SOLASTA® Bio continues growth with relocation to West of Scotland Science Park

The move from the University of Glasgow campus to the Helix Building at Kelvin Campus provides SOLASTA® Bio with its first dedicated standalone facility, occupying over 4,000 square feet of custom-fitted laboratory and office space. The new premises house specialised facilities for R&D, including a dedicated insectary, plant and tissue culture rooms, as well as expanded office space and collaborative working areas for the company's growing 26-person team.

The official opening of SOLASTA® Bio's new facilities took place yesterday (Monday 10^th November), with Scottish Government Minister for Public Finance, Ivan McKee, attending to mark the occasion, alongside key investors including Forbion, Scottish Enterprise and Yield Lab Europe.

The relocation reflects SOLASTA® Bio's rapid progress as a University of Glasgow spinout in 2021 that has evolved from an early-stage research company into a commercially focused biotech business. Since securing an oversubscribed $14 million Series A funding round in September 2024, the company has achieved significant technical and regulatory milestones, including its first patent grants and a favourable biochemical-like classification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its lead peptide candidates.

The enhanced facilities enable SOLASTA® Bio to accelerate its research and development programmes as it advances toward market entry with its nature-inspired peptide-based bioinsecticides. These environmentally friendly crop protection products target harmful pests while safeguarding crucial pollinators such as bees, addressing a critical global need for sustainable agriculture solutions.

Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee said: “I’m very pleased to be at the opening of SOLASTA Bio’s new high end, innovative research and development facility. This move will enhance SOLASTA’s in-house innovation, supporting the development of new, complex products for international markets and will allow further expansion, creating new skilled jobs.

“It will also contribute to Scotland’s global reputation as a destination for biotech excellence. We are committed to supporting business growth and innovation in the biotechnology sector, as demonstrated by the investment provided by Scottish Enterprise to support this move.”

Shireen Davies, CEO of SOLASTA® Bio, said: "Moving into our own dedicated facility is a defining moment for SOLASTA® Bio. This space gives us the capacity and capability to advance our R&D programmes and scale our operations as we progress toward commercialisation. Having left our original home at the University of Glasgow, we now have a place that truly reflects our ambition and the significant growth we've achieved in just four years. The West of Scotland Science Park provides an ideal environment for an innovative biotech company like ours to continue growing."

Scottish Enterprise recently supported the company with a £190k grant towards the fit out and capital costs of the new premises that have been adapted from office space within the West of Scotland Science Park to provide suitable lab facilities.

Jane Martin Managing Director of Innovation and Investment at Scottish Enterprise said: “Our ambition to support innovative businesses to scale up is exemplified with SOLASTA Bio’s investment in new facilities for further growth.

“Our multi-faceted support to the company has spanned investment, IP strategy, and infrastructure and has been instrumental in accelerating its journey from academic research to commercialisation.

“It is fantastic to see this innovative biotech business take root in its new home at the West of Scotland Science Park as it continues to deliver sustainable crop protection solutions to international markets.”

The new premises feature beautifully landscaped grounds at the West of Scotland Science Park's Kelvin Campus, providing an inspiring environment for SOLASTA® Bio's multidisciplinary team of scientists and business professionals as they work to transform global crop protection.