Imperial Launches Advanced Manufacturing Hub in North Acton
Grapht Works is aimed at deep tech start-up companies
A panel at the launch of the new facility
March 10, 2026
Imperial College London has officially launched Grapht Works, the capital’s first dedicated pilot and demonstration manufacturing facility, designed to help deep tech companies scale from laboratory research to industrial production without leaving the city. Located in North Acton, Grapht Works forms part of the Old Oak Innovation Cluster and is a cornerstone of WestTech London, the frontier innovation ecosystem anchored by Imperial and its partners.
The new site offers 28 flexible industrial units ranging from 100 to 1,700 square metres, tailored to the needs of science-led ventures working in advanced materials, clean energy, robotics, industrial automation and engineering biology. It aims to fill a long-standing gap in London’s innovation infrastructure by providing reconfigurable manufacturing space for companies transitioning from R&D to scalable production.
Speaking at the launch on 4 March, Imperial President Professor Hugh Brady said, “Providing essential infrastructure like Grapht Works is critical if we are to ensure that deep tech businesses can start, scale and stay in the UK. Scaling deep tech businesses will not only drive economic growth but also strengthen the UK’s industrial sectors and supply chains.”
The UK deep tech sector, valued at £260 billion in 2025, is dominated by startups, which account for 77% of the market. These companies apply scientific and engineering breakthroughs to solve complex global challenges, from climate change to healthcare. However, many struggle to find suitable space for pilot production and demonstration-scale manufacturing, particularly in London where industrial land is scarce and expensive.
Alice Sewell, Investment Director at Imperial, said: “While London has a wealth of lab space and thriving R&D, it lacks the space to support deep tech innovation as it scales. Grapht Works is about meeting that demand and ensuring companies can scale in London rather than move elsewhere.”
Among the first cohort of tenants are Solena Materials, which uses AI-based molecular design and biomanufacturing to create high-performance textiles; Aed Energy, which has developed long-duration thermal batteries for renewable power and heat; and 2D Nano, a materials science company working on environmentally friendly solutions for concrete, batteries and wireless charging.
Dr James MacDonald, CEO and co-founder of Solena Materials, said: “Moving from the lab into pilot production is the moment a company proves it can manufacture at scale — and that’s what unlocks serious investment and growth. Grapht Works gives us the infrastructure to do that without leaving London.”
The launch event brought together investors, government representatives, the Greater London Authority, HS2 and local partners, highlighting the strategic importance of the Old Oak and Park Royal area as a growing innovation corridor. Deputy Mayor for Business and Growth Howard Dawber OBE noted that the area has already attracted more than £6 billion in investment since 2017 and is expected to support 80,000 jobs over the next five years.
“London has had the ideas and the research, but we’ve lacked the prototyping and advanced manufacturing capacity to turn them into products — this project provides that missing link,” Dawber said.
Mathew Carpen, Chief Executive of the Mayor’s Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation, added, “Grapht Works is an incredible example of what’s happening right now in Old Oak — and a glimpse of what’s coming in the future. It shows how ideas can grow from small-scale innovation into major developments.”
Grapht Works is owned and operated by Imperial College London, giving tenants access to a landlord with deep technical expertise and a strong understanding of the regulatory and operational realities of science-led growth. The facility also benefits from proximity to Imperial’s research base, access to highly skilled talent, and strong transport links for staff and supply chains — a combination that has historically been difficult to find in London.
Amelia Armour, Partner at Amadeus Capital Partners, said, “Too often deep tech startups are slowed down in their development because of a lack of immediate access to pilot and demo plants. Grapht Works will allow a much faster pace of development and enable UK companies to be competitive in global markets.”
Together with Imperial’s One Portal Way development, Grapht Works aims to strengthen the emerging Old Oak Innovation Cluster and reinforces WestTech London’s ambition to make West London a global hub for science and technology. Imperial says the facility is part of a wider mission to ensure that deep tech companies can start, scale and stay in the UK — and that London remains a competitive home for frontier innovation.
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