Sci-Tech Daresbury claims companies based at the science and technology campus received a £20.3 million boost in 2018 from its collaborative culture.
Based in the Liverpool City region, Sci-Tech says it is fuelling growth for high-tech tenant businesses by encouraging collaboration, with more than 54 per cent of businesses activity collaborating with each other.
A survey conducted on the campus revealed the collaboration has generated a business value of £5.5m in terms of new sales or cost savings.
Fifty-nine per cent of the companies reported they were collaborating with a university, up from 49 per cent in 2017, with Liverpool and Manchester universities seeing an upsurge of companies offering student placements and carrying out research with the universities.
Liz Ashall-Payne, CEO of ORCHA, one of the 140 companies based on the expanding campus, said: “The location is critical to our growth both in terms of who we can collaborate with here, but also in drawing in talent.
“It’s really difficult finding talent in niche areas particularly in digital and everyone is fighting for the same people.
“But being located here means we can draw talent in from Liverpool, Cheshire and Manchester and from a number of different universities, helping us grow our workforce which is absolutely vital in achieving our growth ambitions.”
Since moving the campus, ORCHA has grew from a team of five to 21 FTE roles, planning to double in 2019.
Ashall-Payne added: “We have been part of a number of EU projects with the Hartree Centre to look at how we can improve and expand our offer.
“We are about to go into another big bid with them that will continue that partnership on an ongoing basis and which will help our growth and futureproof us.”
John Downes, group chief executive of Langtree and chair of the Sci-Tech Daresbury joint venture company, said: “In 2016 we revised our science and innovation strategy to focus on five key areas, including powering productivity through partnerships.
“It’s part of an explicit drive to cement collaboration at the heart of the campus, because it allows innovation and entrepreneurialism to thrive, unlocking business growth.
“This year’s survey proves that the financial and commercial value of knowledge exchange between companies continues to deliver fantastic results, positioning Sci-Tech Daresbury as one of the UK’s leading scientific assets.”