 3 includes the opening of Knowledge Quarter Liverpool’s new innovation hub called Central Tech. Plans for a new Animates cartoon book aimed at inspiring young innovators will also be revealed at a special event in Blackburne House.

 

May 15: The all-day Business of Science Conference will be held at The Spine in Liverpool.

 

May 19: Dragons’ Den style Pitching event at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in which innovative early-stage companies from across the region will showcase their groundbreaking ideas to a diverse panel of investors.

 

May 19-21: It’s beer, boffins and banter as leading city region scientists take to pubs and bars in Liverpool and Wirral to share and discuss new ideas in a series of 14 Pint of Science events

 

May 20: Mersey Maritime will be hosting the flagship Navigating Maritime Innovation in the Liverpool City Region event at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU). The same day the University of Liverpool will host an all-day conference on designing biodegradable chemicals and Butters Innovation and IUK Business Growth will host a Summit looking at Design in Innovation at MTC.

 

May 21: The fourth day-long LCR Innovation Investment Summit for Scaling will be held at Sci-Tech Daresbury.

 

May 22: KQ Liverpool – In the Know event – Investing in skills will be held at Liverpool’s new tech hub, CENTRAL TECH.

 

May 23: LJMU will host a Sport Science Showcase, celebrating the 50th anniversary of its pioneering department that catalysed today’s multi-billion-dollar sports data industry.

 

Since the first Innovation Investment Summit in 2022, Liverpool City Region has spearheaded a series of landmark initiatives including piloting Innovate UK’s national Launchpad grant programme now rolled out to 8 other localities. It is also one of very few places invited to forge a new Strategic Relationship with UKRI following publication of the English Devolution White Paper at the end of last year – reflecting the region’s highly developed place-based innovation approach at the national forefront.

 

Liverpool City Region agreed the country’s first place-based partnership and action plan with Innovate UK and in 2023 a landmark innovation deal was signed with South Korea’s second city, Busan, as part of a major government UK-South Korea innovation twinning programme.

 

And last year Liverpool City Region held its inaugural international AI Summit and its first Innovation Investment Week.

 

The city region has also become one of only three places in the UK to benefit from both Investment Zone, known locally as the Innovation Zone, and Freeport status.

 

The Life Sciences Innovation Zone programme will help the city region towards its innovation powerhouse goal of spending 5% of its economy on R&D by 2030 – nearly double the UK target. Achieving the target would deliver an estimated £41.7bn of gross economic benefit, a 10% increase in productivity and 44,000 new jobs.

 

The city region is a world leader in infection prevention and control, materials chemistry and AI solutions and emerging technologies, with growing strengths in net-zero and maritime innovation