Leap forward with launch of new life sciences accelerator
The teams at Imperial Incubator, ARC West London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust were delighted to welcome Howard Dawber OBE — Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Growth — to celebrate the opening of Leap: Powered by Imperial Incubator at ARC’s Hammersmith Campus.
Leap is a shared lab space built to break down barriers for early-stage science and tech startups — meeting the growing demand for flexible “rent a bench” solutions. As well as providing access to single lab benches and shared specialist equipment, Leap offers expert guidance and support, plus tailored programmes to help companies scale and grow.
Imperial Vice-Provost (Research & Enterprise) Professor Mary Ryan and Arc Group Managing Director Jim Stretton joined their teams to mark this exciting new addition to WestTech London‘s innovation ecosystem. Leap aligns with the goals of the London Growth Plan, which identifies life sciences as a vital engine for the city’s economic development. The incubator is specifically designed to foster cutting-edge innovation in life sciences, helping transform groundbreaking research and pioneering inventions into market-ready products and services that deliver real-world impact.
“Start-ups are a vital part of the UK’s innovation engine, but they are too often constrained by access to space and specialist support. Shared labs like Leap create the conditions for rigorous science to translate faster, bringing facilities, mentorship and community together so founders can turn strong ideas into real-world impact. Being based at ARC West London connects early-stage companies into the WestTech London ecosystem, strengthening the pathway for deep tech and life sciences to scale and succeed globally.”
Professor Mary Ryan, Vice Provost (Research and Enterprise), Imperial College London
ANNOUNcING: THE LEAP LAB PASS
A standout moment of the launch was the announcement by Howard Dawber of the Leap Lab Pass — a new scheme awarding two start-ups a fully funded lab bench for 12 months, complete with on-site support and full access to the Imperial Incubator network. You can find out more about Imperial Incubator’s role in supporting trailblazing start-ups in our blog. The competition will welcome applications from start-ups, spin-outs and early-stage businesses advancing innovative science and technology solutions.
“I am delighted to launch Leap which will support innovative startups with the facilities and expertise they need to grow.
Howard Dawber, Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Growth
London is already Europe’s leading city for life sciences, recognised as a vital driver of growth in our London Growth Plan. The partnership between Imperial and ARC West London is a powerful example of frontier innovation, turning discoveries into jobs, investment and growth. The Mayor and I look forward to supporting the impressive group of businesses based here as we continue building a more prosperous London for everyone.”