Pioneer Group has announced a collaboration agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific to support biotech founders on their journey towards commercialising intellectual property in the healthcare and sustainability sectors.

Through the collaboration, biotech startups based at Pioneer sites across the UK and Ireland, including its new landmark life sciences location at Victoria House in London in partnership with Oxford Properties, will receive access to training, events, technical support, bespoke equipment, and consumables from Thermo Fisher. In addition, companies that graduate from Pioneer’s equity-free Accelerator Programme will unlock exclusive access to Thermo Fisher’s points-based reward system, designed to assist new companies with setting up their first laboratory by helping their funding go further.

Scientists and product innovation experts from Thermo Fisher will also offer expertise to support Pioneer’s resident entrepreneurs, helping to identify and develop the right products, advising on product design, product stocking, product availability, and new product information.

Pioneer tenants will also be able to attend exclusive events hosted by Thermo Fisher at Victoria House, from corporate partnering and consultancy and operator training days to ‘lunch and learns’ and key opinion leader sessions.

Ayokunmi Ajetunmobi, Head of Ventures at Pioneer, says: “Having world-renowned partners such as Thermo Fisher backing our mission is not only crucial to enable start-up success, but also demonstrates that leaders in the sector understand the true value and impact of what we are trying to do – supporting biotech founders across every stage of their journey so they can improve lives and the environment.”

Gonja van Hardeveld, Thermo Fisher’s EMEA Ecosystem Lead of Corporate Accounts, adds: "Thermo Fisher is thrilled to embark on a long-term strategic relationship with Pioneer, as it presents an exciting opportunity for us to expand our support and solidify our commitment towards Pioneer’s mission to help innovative life sciences and planetary health businesses to grow. This collaboration will not only contribute to the growth of the life sciences ecosystem in the UK but also enable Pioneer’s tenants to leverage Thermo Fisher’s scale and depth of life science capabilities to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer."

About Pioneer Group

Pioneer Group's mission is to help life sciences and high-tech businesses thrive in tackling human and planetary health challenges. Across the UK and Ireland, Pioneer leads the way in integrating the provision of mission-critical real estate, venture building and venture investment.

Since 2003, its connected cluster model has provided powerful sector-specific, business-focused ecosystems in which businesses are more likely to succeed.