A brilliant few days at UKREiiF last week with plenty of insight and energy across the panels and conversations.
Some key takeaways for us:
🔬 The challenge has shifted from creating life science and tech businesses to scaling them.
🖥️ Lab space is evolving into flexible, tech-enabled environments for AI, quantum and deep tech.
🏘️ Housing is now recognised as critical infrastructure for talent and retention.
❗ Strong ecosystems still depend on clustering – where research, funding, talent, and industry align.
🏗️ Viability remains the biggest hurdle, with delivery reliant on genuine cross-sector collaboration.
💭 AI offers huge potential, but only with a clear and considered approach.
💡Above all, the ingenuity and determination across the construction and property sectors continues to stand out.
Partnerships remain central to success, with collaboration between public and private sectors more important than ever.
On a lighter note, the team highlights include standout pavilion sessions, sunshine networking, Jon Spencer-Hall enthusiastically joining a 7am 5km run (ambitious when staying in the Leeds suburbs), Matt Viall “relaxed rock star” QS aesthetic, and, importantly, Avison Young retaining the title for best coffee (again), a fantastic Italian lunch at Stuzzi, and even a surprise samurai sighting… if you know, you know!
