Glasgow City Region has launched a new £20 million funding Open Call to expand Health and Life Sciences laboratory space, addressing a current shortfall that is limiting the growth of the sector. The funding is aimed at developers, site owners, and consortiums planning to deliver new or expanded specialist laboratory facilities, including wet, dry, incubator, or follow-on labs. While applications are open to organisations across the UK, the laboratory space must be located within the Region and meet defined eligibility criteria, including private sector match funding of at least 2:1.
This initiative is part of the UK Government’s £500 million Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF), from which Glasgow City Region will benefit from £50 million over five years. The £20 million lab space fund complements a recent £25 million Open Call for research and development projects and a £5 million skills programme to prepare local residents for careers in Health and Life Sciences. The fund builds on the success of previous initiatives such as the £43 million Innovation Accelerator pilot, which supported breakthrough technologies across the Region.
The focus on the Health and Life Sciences cluster follows detailed analysis by the Region’s Intelligence Hub, which identified it as a high-potential sector for economic growth. The cluster currently supports over 10,000 jobs and has seen a 47% increase in employment between 2019 and 2023. With strong MedTech, BioTech, and Pharma and Biopharma subsectors, Scottish Enterprise projects a 300% growth in turnover across Scotland by 2035, with Glasgow already accounting for almost 60% of the sector’s total turnover.
Susan Aitken, Chair of the Glasgow City Region Cabinet and Leader of Glasgow City Council, emphasized that expanding laboratory infrastructure is essential to allow companies to scale, attract new entrants, and fully realise the sector’s potential. She noted that the funding will complement existing university and business partnerships to deliver future jobs and strengthen the innovation economy across the Region.
Applications for the £20 million Open Call must be submitted by 20th March 2026, with shortlisting expected in May 2026. The funding is intended to leverage private investment alongside public funds, ensuring that for every £1 of public spending, at least £2 of private investment is realised. The initiative represents a strategic effort to remove barriers to growth and position Glasgow City Region as a leading hub for Health and Life Sciences innovation in the UK.
