BioLabs picks Cambridge for first UK site at campus

Wellcome Genome Campus and BioLabs have partnered to establish BioLabs' first UK site at the campus, making it the first commercial occupier confirmed for The Sequence.

The partnership will create incubator and accelerator space for start-ups and scale-ups working in genomics, biodata, and artificial intelligence in health and care. BioLabs will begin in a temporary facility on the campus before moving into permanent space in The Sequence, where it will occupy about 21,000 sq ft on the lower ground floor.

The agreement brings a new commercial tenant to a site that already houses the Wellcome Sanger Institute and EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute. The UK's Health Data Research Service is also due to join the campus, adding to a cluster focused on genomics, biodata, and data science.

The Sequence is the first building to be delivered under the Wellcome Genome Campus expansion. It will provide 147,000 sq ft of lab-enabled workspace across three floors and forms part of a wider plan to expand the campus from 125 acres to 440 acres over the next decade.

That plan includes research and commercial space, along with housing and leisure amenities for campus workers. The first phase also includes 84 homes, hospitality venues, a health and fitness club, and an energy system based on microgrids and an ambient loop network for heating and cooling.

First UK base

BioLabs operates shared laboratory and coworking sites for life sciences companies across more than 20 locations in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Its Cambridge site marks the company's first move into the UK market.

The new facilities will include flexible laboratories, offices, and collaboration areas, alongside operational support and business events. Founders based there are also expected to gain access to BioLabs' network of investors, partners, and entrepreneurs.

For Wellcome Genome Campus, the agreement is an early commercial milestone in an expansion backed by Wellcome Trust. Campus management aims to build a larger research and business community around omics, health data, and AI.

Robert Evans, chief executive officer of Wellcome Genome Campus, said: "Wellcome Genome Campus is Europe's largest and most concentrated hub of talent in genomics and computational biology, combining research with translation and commercial spinouts, conferencing and convening.

Partnering with BioLabs to create new incubator and accelerator programmes will create a visible beacon for early-stage ventures at the intersection of omics, data and AI, a key frontier field expected to transform healthcare globally.

This landmark partnership will strengthen our ecosystem and boost the pathway for spin-out and scale-up ventures to translate promising ideas into real-world impact. Our new facilities will provide exceptional spaces, facilities, support and access to enable founders and entrepreneurs to grow quickly while maximising capital efficiency.

Announcing BioLabs as the first occupier of our new building, The Sequence, highlights the importance we place on empowering our campus ecosystem, which offers the rare convergence of biology, data, infrastructure and AI at scale."

Expansion plans

The campus holds a prominent place in British genomics research because of its role in the Human Genome Project, with one-third of the human genome sequenced there through work at the Wellcome Sanger Institute. Management is now seeking to translate that scientific base into a larger commercial and residential development.

Existing commercial occupiers on the campus include Genomics England, Illumina, SciBite, and spin-outs from the Sanger Institute such as Mosaic Therapeutics and Cosmic. The expansion is intended to add more businesses alongside established research organisations.

BioLabs Founder and President Johannes Fruehauf said the company had been looking for a partner for its UK launch and saw Cambridge as a natural fit because of its scientific depth and concentration of founders and researchers.

"BioLabs has been seeking a strategic partner to establish our first UK location, and the Wellcome Genome Campus, with its ambitious expansion plans, was the obvious choice. The campus's commitment to scientific excellence, collaboration, and entrepreneurship aligns perfectly with our mission.

Having launched BioLabs in the 'other' Cambridge - Cambridge, Massachusetts - we're delighted to bring our model to Cambridge, UK, and become part of one of the world's most dynamic life science communities. Together, we plan to create a place where exceptional science, ambitious founders, and breakthrough ideas can flourish, accelerating the next generation of biotech innovation."

The first phase of the Wellcome Genome Campus expansion is under way and is due to complete by 2028.