D
James Layfield
CEO, Central Working
Central Working founder
and London Tech
Ambassador James Layfield
was Virgin’s youngest ever
Managing Director, before going
on to found five successful
businesses of his own
Dr Eulian Roberts
CEO, Imperial College
London ThinkSpace
Dr Eulian Roberts has
international experience of
science park development and
operation, technology policy
and development, business
incubation, and research
commercialisation
r Eulian Roberts, Chief Executive of Imperial
College London ThinkSpace, and James
Layfield, Founder of Central Working,
explain the steps to creating successful
university-linked work spaces, and why they
are key to supporting the UK’s growing technology
and science businesses.
The government’s Industrial Strategy Green
Paper recognises the critical role that our technology
professions, research disciplines and institutions play
in the UK’s economic success. It calls for additional
investment in science, research and innovation, and
greater support to help businesses start and grow.
Universities have a vital role to play in this. They
are already the breeding ground that feeds through
the ideas and talent that lead to tomorrow’s
successful companies, but there is more we can do
to make this transition as seamless as possible, and
help the UK retain its position as a global leader in
science and technology.
Importantly, we need spaces where university
researchers and businesses can work directly
alongside one another. These environments
encourage easy interaction between the business
and academic communities, helping to share ideas
and skills, turn new discoveries into the businesses
of the future, and ultimately drive growth. That’s
why Imperial College London ThinkSpace and
Central Working have joined forces to create
Central Working White City – a new university-
linked co-workspace at Imperial’s White City
Campus in west London. It’s a model which can
and should be replicated across the UK.
The steps to success
For other institutions looking to imitate
this approach, there are a few important
considerations to bear in mind. Firstly, flexibility
We must encourage
interaction between
business and academia
R e a d o n l i n e at: u k s pa . o r g . u k / b r e a k t h r o u g h
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