Step forward for North Wales business and innovation space

Plans for a new business and innovation space, which is aimed at supporting the low carbon sector in North Wales, have been backed.The outline business case for Bangor University’s Egni Project has been approved by the North Wales Economic Ambition Board.The project will provide about 16,145 sq ft of new build business and innovation space on the M-SParc site in Gaerwen, Anglesey, along with business development support for innovative start-ups within the sector.Forming part of the North Wales Growth Deal Low Carbon Energy Programme, the scheme aims to promote collaboration and encourage the cross-fertilisation of ideas between academia and industry, researchers and engineers, to put Bangor University, M-SParc and North Wales at the forefront of UK innovation.Cllr Llinos Medi, leader of the Isle of Anglesey County Council, and the lead member for the Low Carbon Energy Programme, said: “The approval of the outline business case reflects our dedication to advancing low carbon innovation in North Wales. With this green light, we can now move forward confidently, knowing that Egni is on track to making a lasting impact.”Our region’s characteristics and natural resources as well as the expertise we have developed means we are in a strong position to lead the way in this important growth sector which will create new jobs as well as reducing carbon emissions. The project aligns with our mission to enhance the region’s capabilities in research, design, and innovation in low carbon energy.”Michael Flanagan, chief operating officer at Bangor University and lead for the Egni project, added: “We are pleased to see the Egni Project reaching this important milestone and progressing towards implementation. It is an important project which aims to address challenges faced by innovations in transitioning from laboratory concepts to commercialisation.”In addition to targeted interventions and comprehensive business support from the team at M-SParc, we will also develop space, led by our world-leading Nuclear Futures Institute, to allow engineering scale demonstration of processes and equipment and perform cutting edge analysis of materials. Through this we hope to add to the momentum around low carbon industries here in North Wales.”