Imperial College has revealed plans for a huge new expansion into west London with the launch of 55,000 sq ft of affordable lab and scale up space for science and tech companies in the Old Oak regeneration zone.
The new state of the art facilities are being delivered through a partnership between the 118 year old university - rated second in the world in the latest QS rankings - and specialist lab and office space providers Sciopolis.
It marks the latest roll-out of WestTech London, a fast growing innovation and tech centre of excellence for start-ups and scale-ups that Imperial’s President, Professor Hugh Brady, believes can go on to rival Boston’s Kendall Square close to MIT and Harvard.
The new space at One Portal Way, Old Oak will open its doors in mid 2026.
It will former part of Imperial’s Old Oak Campus, which brings together commercial spaces for innovation-led, high growth businesses and accommodation for more than 1,500 Imperial students and key workers
Imperial, which has its main campus in South Kensington, plans to create London’s new innovation and advanced manufacturing hub at Old Oak on London’s largest brownfield regeneration area.
London suffers an acute shortage of affordable specialist lab space in London, which threatens to hold back the growth of the UK’s science and tech sectors, particularly for startups looking to scale.
One Portal Way, Old Oak will convert an existing building into 55,000 sq ft of fully fitted lab and office space, ready to be occupied by up to 30 scale-ups in around a year’s time.
Occupiers will benefit from the support of Imperial Incubator, the university’s home for early-stage lab-based companies.
Imperial’s redevelopment of the One Portal Way site will also deliver a new public garden, shops and new homes across tenures including student accommodation as well as 300,000 sq ft of flexible work space.
Imperial believes Old Oak eventually has the potential to support up to 4 million sq ft of space
Imperial College, which was founded in 1907 now spreads to nine campuses across west London in what Professor Brady describes as “string of innovation pearls.”
It has spent more than £500 million on its White City tech campus north of the A40 with another £600 million being invested in the next phase south of the A40 .
Professor Brady said: “The UK, and London specifically, is exceptional at discovery science - but we risk becoming a place where great ideas are born, but cannot grow.
One of the most urgent challenges is the lack of specialist, affordable lab and grow-on space.
“Our new innovation facility in Old Oak is a direct response to this challenge, a flexible, ready-to-use space that combines top-tier lab infrastructure with connection to a global university, creative industries, manufacturing capability and exceptional local, national and international transport connections.”
Sciopolis CEO, Charlie Mitchell, said: “We know how challenging it is for startups and scaleups to secure suitable and affordable laboratory space. Speed is of the essence, as many ventures are being held back by the lack of grow-on infrastructure, which is why we are partnering with Imperial and other landlords to rapidly convert well-located, unused office and industrial space into innovation hubs with labs, amenities, and support.
“These spaces are designed to act as catalysts, attracting innovators and quickly building vibrant communities. One Portal Way, Old Oak is a prime example: a building bursting with potential to transform an area and launch a new chapter for Imperial in Old Oak.”
