A new partnership between LYVA Labs, the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), and Sci-Tech Daresbury seeks to boost innovation across the Liverpool City Region.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) agreement allows the partners to work together on technical projects, investor engagement, and cluster development, as well as promoting skills, development, and training for entrepreneurs.

LYVA Labs CEO, Lorna Green, said: "This partnership enhances the innovation ecosystem for Liverpool City Region.

"Together with STFC and Sci-Tech Daresbury, LYVA Labs is committed to advancing key sectors like life sciences, materials, and AI, amongst others.

"Our joint efforts to align funding, mentorship, and high-performance facilities will empower start-ups and SMEs alike to bring cutting-edge ideas to life and to compete in national and global markets."

The partners aim to create programmes such as incubator and accelerator offerings for start-ups and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs).

This will be achieved by connecting LYVA Labs’ pre-seed investment fund and accelerator programme with STFC’s business incubators.

This collaboration will provide innovators in life sciences, deep tech, and clean tech with essential funding and mentorship to prepare them for successful market entry and scale-up.

John Leake, business growth director at Sci-Tech Daresbury, said: "We have already seen the benefits of working closely with LYVA Labs, as several businesses on campus have secured investment from their fund.

"In addition, their investment into several SMEs that started up outside the region has led to companies moving to campus, to gain access to STFC resources and the wider business community and support at Sci-Tech Daresbury."

The partnership also aims to support SMEs on campus, helping them to attract equity investment and secure R&D grant funding to develop and commercialise technologies.

This will allow them to scale on campus and create high-value jobs in the region.

Paul Vernon, head of STFC’s Daresbury laboratory, said: "This partnership represents a significant milestone for innovation in the Liverpool City Region.

"By combining the investment expertise and support of LYVA Labs with the world-class research resources and expertise of STFC, alongside the collaborative environment of Sci-Tech Daresbury, we are creating a powerful platform to enable SMEs and start-ups to thrive and achieve success on a global scale.

"Together, we aim to accelerate the development and commercialisation of cutting-edge technologies, fostering growth, high-value job creation, and long-term economic impact for the region."

The strengthened relationship will lead to joint promotion and marketing of partner capabilities, expertise, projects, and programmes.

This includes aligning LYVA Labs’ investment and R&D consultancy support with STFC and Sci-Tech Daresbury initiatives like High-Performance Computing and Networking for Data Intensive Science (HNCDI), Bridge AI, Smart Manufacturing Data Hub, and the recently launched Biotech and Health Tech Business Incubation Centres.