Five more ventures sign up for space at Central Tech, a £2m innovation hub located in the former Sensor City building in Liverpool which is now two-thirds full. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool innovation hub Central Tech signs up another seven tenants and is now more than two-thirds full.

Located in the former Sensor City building on Copperas Hill, the 27,000 sq ft facility was opened by Sciontec in May. Sciontec is owned by Liverpool John Moores University, the University of Liverpool, Liverpool City Council and Bruntwood SciTech.

Utilising the “ultrafast” LCR Connect broadband network, it offers expertise in health, life sciences, technology and digitalisation. The new arrivals are located across a range of spaces, from bespoke private office spaces to dedicated single desks and co-working.

Among them is Genetix, which uses advanced gene sequencing methods to provide verified evidence on the health risks of mould and damp in UK homes and support enhanced safety legislation.

The Liverpool-based firm’s new headquarters, in the first floor’s premium office, will complement its existing laboratory space in Nottingham and active client engagement across the UK.

Innovation skills and training company IN4Group has taken a second floor space in the building, which it will use to co-ordinate its nationwide digital education programmes to improve fair access to technology.

It is joined by Inventya, which offers support to innovation companies including funding, finance and R&D tax credits to help bring their products and services to market in the UK and internationally.

Product design and development specialist Butters Innovation, which helps businesses to quickly progress their innovation ideas, has joined the Central Tech community, alongside architectural venture Bond Bryan:Fairhursts.

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Leanne Katsande, head of commercial at Sciontec, which also operates Liverpool Science Park, said: “When we reimagined Central Tech, we deliberately created a wide range of different-sized spaces that would suit companies at various stages.

“The flexible Sciontec AI model that we first developed at The Spine is a really important part of that mix as it gives organisations a chance to take a single dedicated desk, co-working space or something more prominent.”