About

An R&D centre at the heart of a major life sciences cluster

BioPark is the science park located in Welwyn Garden City, just 30 minutes by rail from central London and around 50 minutes from Cambridge. Specialist facilities and support are provided to bioscience and health technology businesses in order to assist them to grow and to develop new products and technologies.

Opened in February 2006, this unique facility managed by Exemplas for the University of Hertfordshire, has been developed with funding from the East of England Development Agency (EEDA).

Working with the former owner, pharmaceutical company Roche Products and following closure, EEDA and the University of Hertfordshire purchased the laboratory complex. All stakeholders were keen to ensure that these valuable facilities were safeguarded for future use.

BioPark will stimulate knowledge transfer regionally, nationally and internationally.

We are delighted these facilities are to be used to further advances in the field of life sciences.

John Melville, Managing Director Roche in the UK

It will ensure strong links are developed between regional universities, research institutes and the private sector and assist in developing high skill levels to support the knowledge economy as part of the region's Enterprise Hub.

The 100,000 square foot (9,300 square metre) complex includes chemistry and biology labs, offices and conference facilities.

BioPark is managed by Exemplas and overseen by a steering group of local and regional partners.

Our vision is to provide an ideal environment for innovative companies to grow and prosper.

Professor Tim Wilson, Vice-Chancellor, University of Hertfordshire

About the University of Hertfordshire

The University of Hertfordshire, based in Hatfield and St Albans, offers excellence in teaching, learning and research and offers undergraduate and post-graduate degrees and research opportunities to over 22,000 students. High quality teaching is supplemented by state-of-the-art study facilities with a multi-award winning learning resources centre on the main Hatfield campus and its ground-breaking StudyNet system, which provides 24/7 virtual access to learning. It was awarded The Queen's Award for Enterprise in 2004. For further information visit www.herts.ac.uk

About Exemplas

Exemplas Limited is a not-for-profit organisation with a staff of 120 and a head office in Hatfield, in the UK. Over the last eight years, Exemplas has gained an international reputation for the development and delivery of world class business support, and services developed by Exemplas are now delivered in four continents around the World. In 2005, Exemplas merged with the University of Hertfordshire, the first time a business support services company in the UK has merged with a University. Exemplas acts as a front door to the University's expertise, products and services. For further information visit www.exemplas.com

In order to maintain the East of England's leadership position in developing and realising innovation in science technology and research it is vital we have a good provision of high quality R&D facilities.

David Marlow, Chief Executive, EEDA

About EEDA

The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) is the driving force behind sustainable economic regeneration in the East of England: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. The vision for the East of England is to create a leading economy, founded on a world class knowledge base, creativity and enterprise to improve the quality of life for all who live and work here. For further information visit www.eeda.org.uk