Harwell Science and Innovation Campus has been named the UK’s most successful science campus in recognition of its commitment to nurturing world-class science and technological advancements, and its contributions to the UK’s innovation economy.  

The award from UKSPA, acknowledges the campus’s exceptional growth and development, driven by its focus on creating an environment where leading scientists, innovators, and entrepreneurs can thrive. Harwell, a joint venture between Brookfield, the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has emerged as a beacon of innovation, attracting organisations at the cutting edge of life sciences, space exploration, energy tech, and quantum computing.  

Harwell Campus was recognised for its high growth, economic impact and scientific excellence. The campus has attracted over 50 new organisations to the campus in the past two years, including Moderna and the UK Space Agency while adding new amenities such as a 300-person conference centre, improving sustainability and promoting STEM to the public. 

The campus has also invested over £300 million to allow it to fund and deliver over 600,000 sq. ft of advanced manufacturing and scale-up space alongside improved amenities including: the introduction of a street-food box park, a state-of-the-art 300-person conference centre, and travel hub.  

Over the last two years the Harwell community has grown from 6,000 to 7,500 people, supported by new business programmes for start-ups and scale-ups and a curated events programme to foster cross-sector collaboration among campus members. The team has also enhanced the campus’ public profile, welcoming over 18,000 visitors for Harwell’s open day which helps to inspire the next- generation of scientists by showcasing Harwell’s cutting-edge work to the public. 

Additionally, government funding has been secured to expand the campus’s world-leading national facilities, including the Diamond Light Source Synchrotron, the National Satellite Test Facility and the National Quantum Computing Centre. 

Stuart Grant CEO of Harwell Campus said: “We’re incredibly honoured to receive this award, which reflects the dedication of everyone on campus to create a place where scientists and innovators can excel. The past few years have been transformative for the campus, and we’re excited for what lies ahead, as we continue to support our community as they push the boundaries of science and innovation.” 

Dr Barbara Ghinelli, Director for UKRI-STFC’s Innovation Clusters UK and for Harwell Campus added: “Harwell is such an exciting place to work and the partnership between the public and private sectors has enabled us to focus on a shared vision to create one of the world’s best environments to innovate.”