What’s the difference between a science park and a business park?

You’re a business leader ready to take the next step, and your company’s future is brimming with potential. But one crucial question stands in your way: What’s the difference between a science park and a business park, and where should you base your business? This decision could significantly shape your company’s growth, innovation potential, and overall success. 

While both offer a professional environment for businesses, they serve very different purposes. In this blog, we’ll explore the key differences between the two, helping you make an informed decision that aligns with your company’s vision and goals.

Whether you’re a startup in need of innovation-driven support or a more established business looking for functional office and/or laboratory space, this guide will answer the important question: “Why choose a science park over a business park?” and help you determine which environment suits your business best.

Defining Science Parks and Business Parks

Science parks are tailored to research, development, and innovation. They provide an ecosystem where high-tech companies, particularly those in sectors such as biotechnology, engineering, and software development, can thrive. 

The UK is home to around 150 science parks, which have become essential hubs for translating academic research into commercial success. They are home to over 4000 businesses employing over 120,000 people. Today, the UK biotech sector alone generates £73.8 billion annually and supports 482,000 jobs, with 80% of biotech companies being SMEs​.

Science parks will almost without exception have  strong connections with universities, research institutions or a research-intensive technology corporation. Often this provides access to specialised facilities and talent, and access to funding and business opportunities, that can give businesses a critical edge.

Business parks, by contrast, are more generalised in their purpose. They’re designed to accommodate a broader variety of businesses, from professional services to retail. Consequently you find little or no collaborative interaction between companies on business parks and rarely a strategic partnership with a university or research institution.

Business parks provide cost-effective office spaces, commercial services, and essential infrastructure for day-to-day operations. Unlike science parks, the focus is less on innovation and R&D (Research & Development), and more on delivering functional office environments for companies across all sectors.

Key Features of Science Parks for R&D and Innovation

Science parks offer a range of features designed to support innovation-led businesses:

Advanced laboratory and technical facilities

One of the most significant advantages of a science park is access to high-tech labs, R&D equipment, and prototyping tools that most companies couldn’t afford independently. 

These facilities help businesses stay at the cutting edge of their sector, offering the space and tools they need to innovate.

A great example is Quantum Science, who teamed up with Hitachi High-Tech Europe right here at Sci-Tech Daresbury. By using advanced microscopy technology, they were able to fast-track their research and push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Collaboration opportunities 

Science and innovation campuses encourage close relationships with academic institutions. Businesses benefit from collaborating with top researchers and accessing specialised knowledge. This collaboration often leads to groundbreaking advancements and provides a steady stream of new talent through internships, projects, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships or KTPs, and recruitment..

Innovation-driven environment 

Science parks are designed to bring together like-minded companies, creating a community where collaboration and innovation are encouraged. Whether it’s sharing resources or partnering on projects, this environment is ideal for companies looking to push the boundaries of what’s possible. In addition, science parks provide access to expertise to help companies better identify and protect potential intellectual property they have

Key Features of Business Parks for Flexibility and Growth

While business parks don’t focus on innovation to the same degree as science parks, they offer features that appeal to companies across  a more diverse range of sectors and in some cases businesses that are less technical and innovative. 

Flexible office spaces 

Business parks provide a variety of office layouts and sizes, offering flexible solutions for businesses in different growth stages. Whether you’re a startup looking for a modest office or a larger company needing room to expand, business parks offer the flexibility to scale.

Commercial services

Convenience is key in business parks. They may feature a range of onsite services like gyms, restaurants, and meeting spaces, making it easy for employees to access what they need without leaving the area. However, increasingly science parks are providing similar levels and quality of facilities to meet the needs of staff within the companies on the site.

Diverse business community

Business parks house companies across a wide range of industries and sectors. This diversity may be attractive to have but there is often little interaction and collaboration between companies and no on-site resources through the park’s owner to facilitate this. .

Benefits of Science Parks

For companies driven by research, innovation and collaboration, science parks offer unique advantages that traditional business parks can’t match:

Access to cutting-edge facilities 

High-tech facilities are often the main draw for science park tenants. Whether your company needs specialist laboratories, equipment, or simply space to conduct R&D, science parks provide access to resources that would be prohibitively expensive to own or rent elsewhere, and make it easy to access these when companies need them.

Funding and investment opportunities 

Science parks often have strong links with venture capital firms, angel networks, incubators, and government-backed grants focused on R&D and innovation. For startups or companies in growth mode, this access to potential funding can be a major advantage.

Evove, based at Sci-Tech Daresbury, secured vital funding through our investor network. This support enabled them to advance their advanced filtration membrane technology, designed to revolutionise water filtration and energy sectors.

