Office and laboratory space in cTAP

In our newest £11.4m technology facility, cTAP (Collaborative Technology Access Programme) we invite businesses to work alongside researchers from the Department of Chemistry and access a unique suite of cutting-edge instrumentation and facilities worth almost £7m.

Co-working space to suit your business

Our co-working space in cTAP is the perfect way to join our community whilst offering the chance to work in a professional environment and to be part of an innovative community. Our co-working space gives you access to professionally fully furnished shared office space at a cost of around £40 per month.

cTAP offers fully equipped space for innovation, research and development and is ideally suited to start-up companies, SMEs and R&D teams from established companies, providing flexible access to:

  • Laboratory space for experimental development and testing
  • Managed office accommodation with dedicated or co-working spaces available
  • Meeting rooms, event space, IT connectivity, health and fitness, cafes and dining out

Why host your business in cTAP?

  • Flexible bespoke facilities package to suit your business needs
  • Proven track record of success of assisting SMEs through projects and programmes
  • Work with our business development team to help build relationships with our local, national and global contacts
  • Access to international markets through our international collaborative programmes
  • Access extra resources from skilled students all year round
  • Opportunities to partner with the university in the delivery of training
  • Access to the wider university community
  • Collaboration with other resident companies
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Join our community

If you want to find out more about our co-working facilities please contact our Business Co-working Administrator Synne Darwell

Contact Synne on Microsoft Teams or email residentenquiries@lancaster.ac.uk

Access facilities

The cTAP building houses equipment and instrumentation across four suites:

  • Mass Spectrometry and Separations

    Including an extensive range of liquid, gas and gel permeation chromatography and spectrometry devices used to identify and detect individual compounds in complex mixtures and with applications including environmental analysis, impurity monitoring and pharmaceutical testing

  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

    Including solid and liquid state NMR devices currently used for the analysis of biological samples and identification of smart materials for energy storage

  • Microscopy and Nanofabrication

    Including atomic force and scanning electron microscopy used to understand the structure and surface topography of materials, alongside a nanofabrication device capable of 3D printing of structures

  • X-Ray Facilities

    Including single crystal XRD (X-Ray Diffraction), powder XRD and EDXRF (Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence). This suite of specialist equipment allows in-depth element analysis of various samples from single crystals through to complex solid and liquid samples

"Lancaster University have excellent cleanroom facilities which have enabled Amethyst Research to fabricate prototype devices in relatively short period of time, while keeping our costs low."
Dr Manish Jain, Programme Manager and Research Scientist,
Amethyst Research Limited

Two centres of expertise offer our resident businesses additional support:

The Engineering Engagement Team

The Engineering Engagement Team

The Engineering Engagement Team has a diverse range of AM (Additive Manufacturing) equipment.

Capabilities

  • Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM)
  • Stereo Lithography (SLA)
  • Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
  • Selective Laser Melting (SLM)
  • PolyJet equipment

Applications

  • Prototyping and batch production of complex components

Quantum Technology Centre (QTC)

The QTC provides a focus for Quantum Technology activities at Lancaster University.

Expertise

  • 2D engineered devices
  • Extreme cryogenics
  • Quantum security
  • Nano mechanics
  • Semiconductors
  • Quantum devices

Capabilities

  • Class100/1000 cleanrooms
  • George Pickett IsoLab
  • Characterisation
  • Sample growth and fabrication
  • Ultra-low noise measurements

Applications

  • Computing
  • Cryptography
  • Metrology
  • Sensing
  • Lasers
  • Renewables
Work in a clean room in the Quantum Technology Centre

All of our facilities are supported by teams of experienced technicians. We have in-house expertise to train business staff to use our equipment as well as assist companies in the design and execution of experimental techniques. Businesses can access our facilities via a variety of agreements, from one off usages to exclusive hire.

  • Full analysis with report
  • Provision of data only
  • In-house equipment training
  • Consultancy

Lancashire and the Northwest

Lancashire is in the Northwest of England and has a large and diverse economy consisting of a strong mix of over 35,000 registered companies representing all sectors of the UK economy. Lancaster is well connected by road and rail to Manchester and Liverpool. London is just a 2.5-hour train ride away.

Resident companies

  • Amethyst Research Ltd

    Amethyst Research is an SME high technology company. They provide infrared imaging and detector solutions. Amethyst team members are world leaders in the design of high-performance IR detectors. Since 2013, Amethyst has been awarded five Centre for Defense Enterprise (CDE) programs funded by the MoD/ DSTL.

  • Recircled Resources

    Recircled Resources is a small consultancy specialising in industrial ecology and symbiosis solutions. They work with companies who seek a solution for either waste currently going to landfill or who wish to push waste up the value chain.