LYVA Labs signs partnership agreement with Sci-Tech Daresbury and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)

A new memorandum of understanding (MoU) between LYVA Labs, Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), and Sci-Tech Daresbury, seeks to drive innovation, collaboration, and to promote potential investment opportunities across Liverpool City Region.

The agreement gives the partners scope to collaborate across technical projects, programmes, R&D consultancy, investor engagement, and cluster development. It will also promote skills, development, and training opportunities for innovators and entrepreneurs.

“This partnership enhances the innovation ecosystem for Liverpool City Region. Together with STFC and Sci-Tech Daresbury, LYVA Labs is committed to advancing key sectors like life sciences, materials, and AI, amongst others. Our joint efforts to align funding, mentorship, and high-performance facilities will empower start-ups and SMEs alike to bring cutting-edge ideas to life and to compete in national and global markets.” – Lorna Green, CEO, LYVA Labs.

“We have already seen the benefits of working closely with LYVA Labs, as several businesses on campus have secured investment from their fund. In addition, their investment into several SMEs that started up outside the region has led to companies moving to campus, to gain access to STFC resources and the wider business community and support at Sci-Tech Daresbury.” – John Leake, Business Growth Director, Sci-Tech Daresbury.

“This partnership represents a significant milestone for innovation in the Liverpool City Region. By combining the investment expertise and support of LYVA Labs with the world-class research resources and expertise of STFC, alongside the collaborative environment of Sci-Tech Daresbury, we are creating a powerful platform to enable SMEs and start-ups to thrive and achieve success on a global scale. Together, we aim to accelerate the development and commercialisation of cutting-edge technologies, fostering growth, high-value job creation, and long-term economic impact for the region.” Paul Vernon, Head of STFC’s Daresbury Laboratory.

The MoU creates an opportunity for the organisations to collaborate on complementary programmes like incubator and accelerator offerings for start-ups and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs). By connecting LYVA Labs’ pre-seed investment fund and accelerator programme with STFC’s suite of business incubators, this collaboration will help innovators in life sciences, deep tech, and clean tech to access vital funding and mentorship, preparing them for successful market entry and scale-up.

The three organisations will work together to evaluate new technologies and inventions being developed by companies that LYVA Labs supports and invests in. The partnership will support SMEs on campus to attract equity investment and secure R&D grant funding to develop and commercialise technologies, enabling them to scale on campus and create high value jobs in the region.

The strengthened relationship will lead to opportunities for joint promotion and marketing of partner capabilities, expertise, projects, and programmes. Synergies include the alignment of LYVA Labs’ investment and R&D consultancy support with STFC and Sci-Tech Daresbury initiatives such as High-Performance Computing and Networking for Data Intensive Science (HNCDI), Bridge AI, Smart Manufacturing Data Hub and the recently launched Biotech and Health Tech Business Incubation Centres.

This collaboration ensures that SMEs in Liverpool City Region will gain access to a wealth of technical expertise, funding opportunities, and targeted support that continues to drive impactful research and development.