SC1 London is a partnership powerhouse. We’re focused on ensuring that London’s people and places are health and life sciences winners, securing the capital’s place at the forefront of world-class health, sciences, and innovation. Our ambition reflects huge opportunities for innovation and our future collective health and wealth.
Professor Graham Lord, SC1 London Co-Chair and Senior Vice-President (Health & Life Sciences), King’s College London
30 November 2025
King's partnership announces plans to make South London a global leader in health and life sciences
SC1 London has set out ambitious plans for an estimated £3 billion of development across South London, creating state-of-the-art research and innovation spaces and more than 20,000 jobs over the next five years.
Backed by government, it will deliver more than 2 million sq ft of research and development space across Royal Street, Snowsfields Quarter and Newcomen Street, close to King’s Guy’s and St Thomas’ campuses. It will also build a strong talent pipeline, providing training, skills and opportunities for local young people pursuing careers in health and life sciences.
Founded by King’s College London with Guy’s & St Thomas’ Foundation, NHS Trusts, and Lambeth and Southwark Councils, the SC1 London Health and Life Sciences Innovation District brings together academia, healthcare and industry through sustained investment and cross-sector partnerships. The district aims to nurture entrepreneurs, accelerate breakthrough innovations and drive inclusive economic growth.
The announcement was made at SC1 London’s The Future of Health and the Life Sciences event, attended by more than 100 leaders from business, health, government, international venture capital and local organisations at the Shard. Speakers included Professor Graham Lord, SC1 London Co-Chair and Senior Vice-President (Health & Life Sciences) at King’s College London; Howard Dawber OBE, Deputy Mayor of London for Business & Growth, and Claire Holland, SC1 London Co-Chair and Leader of London Borough of Lambeth.
It is fantastic to see SC1 working in collaboration to help unlock the investment, space, planning and talent London needs to help create jobs in this sector and boost the economy as we build a better and more prosperous London for everyone.’
Howard Dawber OBE, Deputy Mayor of London for Business & Growth
Researchers from King’s took part in a panel on world-leading innovation and enterprise at the event. The discussion was chaired by Dr Valentina Vitiello, Head of Clinical Translation and Governance at the London Institute for Healthcare Engineering (LIHE), a major SC1 London innovation hub focused on translating new medical technologies into clinical use.
Among them were the founders of King’s spinouts Fraiya Ltd, PharosAI and Hypervision Surgical Limited, who shared examples of MedTech capabilities ranging from artificial intelligence for fetal imaging, to advanced AI models for cancer diagnosis, and real-time tissue analysis that supports safer, more precise surgery.
They also reflected on the challenges and successes of scaling new ventures and emphasised the value of LIHE’s support in accelerating their development. The discussion highlighted the strength of translational innovation already taking place across the SC1 London district.
Building pathways for next generation of talent
Ensuring that local talent can discover and pursue careers in the life sciences was central to the discussions. Sarah, a T Level midwifery student who took part in My Life SC1ence, a pioneering work experience programme hosted at LIHE and delivered in partnership with We Rise, introduced a youth-led film showcasing the wide range of career opportunities available across the life sciences sector.
SC1 London also led a series of activities during the week, including SC1 Pathfinders - a community outreach initiative hosted by King’s Science Gallery London - that welcomed more than 100 young people to explore pathways into the life science sector. The session featured contributions from Tiarna Lee, a third-year PhD student in King’s School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, and Dr Antoinette Cameron-Pimblett, Research Translation & Innovation Manager at LIHE, who answered questions from young people about careers in the sector.
SC1 partners are already major employers in South London, and I’m really excited by the partnerships’ focus on helping local young people kickstart a career in the life sciences. We see SC1 as key to unlocking growth in Lambeth, contributing directly to our ambitious plans for the next decade, as we work to increase commercial space by 10%, create 20,000 new jobs and build 10,000 new home.
Claire Holland, SC1 London Co-Chair, Leader of London Borough of Lambeth and Chair of London Councils
SC1 London Spotlight: The Future of Health and the Life Sciences and SC1 London Pathfinders: The Next Generation of Life Sciences formed part of London Life Sciences Week, an annual gathering of biotech innovators, investors and researchers.
For further information, visit the SC1 London website.
In this story
Senior Vice-President (Health & Life Sciences)
PhD Student
Research Translation & Innovation Manager
Head of Clinical Translation and Governance