A new enterprise initiative in Cambridge aims to further assist start-up companies in the region.

ideaSpace, which is based on the University of Cambridge’s West Campus, has teamed up with the Babraham Research Campus in order to offer new firms a combination of business mentoring and access to laboratory space.

The collaboration will allow enterprising companies to test and develop their ideas using the highly advanced facilities at Babraham, which is situated south-east of Cambridge.

The site boasts a total of 70,000 sq ft of laboratory space in four bioincubator buildings.

It is hoped that the initiative will mean that ideaSpace can extend its reach to encompass businesses in the biotechnology sector.

Dr Belinda Clarke, Director of External Relations at ideaSpace said: “Many companies don’t need full time access to lab facilities but want to access it on an ‘as needed’ basis.”

She added: “The superb facilities at Babraham can help ideaSpace support a wider range of members from different sectors who require such specialist facilities.”

The ideaSpace Enterprise Accelerator began its work in 2010 and is a four-year scheme designed to help new firms in the East of England.

The overall aim is to provide support for innovative ventures, leading to economic growth and creating new jobs.

The programme is part of the university’s Entrepreneurship Centre housed in the Hauser Forum, which also opened in 2010, and is backed by the Hauser-Raspe Foundation and the East of England Development Agency.

Describing itself as “a hub for early stage innovation”, ideaSpace provides office space, meeting rooms and conference facilities for its members.

It also runs seminars and workshops, while seeking to develop an environment that allows entrepreneurs to engage with one another’s experiences.

The new partnership has received support from businesses that are already benefiting from the ideaSpace Enterprise Accelerator programme.

Michael Priestnall, founder of Cambridge Carbon Capture, which focuses on clean technology, said: “In these days of fast, lean, innovative start-ups, quick and easy access to laboratory space is critical for an early-stage science-based company to test ideas and to demonstrate its technology to potential customers and investors.”

He said: “There is high-quality lab space of all types in Cambridge that could be so much more efficiently utilised and which could catalyse new science start-ups if the right access arrangements could be put in place.”

It is fantastic to see Babraham and ideaSpace joining forces to start making this happen.”