How to Finance your Innovation and Grow your Business

About

Co-Laboratories was formed after witnessing several promising biotech startups fail for non-technical reasons. We think it's incredibly frustrating when exciting ideas fail before lift-off. Too many potentially groundbreaking companies have crumbled at early stages due to lack of support, most commonly due to a crucial disadvantage: lack of affordable, appropriate infrastructure to support their work.

We are looking to change the way scientists and the bio-curious can test ideas and get started in biotech. Access to reasonable lab space has been restrictive for teams and stifled innovation, so we aim to grow open spaces for innovative ideas, being a forum for new growth and collaboration. We will achieve this through building and developing new biotechnology incubator communities, both privately and in partnership with other institutions, to greatly reduce the barrier to entry for smaller creative biotech groups.

About

Co-laboratories first site in Cambridge is in partnership with journey. journey is a real estate company focused on facilitating innovation in key UK knowledge economies with a particular focus on the early-stage community. Our goal is to bring forward a variety of spaces in central locations that facilitate the seed to growth journey.

Co-Labs by journey, based at NIAB on the Huntingdon Road, is a dedicated early-stage facility that is ideal for collaboration-minded businesses looking for a base near the city centre. Offering a range of spaces, from a single lab bench to larger private lab and write-up spaces, we cater for the diverse mix of high-growth start-ups across Cambridge. Our labs and offices are fully fitted so you can move in straight away and facilities include shared equipment and tissue culture rooms, co-working space, meeting rooms and conference facilities.

About Innovate UK Business Growth

Innovate UK Business Growth is Innovate UK’s national business growth and scaling service. It is an integral part of the innovation agency’s products and services portfolio.

The service is available to all established small to medium sized innovation-focused growth companies, including Innovate UK grant winners.

Innovate UK Business Growth accelerates its ambitious clients on their growth journeys with one-to-one support from over 400 innovation and growth specialists and scaleup directors embedded in every UK region and nation. Their tailored, expert advice helps thousands of businesses sharpen their commercial strategies, realise the maximum value from their IP, raise game changing investment and take their businesses onto the global stage every year.

Julie Pauley, Project Manager Innovate UK Business Growth

Julie Pauley has spent most of her career helping hundreds of SMEs to access a range of funded business support programmes. Whilst working as a Business Adviser she supported all aspects of business planning and, as an Innovation Adviser for various companies she has helped businesses with their innovation grant applications. Julie has also run her own business support consultancy supporting numerous small to medium companies to engage with large corporates.

Stephanie Aldridge, Senior Innovation and Growth Specialist, Innovate UK Business Growth
Stephanie is a senior innovation and growth advisor, specialising in investment readiness support for high growth SMEs. Stephanie delivers investment readiness training programmes, and pitch panels, and works closely with leaders of innovation-driven businesses in support of their funding and finance goals. Stephanie is an experienced business advisor and has a proven track record of supporting ambitious businesses to develop winning commercial strategies, become investment ready, and secure funding and finance.

Senior roles and responsibilities have included Operations Director of an international market research business, and Commercial Director of a UK biotech business. Stephanie has also held senior positions in business consulting, leading consulting teams to support FTSE 250 clients and SMEs to accelerate growth and realise their ambitions.

Stephanie is passionate about making a difference by supporting innovative businesses to reach their potential.

Note: Free parking on site is available

are hosting this event in collaboration with the annual Business Finance Week, a campaign run by the British Business Bank. There will be a range of nationwide and regional events offered throughout the campaign, including in-person sessions and webinars, to help smaller businesses find out more about the various finance options available to them to support their individual needs. Learn more at

Views expressed by event participants do not necessarily reflect our own views or those of the British Business Bank. Always seek professional advice tailored to your individual circumstances.

Host or Publisher Innovate UK EDGE East of England