A common obstacle startups and spinouts face is limited access to advanced laboratory equipment. The cost of acquiring and maintaining the equipment is often prohibitively high, particularly for early-stage startups with tight financial resources.
Recognising these challenges, the BioEscalator has taken proactive measures to address the equipment access gap. It has established shared resource facilities within its premises, which house a range of core laboratory equipment that resident startups can access. It also works closely with Oxford University Innovation (OUI), the University's technology transfer office. OUI offers a professional consultancy service to enable Oxford University academics and departments to share their knowledge and facilities with industry, government, and the public sector.
Oxford University is home to an extensive range of world-class laboratory equipment, expertise and services, and so the BioEscalator and OUI teamed up to hold an event to showcase these state-of-the-art facilities to resident BioEscalator companies and startups from the Oxfordshire innovation ecosystem. The University of Oxford Laboratory Services Showcase was hosted at the BioEscalator, taking advantage of its position as a hub for innovation and collaboration.
Attendees enjoyed quick-fire presentations from the facilities, each offering specialised expertise and cutting-edge technology for a wide range of projects in the life sciences, including cell sorting and analysis, spectroscopy, microscopy, and proteomics. In addition, attendees had the opportunity to network with the technical experts that run the facilities, discuss their specific needs, and explore potential partnerships. These partnerships and knowledge-sharing initiatives foster a culture of collaboration and innovation, paving the way for a vibrant and prosperous biotech ecosystem.
The Oxford Trust, an independent charitable trust established in 1985 by Oxford entrepreneurs the late Sir Martin Wood and Lady Audrey Wood, provided generous sponsorship, reflecting the Trust's mission to encourage the pursuit of science and support the region's innovation ecosystem.
About Oxford University Innovation (OUI)
Oxford University Innovation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the University of Oxford, managing the University's technology transfer and consulting activities. Working across the breadth and depth of all University divisions, OUI provides researchers with advice and support on any matter concerning the commercialisation of research, offers investors the opportunity to finance new companies formed to develop and commercialise technology and intellectual property generated at the University of Oxford and facilitate a professional consultancy service which enables Oxford University academics and departments to share their knowledge and facilities with government, industry and the public sector, to drive change and make a direct impact on society.
About the Oxford Trust
The Oxford Trust is an independent charitable trust established in 1985 by Oxford entrepreneurs the late Sir Martin Wood and Lady Audrey Wood, founders of Oxford Instruments. The Trust's mission is to encourage the pursuit of science. To do this, The Oxford Trust runs programmes running across three key objectives:
Innovation – to support the innovation ecosystem in our region.
Education – to inspire young people about science, technology, engineering, and maths.
Engagement – to engage public audiences with science as an important part of our culture.
Its Education and Engagement programmes are run by its public-facing brand Science Oxford. Its Innovation programmes are run by the Trust.