Biotech innovation rarely follows a straight line. The journey from initial concept to commercialised product is one marked by technical complexity, regulatory hurdles, and the constant challenge of scaling a viable innovative business. But one thing is certain: where you choose to build your company matters.
Across the UK’s thriving life sciences sector, access to the right infrastructure, support, and community can make all the difference. And increasingly, regional hubs like The EpiCentre in Haverhill are playing a pivotal role in helping biotech start-ups move from concept to the lab bench to market-ready innovation.
Here’s how The EpiCentre is supporting the next wave of biotech pioneers—from first experiments to global scale.
Purpose-Built Lab Facilities for Every Stage
Start-ups and spinouts in the biotech space require far more than just space—they need specialist lab environments that can adapt to their growth. The EpiCentre has been designed with this exact need in mind, offering a combination of shared and private laboratories for companies at different stages of development.
These purpose-built labs include access to Containment Level 2 (CL2) environments, with essential equipment such as Class II biological safety cabinets, CO₂ incubators, autoclaves, and test and measurement instruments, for work in sectors including microbiology, molecular biology, and cell culture. The flexibility of the space allows companies to evolve without the heavy capital burden of setting up and maintaining their own facilities.
The result is a space that enables focused scientific work, within an environment that meets the industry’s rigorous safety and compliance standards.
Strategically Positioned in the Greater Cambridge Life Science Cluster
Cambridge remains a global leader for life science innovation. But proximity to that ecosystem no longer requires a city centre postcode.
Located on the Cambridgeshire-Suffolk border, The EpiCentre is part of the Cambridge Business and Technology Cluster, which offers start-ups and scale-ups access to world-class academic institutions, investor networks, and talent—without the soaring costs or space constraints often found in Cambridge.
For founders looking for sustainable growth, this offers the best of both worlds: connection to Cambridge’s renowned life sciences infrastructure, combined with the breathing room and affordability needed for early-stage R&D and business development.
Expert-Led Business Support When It’s Needed Most
Technical facilities may get the headlines, but it’s often the quality of support that defines a company’s growth trajectory. At The EpiCentre, this comes in the form of dedicated on-site business and lab support.
Gary Jennings, Innovation Director at The EpiCentre, works closely with resident companies to provide tailored business coaching, introductions to funding networks, and one-to-one mentoring. His role is to help businesses navigate the key stages of growth—from concept validation to commercial readiness.
Alongside this, The EpiCentre’s Lab Supervisor ensures daily operational support for lab users, from equipment training to safety compliance—so that companies can focus on the science, not the admin.
Supporting Businesses with Global Ambition
Companies based at The EpiCentre aren’t just solving problems in the lab—they’re building businesses for global impact.
Take BravelyCultured, for example. A biotech start-up specialising in microbiology innovation, the company has used The EpiCentre’s facilities to develop its research, secure Innovate UK funding, and connect with angel investors—all while remaining part of the wider Cambridge life sciences ecosystem.
Stories like this reflect the centre’s role as more than just a workspace. For many, The EpiCentre is a launchpad—helping move them from proof-of-concept to product, and from local trials to international opportunity.
A Community Where Innovation Connects
In biotech, innovation thrives not just on data and discovery—but also on conversation and connection. The EpiCentre is home to a growing cross-disciplinary community, where founders, scientists, and entrepreneurs can connect over shared challenges, fresh ideas, and new collaborations.
Informal networking, peer knowledge-sharing, and in-house events all help build a sense of belonging—an environment where breakthroughs don’t happen in isolation, but within a culture of shared growth.
Enabling the Future of Biotech
From lab-ready infrastructure and tailored support to strategic location and peer collaboration, The EpiCentre offers biotech businesses everything they need to move from early development to commercial success.
As the life sciences sector continues to scale, it’s regional hubs like this that will power the next generation of biotech breakthroughs—not by replicating the city, but by offering something that works better for early-stage growth.
To find out how The EpiCentre can support your biotech grow, scale and thrive, why not get in touch with the team at The EpiCentre,
About Gary Jennings
Gary Jennings is the Innovation Director at The EpiCentre Haverhill; an innovation centre where he delivers inclusive business support to the various companies there.
He’s an expert in driving growth, revenue streams and innovation, helping SMEs succeed in both the UK and international markets. He’s worked with former Fortune 500 global organisations through to building his own SME. He’s supported government departments on international growth strategies, served as a Digital Innovation Fellow for the University of Plymouth, and is a trusted non-executive director within NHS-based companies. Gary continues to run his own business too so understands the pressures and needs in the real world. With his extensive regional, UK and international network, Gary keeps his focus on the driving revenues whilst managing the bottom line to drive your business forward.
The EpiCentre Haverhill offers flexible workspaces; it is the centre of a collaborative community of innovators, start-ups, and scale-ups, where companies of all types and sizes rent purpose-built offices, lab space, coworking desks and meeting rooms on Haverhill Research Park. To find out more about The EpiCentre and the inclusive and unlimited business support, visit www.epicentrehaverhill.co.uk
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