News

Activation Capital Announces Plans for Development of Innovation Center – A New Life Sciences Center at Bio+Tech Park

Activation Capital, an innovation ecosystem development organization, announced plans to develop the 102,000-square foot Innovation Center in the Bio+Tech Park in Richmond, Virginia.

The 34-acre Bio+Tech Park is a commercial life sciences hub in downtown Richmond adjacent to the VCU Medical Center at Virginia Commonwealth University, and is home to over 70 companies, research institutes, and state/federal laboratories. Activation Capital recently announced Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin awarded Activation Capital a $15 million portion of a total $66.7 million in grant funding for life sciences projects in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Amy J. Broderick and Kate Hosko of Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer, along with David Thomann of Cushman & Wakefield’s Life Science Group in Boston, MA, have been awarded the exclusive leasing representation for the Innovation Center. Planned for delivery in late 2025, the center will feature approximately 35,000+ square feet of trophy class lab and creative office space for a lead tenant. Approximately 45,000 sf will be dedicated to an incubator operated by Activation Capital and will include shared labs, private offices, and community gathering spaces.  The new building will be located at the corner of 8th Street and Jackson Street.

“As part of our strategic plan to create a thriving ecosystem, Activation Capital will build an Innovation Center that anchors downtown Richmond’s innovation hub and serves as a magnet for innovators to build and grow deep tech companies. Once complete, the Innovation Center will catalyze downtown redevelopment around wealth-creating jobs, boost entrepreneurial growth, strengthen the region’s end-to-end pharmaceutical manufacturing cluster, and act as a platform for upskilling community members with STEM programming.,” said Chandra Briggman, President and CEO of Activation Capital

“In addition to their strong commercial real estate brokerage experience and national life science expertise, Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer was selected due to their alignment with Activation Capital’s values of agility, collaboration, entrepreneurial thinking, future-focus, impact, and inclusion,” said Kipton Currier, Vice President of Operations at Activation Capital. “The teams selected for the Innovation Center understand our commitment to the community, our excellence in execution focus, and our dedication to creating a nationally renowned life science innovation center for the benefit of future generations.”

Learn more here.

Recent News

09/22/2023

State public health laboratory, Henrico County Schools launch pilot program to promote life science career

More than 50 Henrico County high school students and teachers joined scientists from Virginia’s public health and environmental laboratory Wednesday to kick off an innovative program that brings together private and government scientists and experts, business and nonprofit leaders, and public schools to explore ways to create a pipeline of talent to fuel Virginia’s growing

09/21/2023

Climate Tech Startup ThermaGEL Innovations’ Breakthrough Aerogels Join the Challenge to Save Half-Gigaton of C02 Emissions Each Year

In the fight against climate change, properly insulating homes and buildings can significantly raise energy efficiency and indoor air quality while lowering carbon dioxide emissions. A startup company, spun out of research at Virginia Commonwealth University, is commercializing what it calls a breakthrough in low-cost insulation materials. ThermaGEL Innovations has developed insulation material using aerogels,

09/20/2023

Charlottesville healthy sugar innovator Bonumose raises $2M

Bonumose Inc., a Charlottesville startup specializing in table sugar alternatives, has raised $2 million toward a $10 million funding round after German flavor and fragrances producer Symrise AG signed a minority investment agreement with the company. “The strategic investment from Symrise is part of a larger funding round that will be used for increasing sales,