The University of Warwick Science Park (also known as UWSP and Warwick Science Park) was one of the first university based science parks in the United Kingdom when it was opened by the Rt. Hon.

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. S ...

in 1984. It was a joint venture between the

University of Warwick The University of Warwick ( ; abbreviated as ''Warw.'' in post-nominal letters) is a public research university on the outskirts of Coventry between the West Midlands (county), West Midlands and Warwickshire, England. The university was founded i ...

Coventry City Council Coventry City Council is the local government body responsible for the governance of the City of Coventry in England, which has been a metropolitan district since 1974. The city is divided up into 18 Wards each with three councillors. Coventry ...

Warwickshire County Council Warwickshire County Council is the county council that governs the non-metropolitan county of Warwickshire in England. Its headquarters are located at Shire Hall, Market Square, in centre of the county town of Warwick. Politically the county is ...

and

Barclays Barclays () is a British multinational universal bank, headquartered in London, England. Barclays operates as two divisions, Barclays UK and Barclays International, supported by a service company, Barclays Execution Services. Barclays traces ...

. The latter are no longer shareholders having been replaced by WM Enterprise. The University of Warwick agreed in 2011 to purchase the shareholding of Coventry City Council. The acquisition was completed in 2012 and today the Science Park is wholly owned by the University of Warwick. UWSP currently covers four sites; the main campus abutting the

, the Business Innovation Centre in Binley, Warwick Innovation Centre on

Warwick Technology Park Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined with Leamington Spa and Wh ...

and Blythe Valley Innovation Centre near

Solihull Solihull (, or ) is a market town and the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in West Midlands County, England. The town had a population of 126,577 at the 2021 Census. Solihull is situated on the River Blythe i ...

. UWSP typically provides office, workshop and lab space for up to 150 businesses.

History

The University of Warwick Science Park was established in 1982 by the then

Vice Chancellor A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or ceremonial head of the university or of a university campus within a university system. In most Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations, the chancellor is ...

of the University of Warwick, Lord Butterworth. The first building, the Barclay's Venture Centre (now the Venture Centre) was formally opened by UK Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Margaret Thatcher on 24 February 1984. In 2004, UWSP was awarded the 'Incubator of the Year' award by UKBI. The founding Director of UWSP,

David Rowe David or Dave Rowe may refer to: Academics * David C. Rowe (1949–2003), American psychologist * David E. Rowe (born 1950), American mathematician and historian Business and technology * David Rowe (entrepreneur) (born 1958), British entrepreneu ...

, was awarded the

Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion The Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion is one of the Queen's Awards for Enterprise, and is awarded annually to people who play an outstanding role in promoting the growth of business enterprise and/or entrepreneurial skills in other people. ...

in 2006.
" ''The Independent'' Retrieved on 13 July 2011. "The Queen's Award" In 2012 the University of Warwick acquired sole ownership of the Science Park.

Facilities

University of Warwick

The University of Warwick Science Park’s main 42-acre campus is centred on the Venture Centre. It includes a further twenty buildings, some of which are owner occupied whilst others are leased. Many of the buildings on UWSP's campus are named after old British car models. The main buildings include:
The Venture Centre
Herald Court
Sovereign Court
Riley Court
Vanguard Centre
Viscount Centres

Warwick Innovation Centre

Warwick Innovation Centre opened at Warwick Technology Park in 1997 as a joint venture between UWSP and Warwickshire County Council. Further developments followed in 1999 & 2001 providing of lettable space.

Business Innovation Centre

The Business Innovation Centre at Binley, Coventry opened in April 2000 as a joint venture between UWSP and Coventry City Council.

Blythe Valley Innovation Centre

UWSP manages the Innovation Centre at Blythe Valley Business Park on behalf of

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council is the local council of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the West Midlands, England. It is a metropolitan district council, one of seven in the West Midlands and one of 36 in the metropolitan counties ...

Prologis Prologis, Inc. is a real estate investment trust headquartered in San Francisco, California that invests in logistics facilities. The company was formed through the merger of AMB Property Corporation and Prologis in June 2011, which made Prologis ...

and

British Land The British Land Company plc is one of the largest property development and investment companies in the United Kingdom. The firm became a real estate investment trust when REITs were introduced in the UK in January 2007. It is headquartered in ...

Activities

In addition to property services, UWSP offers a range of business support activities targeted at innovation led

SME SME may refer to: Economics * Small and medium-sized enterprises * Socialist market economy, an economic system of China Organizations Music * SME Limited, UK audio turntable manufacturer * Sony Music Entertainment, US * Spontaneous Music Ensembl ...

Minerva

UWSP hosts and manages the

Business Angel An angel investor (also known as a business angel, informal investor, angel funder, private investor, or seed investor) is an individual who provides capital for a business or businesses start-up, usually in exchange for convertible debt or owners ...

Network, Minerva. Minerva is actually an acronym for Midlands Network of Entrepreneurs, Venturers and Angels. In addition to supporting a community of high-net-worth individuals.

Technical Marketing (Techmark)

Techmark has provided marketing services to established, start-up and pre-start technology businesses since 1996. Services include market exploration, market development, strategic planning, marketing execution and overseas market access.

Incubation (Ignite)

Ignite provides mentoring and subsidised incubator space for tech based start-ups with high growth potential. This is spread across three sites, the main campus, Warwick Innovation Centre and the Business Innovation Centre.

Incubation (UK Market Access Programme)

The UK Market Access Programme provides a blend of subsidised office space and professional service support for foreign owned companies seeking to establish UK trading arms. Warwick Science Park is one of the founding members of the UK Market Access Program.

Access to Finance

Access to Finance services provided by UWSP enables businesses to raise external funding covering debt fiance, equity finance or grant funding. UWSP has also managed a number of seed investment funds including the fully invested UWSP Concepts Fund and the £7m Advantage Proof of Concept Fund.

Access to Skills and Knowledge

Help to connect companies to University research to access related specialist knowledge resources and expertise and help to up-skill business owners.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:University Of Warwick Science Park High-technology business districts in the United Kingdom Science parks in the United Kingdom

Science Park A science park (also called a "university research park", "technology park”, "technopark", “technopole", or a "science and technology park" (STP)) is defined as being a property-based development that accommodates and fosters the growt ...