Alexandria LaunchLabs will launch in early 2021 as Stanford University looks to bolster its life sciences ecosystem and provide more flexible workspace options for its researchers.
A new life sciences incubator in Stanford University’s research park is due to open in early 2021 in conjunction with real estate investment trust Alexandria Real Estate Equities.
Alexandria will convert an existing 92,000 square-foot facility to house the incubator, dubbed Alexandria LaunchLabs, as part of a new 85-acre life sciences district.
The firm was selected following open tender and will hold a 51-year ground lease on the property.
Alexandria LaunchLabs will provide workspace, programming and access to seed capital in areas including bioengineering, gene therapies, diagnostics, medical technology and devices, surgical robotics and digital health.
The university regards it as an opportunity to bolster its life sciences ecosystem and to meet the objectives of its Innovative Medicines Accelerator, which aims to translate more research into therapies and diagnostics.
There is scarce availability of flexible workspace in the Bay Area for early-stage life sciences, the university said, particularly in locations close to its campus.
Tiffany Griego, managing director of asset management for Stanford Research Park, added: “As a university-affiliated research park, we recognise we have a unique mission – to bridge academia and industry in an effort to launch solutions that will have an enduring positive impact in our community and world.”
“Stanford Research Park and Palo Alto have always been at the forefront of new technological and scientific discoveries and inventions.”