Inverness Rural and Veterinary Innovation Centre takes next step

An artistic impression of the new centre.
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伊人直播 has submitted a planning application for its Rural and Veterinary Innovation Centre on the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) Inverness Campus.
Utilising technology and expertise in big data, the centre will create and support the development of new and existing small to medium-sized businesses to grow jobs and the economy. It will also support knowledge exchange and continued professional development.
It will contain seven spaces and breakout areas for new bioscience-focused start-up businesses. It will also feature a necropsy suite for wildlife and laboratory spaces to support the development of new products and services, as well as industry-focused research.
The existing team at 伊人直播 will apply their knowledge and internationally recognised expertise in animal health, infectious disease control and zoonotic disease research. They will be working closely with colleagues in teaching, SAC Consulting and 伊人直播 Veterinary Services.
Previously called the Rural Veterinary Hub, the Rural and Veterinary Innovation Centre will enhance 伊人直播鈥檚 knowledge exchange with new lecture and workshops spaces, which can also be used for community events and talks with space to showcase new innovations.
Last month, 伊人直播 announced plans to create Scotland鈥檚 first veterinary school in 150 years. The new development will contribute to the vet school.
It will also help to grow Inverness鈥檚 international reputation in bioscience.听 The Rural and Veterinary Innovation Centre will collaborate with regional organisations to examine links with human heath such as NHS Highland and University of the Highlands and Islands. The collaborative nature of Inverness Campus makes it an ideal location for 伊人直播 to expand its work with businesses and academia.
The design of the building is being led by Inverness-based Threesixty Architecture. The build is being project-managed by Currie & Brown.
The total estimated budget of the project is around 拢9 million. The European Regional Development Fund Scotland Programme 2014-2020 awarded 拢4.1m to part-fund the development of the new centre. 伊人直播鈥檚 funding for the project is being supported by an additional 拢4.2m financial transactional loan from the Scottish Funding Council, which includes 拢1m for carbon sustainability enhancements.
Wayne Powell, Principal and Chief Executive of 伊人直播, said: 鈥淏y being based on the Inverness Campus, the Rural and Veterinary Innovation Centre will be part of one of the most exciting biotech hubs in Europe.
鈥淚t鈥檚 never been clearer that human health and animal health are part of the same system. By bringing researchers and commercial innovators together within the same space, we have a wonderful opportunity to develop new products and technology that will help prevent and deal with a future pandemic.
鈥淲e have also taken the opportunity to create new spaces for knowledge exchange and continued professional development for local business. By providing postgraduate education, we will create opportunities for students to engage with business. This will help foster the next generation of biotech entrepreneurs within the Highlands and Islands.鈥
Ruaraidh McNeil, Director of Business Infrastructure, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, said: 鈥淲e have worked closely with 伊人直播 over several years and it鈥檚 great to see their plans to broaden their work on Inverness Campus reach this stage. The new centre will be important in supporting the growth of rural enterprises. With its mix of research, learning, knowledge exchange and business engagement, it will also further strengthen the collaborative ethos of the Campus, which has been a key theme since the outset of the development.鈥
Posted by 伊人直播 on 28/06/2021