With the financial backing, they scaled their operations and took their innovation to a global market. The investment was instrumental in moving Evove from R&D into large-scale production, showcasing how Sci-Tech Daresbury helps startups transition to commercial success.

 

Collaborative environment 

Collaboration between businesses and academic institutions is a cornerstone of science parks. These environments are designed to facilitate the flow of ideas and expertise, creating opportunities for joint ventures, research partnerships, and even the development of new products. 

Being surrounded by like-minded innovators in a culture that encourages knowledge-sharing helps businesses tap into a wider pool of resources, skills, and insights that they might not have access to otherwise. 

For startups, in particular, this collaborative atmosphere can accelerate growth, giving them an edge in innovation and opening doors to investment and mentoring opportunities from both academic and business leaders. 

The benefits of working in a science park are immense, and it’s no surprise that many companies thrive in this supportive, growth-focused environment.

Benefits of Business Parks

Business parks offer several key benefits, particularly for companies that don’t rely heavily on R&D:

Affordability and flexibility

Business parks generally offer more cost-effective office spaces than city centres or specialised environments like science parks. For many businesses, this allows for greater flexibility when scaling their operations.

Wide range of services

Business parks are often self-contained communities with all the services needed to keep a business running smoothly. From meeting rooms to cafés and retail outlets, they provide everything a business might need within easy reach.

Ease of access and transport links

Business parks are typically located in well-connected areas, offering excellent road access and proximity to public transport. This makes commuting easier for employees and ensures your business remains accessible to clients.

Sci-Tech Daresbury: The Best of Both Worlds

At Sci-Tech Daresbury, businesses don’t have to choose between a science park and a business park. We offer the best of both worlds, combining the advanced facilities and innovation-driven environment of a science park with the flexibility and convenience typically associated with business parks.

Flexible office spaces

Like a business park, Sci-Tech Daresbury offers flexible office solutions that cater to startups, growing companies, and well-established businesses alike. Whether you need a small office for your startup or a larger space for the expanding team of your scale-up business, we provide the flexibility to scale with you.

Commercial services 

Sci-Tech Daresbury provides a range of convenient on-site services, including a gym,café, restaurant and outdoors event space to meeting rooms and conference facilities, so your employees have everything they need close at hand.

In addition we have a variety of groups and activities including a running group, walking group, bicycle users group and Social hub for early-career professionals across the many companies and organisations on the campus. These amenities and activities make it easier for businesses to focus on what matters – growth and innovation, and provide a desirable working environment for the key talent that they are keen to attract and retain.

Diverse business community

While our focus is on fostering innovation, Sci-Tech Daresbury is home to a diverse range of companies, from cutting-edge innovative firms in life sciences, healthcare, digital, advanced engineering and sustainability. This blend of businesses creates a vibrant ecosystem where collaboration and networking opportunities thrive.

Sky Medical Technology, based at Sci-Tech Daresbury, took full advantage of the park’s innovation-led environment and flexible workspace.

With access to advanced research facilities and adaptable office space, they developed the geko™ device, which improves blood circulation to prevent conditions like deep vein thrombosis. This supportive ecosystem helped Sky Medical grow efficiently and bring their product to market quickly.

By offering the flexibility and commercial amenities of a business park, alongside the advanced research and innovation capabilities plus the collaborative spirit of a science park, Sci-Tech Daresbury is truly a unique environment where businesses of all kinds can succeed.

Choosing Between Science Parks and Business Parks for Your Business

Deciding between a science park and a business park depends on several factors, including your industry, business goals, and stage of growth. Here are a few questions you should consider before making your decision: 

• Does your business require regular access to R&D equipment, labs, or academic expertise? → Science Park 
• Are you in a sector that doesn’t rely on research or advanced facilities, but needs cost-effective, flexible office space? → Business Park
  

• Is your company looking to collaborate with universities or research institutions, or other technology-focused businesses? → Science Park 
• Do you need access to both cutting-edge facilities and a supportive, flexible and well-networked environment? → Science Park

The Best Place for Your Business to Grow

Choosing between a science park and a business park can be the difference between simply operating and truly thriving. Science parks provide the resources, talent, and facilities to drive cutting-edge innovation, making them perfect for R&D-focused businesses. 

On the other hand, business parks offer flexibility, affordability, and a diverse range of services, ideal for companies that need functional office space without the focus on research.

Looking for the right fit? Sci-Tech Daresbury offers the best of both worlds with tailored spaces that support every stage of growth. Get in touch with our team to explore the perfect environment for your business’s next chapter.