Imperial launches London’s first pilot and demo advanced manufacturing facility to help science ventures to stay and scale in the capital

Imperial College London has launched London’s first dedicated facility for pilot and demonstration manufacturing, responding to rising demand from deep tech scaleups looking to move from R&D into scalable production.

Grapht Works offers 28 industrial-scale units to support the needs of deep tech businesses which need pilot, demo and scaleup manufacturing facilities, that can be reconfigured as technologies, innovations and manufacturing requirements advance – addressing the often-missing link between R&D and full-scale commercial manufacturing.

This facility supports the Government’s ambition to make the UK the best place in the world to start, grow and invest in advanced manufacturing. Hugh Brady President

Grapht Works is part of WestTech London, the frontier innovation ecosystem created and anchored by Imperial and enabled by partners, which is unlocking the innovation potential of West London and supporting the UK’s position as a global science and tech powerhouse.

As deep tech companies reach this critical stage in their growth journey the requirement for flexible industrial-scale spaces, which can support advanced manufacturing processes, can be a barrier to scaling.

Startups account for 77% of UK deep tech – a sector valued at £260bn in 2025* - and enabling companies to continue their growth journey is crucial to improving the UK’s success at scaling innovation.

Beyond the physical space, deep tech firms also depend on proximity to research-intensive universities, access to highly skilled scientific and engineering talent, and strong transport links for staff and supply chains – a combination that has historically been difficult to find in London, but which WestTech London and its partners are bringing together.

Moving from the lab into pilot production is the moment a company proves it can manufacture at scale — and that’s what unlocks serious investment and growth. Dr James MacDonald CEO and Co-founder, Solena Materials

Owned and operated by the world-leading STEMB university, Imperial, Grapht Works also gives occupiers a landlord with a deep understanding of the technical, regulatory and operational realities of science-led growth. The new facility supports ventures working in areas including advanced materials, cleantech, industrial automation, robotics and engineering biology.

A new cohort of deep tech innovation businesses have established their home at Grapht Works, including:   

Solena Materials – an advanced textile innovation company that is engineering new classes of fibres, using AI-based molecular design and biomanufacturing to create luxury, high performance fabrics

• Meatly – a pioneering cultivated meat company which has developed Europe’s first commercially approved lab-grown meat for pet food
• Epoch Biodesign – a synthetic biology that is using AI-engineered enzymes to enable the infinite recycling of previously unrecyclable plastics and textiles
• Aed Energy – a clean energy company which has created long-duration thermal batteries which make renewable power and heat available when it’s needed most
• 2D Nano – an advanced 2D materials company transforming materials science and energy storage creating more efficient, environmentally friendly solutions to concrete, batteries and wireless charging.

On behalf of WestTech London, Hugh Brady, President of Imperial, said: “Providing essential infrastructure, like Grapht Works, is critical if we are to ensure that deep tech businesses can start, scale and stay in the UK. It is part of WestTech London’s mission to unlock the power of innovation in West London and ignite growth not just for London, but nationwide. Scaling deep tech businesses will not only drive economic growth but they also play a key role in the strengthening the UK’s industrial sectors and supply chains. This facility supports the Government’s ambition to make the UK the best place in the world to start, grow and invest in advanced manufacturing.”

Alice Sewell, Investment Director, at Imperial, said: “While London has a wealth of lab space, and we can see R&D thriving across the city, it lacks the space to support deep tech innovation as it scales. We are seeing strong demand from high-growth science and technology businesses that want to prototype and undertake pilot and demo manufacturing in London but haven’t had access to the right kind of space. Grapht Works is about meeting that demand and ensuring companies can scale in London rather than move elsewhere.” 

Dr James MacDonald, Chief Executive and Co-founder of Solena Materials, said: “Moving from the lab into pilot production is the moment a company proves it can manufacture at scale — and that’s what unlocks serious investment and growth. Grapht Works gives us the infrastructure to do that without leaving London, and staying within the Imperial ecosystem ensures we main momentum.”

Amelia Armour, Partner, Early-Stage Fund, Amadeus Capital Partners, added: “Too often deep tech startups are slowed down in their development because of a lack of immediate access to pilot and demo plants. Grapht Works will allow a much faster pace of development and enable UK companies to be competitive in global markets.”

Grapht Works is located in North Acton, part of Imperial’s Old Oak Innovation Cluster. It is owned and operated by Imperial College London, the world-leading STEMB university. The site comprises 28 flexible industrial units, ranging from 100 m2 to 1,700 m2, for scaling deep tech and science ventures.

*Dealroom – State of UK Deep Tech Report 2025: State of UK Deep Tech 2025 report | Dealroom.co