Leap will support innovative companies to scale and grow, led by Imperial Incubator in partnership with ARC West London.
Howard Dawber, Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Growth, launched Leap: Powered by Imperial Incubator at ARC West London's Hammersmith Campus. The launch was also attended by Ben Coleman, MP for Chelsea and Fulham, and Cllr Alex Sanderson, Deputy Leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
The new shared lab space removes barriers for early-stage science and technology startups by providing affordable access to state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure. Leap offers single lab benches, shared specialist equipment, expert guidance and support, and tailored programmes to help companies scale and grow.
Leap is a partnership between Imperial Incubator and ARC West London, helping to alleviate London's shortage of early-stage labs and enable rapidly growing businesses to remain in the city as they scale. ARC West London is part of the wider ARC network, Europe's leading network of science and innovation clusters, with campuses in Harwell, Oxford, and Uxbridge.
Supporting the growth of London's life sciences sector
Leap supports the ambitions of the London Growth Plan which recognises life sciences as a key driver of growth across the city. In particular, the incubator will support frontier innovation in the life sciences sector, turning discoveries and inventions into commercial products and services with real world impact.
Leap is the newest addition to WestTech London, a globally competitive innovation ecosystem anchored by Imperial, which is creating jobs, attracting investment and driving economic growth across London and the UK.
Howard Dawber, Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Growth, said: "I am delighted to launch Leap which will support innovative startups with the facilities and expertise they need to grow.
London is already Europe's leading city for life sciences, recognised as a vital driver of growth in our London Growth Plan. The partnership between Imperial and ARC West London is a powerful example of frontier innovation, turning discoveries into jobs, investment and growth. The Mayor and I look forward to supporting the impressive group of businesses based here as we continue building a more prosperous London for everyone."
Leap Lab Pass
At the launch, the Deputy Mayor also announced the Leap Lab Pass, which will award two startups with a fully funded lab bench for 12 months. Each recipient will also benefit from an onsite lab manager and access to the wider benefits of Imperial Incubator's ecosystem.
The competition will be open to startups, spinouts and early-stage businesses developing innovative science and technology solutions.
Imperial Incubator's role in supporting pioneering startups
At Imperial's White City Deep Tech Campus, Imperial Incubator supports early-stage, deep tech companies working on solutions to improve health and tackle climate change. The White City Incubator has led the way with its "rent-by-the-bench" shared lab model, offering access to science-ready workspaces, key equipment and startup support.
Imperial Incubator will also support companies at One Portal Way, Old Oak, a new scale-up space for science and technology ventures. From mid-2026, the facility will offer fully fitted lab and office space for up to 30 innovative scaleups.
Professor Mary Ryan, Vice Provost (Research and Enterprise), Imperial College London, commented: "Start-ups are a vital part of the UK's innovation engine, but they are too often constrained by access to space and specialist support. Shared labs like Leap create the conditions for rigorous science to translate faster, bringing facilities, mentorship and community together so founders can turn strong ideas into real-world impact. Being based at ARC West London connects early-stage companies into the WestTech London ecosystem, strengthening the pathway for deep tech and life sciences to scale and succeed globally."
Jim Stretton, Managing Director of ARC, added: "Leap brings the best of Imperial Incubator's world-class offer to our dynamic innovation campus in the heart of Hammersmith. Leap will create opportunities for ambitious founders to accelerate discoveries that can truly change lives, whilst strengthening West London as a global location for science, technology, and healthcare innovation."
