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BioCity Scotland attracts four new Corporate Partners

This brings the number of corporate partnerships with BioCity Scotland to five, the first being Harrison Goddard Foote the patent and trade mark attorneys who joined in February.

Corporate partner status will enable the companies to offer specialist advice to all BioCity companies through clinics, workshops, seminars and presentations. They will also be involved in regular BioCity corporate events, such as the BioEntrepreneur Boot Camp in April and the Annual Lecture later in the year.

Full service commercial law firm McClure Naismith LLP has offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and London. David Gourlay, a Partner and Law Society of Scotland accredited specialist in Intellectual Property Law says: "We very much look forward to working collaboratively with BioCity Scotland to develop a vibrant life sciences community at Newhouse and to establish a close working relationship with tenants. Our team of specialists are well placed to provide tenants with the necessary support and practical and commercial legal advice ranging from funding, corporate and commercial law, IP protection, licensing to employment law."

Operating throughout the UK and abroad from its offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, recruitment and human resources specialists Eden Scott are ideally placed to advise BioCity Scotland companies on all people-related issues. Craig Jackson, Divisional Manager with Eden Scott, says: "Our dedicated consultants' wealth of experience and expertise gained from their own careers in life sciences, working within several innovative and entrepreneurial businesses, enables us to offer first-hand, technical understanding of our clients' particular needs and issues. Combined with our in-depth recruitment and human resources knowledge and skills, this allows us to develop specific, tailored solutions to all our life sciences clients' people-related opportunities and challenges".

CK Associates already has a relationship with BioCity Nottingham where the 70 companies based there have access to advice and information of the kind CK Associates can provide. Liam O Connell, Operations Director, " CK Associates Ltd have worked in partnership with Biocity Nottingham for the last two years, working closely with client companies offering advice and support in relation to HR, employment law and recruitment issues. We are looking forward to developing a similar relationship with clients at Biocity Scotland, as we recognise the importance bioincubators play in providing state of the art facilities for start up and SME's within the scientific sector."

Finally, Biggart Baillie LLP joins the growing community of partners keen to play their part in building Scotland's reputation for being a centre of excellence for the life sciences. Partner Damien Bechelli says: "Supporting businesses at an early stage of their development is crucial. Small bioscience start ups know all about their IP, but often do not realise their needs for legal advice on contracts, funding, leases, employees etc. until they are faced with the situation for the first time - being regularly on the site means Biggart Baillie will be instantly available to help. Having an extensive track record of working with life science companies over many years, we look forward to playing a major part in the development of a successful business ecosystem for life science businesses at BioCity Scotland."
BioCity Scotland managing director Ian Webster has worked with all four companies to reach an agreement on their involvement: "As BioCity expands it will be crucial for our companies to be able to draw on the expertise of our partners. This arrangement also helps professional service firms to get alongside growing management teams and share their expertise. Everyone benefits."

All five corporate partners will be in action for the first BioEntrepreneur Boot Camp being held at the Newhouse site from 25th - 27th April. This three-day intensive programme is for pre-start and early-stage life sciences firms and details can be found at http://bootcamp.biocity.co.uk.

Potential tenants, university representatives and organisations interested in becoming involved with BioCity Scotland should make contact via the website www.biocity-scotland.co.uk

Source:www.biocity.co.uk|

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