Member Article

Major refurb for Daresbury’s Sci-Tech Innovation Centre

A major refurbishment of Sci-Tech Daresbury’s Innovation Centre has just been completed.

The Cheshire science park is now home to over 100 high-tech companies, and the refurbishment incorporated design improvements to aid collaboration between them.

The Innovation Centre layout is a key part of the site and comprises of both office and laboratory space.

The centre was originally developed in 2005 and provides premium space specifically for science and technology companies from startups to international corporates.

John Downes of Langtree, the private sector partner of the Sci-Tech Daresbury joint venture company, said: “Collaboration is at the heart of the business ethos at Sci-Tech Daresbury and it continues to drive growth here.

“These works are vitally important to ensure our buildings are optimally designed to foster increased collaborative working through informal discussions and chance meetings.

“It is part of a wider investment into the site to create a portfolio of buildings that support the on-going growth of campus companies and our ‘Home for Life’ philosophy.

“We will be announcing further major investments at the site in the coming weeks and months set to drive Sci-Tech Daresbury forward as a 21st century science and technology campus.”

Among the companies which have benefited from these collaborations is Wadaro, a high-tech SME that develops applications for mobile technologies and delivers network experience monitoring solutions for its global customers.

Wadaro has taken larger office space in The Innovation Centre and has benefited from the networking opportunities at the site.

The company is growing and revenues have doubled over the past 12 months, with a similar projection in line for the next 12 months.

Managing director of Wadaro,Robert Wakeling, said: “Basing Wadaro at The Innovation Centre has undoubtedly been beneficial to the business.

“We have recently engaged in business with a large car manufacturer and mobile operator which wouldn’t have been possible without the connections made at Sci-Tech Daresbury.

“Wadaro is exploring options globally, including in the Middle East and America and we are entering our second year of trade with Mexico.

“Further to this, we are engaged with African governments and network operators with 4 million SIM cards already in the African market, proving Daresbury can provide a gateway to business all over the world.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sophia Taha .