Ploughshare Innovations, the technology transfer office for the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), has relocated today to a new purpose-built science park at Porton Down near Salisbury.
Ploughshare’s move to the Porton Science Park will benefit the science park, the region and the wider UK economy. The company, which licenses defence and security technologies and creates start-up businesses, will now be able to support and collaborate with the other exciting new science and technology companies based at the science park.
Ploughshare has already created twelve start-ups and has plans for more. Now, with the new Porton Science Park, it is envisaged those new businesses will locate themselves in the park which will create more local jobs and retain investment in the region.
The strong links Ploughshare has with the MOD’s neighbouring Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) will provide a unique resource for the new science park tenants. Ploughshare has worked for many years with Dstl and understands the organisation, has excellent relationships with senior staff, and connections with their world-class scientists and experts.
Together, the overall impact of Ploughshare’s relocation will support the businesses within the science park, create new jobs, and contribute to the overall prosperity of the region.
James Kirby, CEO of Ploughshare Innovations said:
The new building is a state-of-the-art facility and we are looking forward to being at the heart of the science park, forging links with the other businesses here to help develop new technologies and grow prosperity for the region. Our move to Porton Down puts us closer to our main source of innovations, enabling us to maximise the MOD’s investment in core science and technology research.
As the commercialisation arm for Dstl, Ploughshare has a unique set of skills and experience in identifying new markets for novel defence and security related technologies. The team includes professional commercialisation managers who are experienced in creating investible business plans and have already helped a number of organisations to improve their market position and gain commercial advantage. With their defence and security related Intellectual Property portfolio, connections with scientists at Dstl and across the MOD, and their relationships with investment communities, Ploughshare brings a wealth of experience which is much valued by new start-up businesses.
Porton Science Park provides a science incubator and grow-on space for science and technology businesses for the region. Situated alongside the established research institutions of the Dstl and Public Health England (PHE), it is in the ideal location to play a critical role in the strategy of Wiltshire Council and Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SWLEP) to become a world-class cluster of expertise in the life science and defence technology sectors.
Related information
If you have a specific media enquiry or would like to know more about Ploughshare and what we do please contact us.
- Porton Science Park: Official Website
- Wiltshire Council: State-of-the-art science park opens in Wiltshire