The hub, the first of its kind in Ireland, aims to build on Dublin’s emerging international reputation as a leading center for life sciences innovation and start-up activity.
Spear Street Capital, an owner and operator of distinctive properties located in the US, Canada and Europe, will invest in the purpose-built life sciences campus. The site will be managed by the UK’s We Are Pioneer Group (WAPG).
The investors can also leverage the presence of leading life science companies already on site, such as APC, Genuity and Zoetis.
Indeed in June, APC, an Irish pharmaceutical R&D company, unveiled a €25m investment and 120 jobs to accelerate development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines and advanced therapeutics, with €8m of this investment involving the construction of an additional 12,000 sq. ft (1114.8 sq. m) of laboratory space and associated research infrastructure at its existing HQ at the Cherrywood site.
As part of their activity in The Campus, Cherrywood, the WAPG team outlined how they will run regular accelerator and venture development programs for cohorts of life sciences start-ups, coaching them in entrepreneurial and scientific excellence, and advising them on likely routes to investment.
Young talent pool
Spear Street president, Rajiv Patel, said Dublin was chosen for the site owing to its existing life sciences and start-up ecosystem; he cited a report from US analytics company, Terrain Analytics, which ranked Dublin sixth out of 20 best European cities for life sciences, with one of the youngest talent pools available.