Life Sciences and Health Innovation

University of Stirling Top 5 for Biology
with work-ready graduates in Applied Biological Sciences and additional courses at college level
Wide-ranging biotech and medtech strengths
with companies transforming fields from diagnostics to agritech
World-leading aquaculture expertise
– investing £17 million in a new National Aquaculture Tech & Innovation Hub

Stirling provides the perfect setting for life sciences and health innovation businesses to thrive:

  • The University of Stirling is ranked top 5 in Scotland for Biology (The Guardian University Guide 2023), with undergraduate degrees in Biology, Cell Biology and Applied Biological Sciences – and all research from Biological and Environmental Sciences rated as having either outstanding or very considerable impact (REF 2021).
  • Applied Biological Sciences produces work-ready graduates with the technical expertise and proficiency in practical and research skills sought-after by employers, having been developed in partnership with the life sciences industry and delivered jointly by the University and Forth Valley College.
  • Forth Valley College offers courses in Industrial Biotechnology, Preparation for Laboratory Technician Work and Modern Apprenticeships in Life Sciences – meaning the full spectrum of life sciences workforce demands can be met.
  • The University of Stirling is also Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence and its premier research-intensive education provider for nurses, midwives, and health and sports professionals – contributing to the strength of our health innovation ecosystem.
  • Stirling Council is committed to supporting the life sciences sector – including through the industry-led Scottish Patient Awareness Council, which is promoting the sector, sharing best practice and collaborating to improve productivity.  
  • Our University College Health Partnership was the first formal regional partnership between a health board, university and college in Scotland, bringing together the University of Stirling, Forth Valley College and NHS Forth Valley with priorities in research, innovation, learning and careers.
  • Stirling is within easy reach of Scotland’s main NHS teaching hospitals; and NHS Forth Valley offers training locally in ENT, general medicine and medicine for the elderly, obstetrics and gynaecology, ophthalmology, paediatrics, psychiatry, and surgery and anaesthetics.

Stirling’s competitive location

Situated in the heart of Scotland, one of Europe’s largest and most well-connected life sciences clusters, Stirling is within an hour’s travel time of over 50% of Scotland’s population and two international airports offering flights to over 120 markets.

Our train station is one of the busiest in Scotland – linking Stirling to Edinburgh or Glasgow in just over 30 minutes and a new, regular train service announced to London – and we are connected to motorway networks that extend across the UK.

Stirling’s location and travel connections make it convenient for business visits and supply chains as well as wider recruitment. We work with local, regional and national partners (including our Employer Engagement Forum, Skills Development Scotland, the University of Stirling and Forth Valley College) to support recruitment.

Opportunities to start, scale and locate in Stirling

Kildean Business Park

Nestled beneath Stirling’s iconic castle and within 10 minutes travel time of the city centre and one of Scotland’s busiest railway stations, the 39-acre Kildean Business Park is one of the newest and greenest business parks. 

Kildean Business Park is adjacent to the highly successful Castle Business Park, Castleview Park & Ride (Stirling’s low carbon transport hub) as well as junction 10 of the M9 motorway.

Unlike many other business parks, Kildean boasts local conveniences, including a Starbucks coffee shop, bar/restaurant with hotel, petrol station with convenience store, and a nursery. 

Kildean is capable of delivering over 400,000 sqft (37,161 sqm) of Grade A office and commercial accommodation with ancillary uses. Buildings will be designed to a minimum BREEAM of ‘Excellent’ and achieve a minimum ‘B’ EPC rating.

Our dedicated and experienced development partner Stirling Development Agency can support specialist builds – with designs tailored to suit specific requirements at a cost-effective price.

Stirling University Innovation Park (SUIP)

Established in 1986, SUIP houses 70 businesses across 109,000 square feet of office and lab space on the University of Stirling campus and close to the city centre. Its community of innovative businesses offers the chance to work alongside over 400 like-minded professionals, opening opportunities to share knowledge and collaborate.

Further options are available on Commercial Property Opportunities and Flexible Workspaces.

Stirling as a place to innovate and scale

BioReliance® Testing Services is a leading biosafety testing provider. Having started life as a Stirling-based company, BioReliance is now part of Merck and located on the Stirling University Innovation Park. In 2023, Merck announced investment of €35 million in biosafety testing at biosafety testing sites in Stirling and Glasgow, which will create 500 jobs across the two sites.

“For over thirty years, Stirling has been a true powerhouse location for Merck. Here, our team is a leading provider of our BioReliance contract testing services, delivering solutions for an expanding global client base of over 600 pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. We are proud to be a part of Scotland’s strong scientific market and continue be inspired by the world-class innovation that takes place in Stirling every day.”

Roslyn Cameron, Director, Operations and Stirling Site Manager

Emblation is a leader in microwave technology that is revolutionising treatments in oncology, dermatology and podiatry. The company, which began in the home of its founder and CEO Gary Beale, has grown to become a world leader in energy-based medtech – with products marketed in across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. In 2023, Emblation moved into a new £4 million state-of-the-art HQ in Stirling:

“We’re hopeful that the new HQ and the rewarding work we’re doing in the sector will not only attract the very best talent, but also offer the perfect platform to take the next leap as a Scottish-based firm with huge global aspirations.”

Gary Beale, Chief Executive

Symbiosis Pharmaceutical Services, located at Stirling University Innovation Park and Castle Business Park, specialises in the sterile contract manufacture of vaccines, pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals. Its Founder and CEO, Colin MacKay, is a Member of Scotland’s Life Sciences Industry Leadership Group, which brings together government and industry to bolster Scotland’s life sciences cluster. In August 2024, Scottish Enterprise announced a grant worth £4.3 million to support Symbiosis’ ambitious growth plans – doubling the company’s footprint, creating 50 new skilled jobs and safeguarding 130 more. In addition, Symbiosis has committed to investing over £26 million – including building a new state-of-the-art, automated sterile manufacturing facility at Castle Business Park to serve global clinical and commercial clients.

“The Symbiosis facility expansion project, directly facilitated by the long-standing support of Scottish Enterprise, will provide additional world-class sterile biopharmaceutical manufacturing capacity to our clients globally from our new site in Stirling. This will support the continued high-growth trajectory of Symbiosis and create new highly skilled life science sector jobs in Scotland.”

Colin MacKay, Founder and Chief Executive