SC1 London and Life Sciences: Two Events, One Ambition
Two major SC1 London life-sciences events held during London Life Sciences Week (16 – 21 November) demonstrated the scale of opportunity emerging across south-central London and Lambeth’s growing role in shaping a world-class health and life sciences district.
Young people at the centre of the conversation
The first event welcomed around 100 young people, educators and sector partners to explore pathways into health and life sciences. A panel of young people from Lambeth and Southwark led the discussion, sharing their experiences, ambitions and reflections on accessing STEM careers. Their insights highlighted the importance of creating visible, practical routes into an industry that is rapidly expanding locally.
The session also featured special guest Big Manny, TikTok creator, science educator and proud Lambeth resident, who spoke about his own journey into science and the importance of making STEM accessible, engaging and relatable.
His presence underscored the appetite among young people for hands-on experiences and role models who reflect their own communities and a need for workplaces and institutions to continue opening doors.
Lessons from earlier success: My Life SC1ence
A recent example of this appetite is the UK Shared Prosperity Funded Health and Life Sciences Innovation Fund project, My Life SC1ence, delivered by Brixton Project and We Rise in partnership with SC1 London and the London Institute for Healthcare Engineering. Although not part of Life Sciences Week, the programme successfully introduced Lambeth young people to real-world science environments, research careers and hands-on STEM experiences.
Its success demonstrates the power of locally rooted talent development, and SC1 must seize the opportunity to build a sustained pipeline of future scientists, technicians, and innovators within the community.
Industry leaders shaping the future at The Shard
A second Life Sciences Week event, hosted at The Shard, and attended by over 200 industry leaders, by King’s College London and partners, focused on the wider ambition for SC1: a globally recognised innovation district spanning Lambeth and Southwark.
Senior representatives from Lambeth Council, including Cllr Claire Holland, Leader of the Council, spoke about the borough’s renewed ambition for Royal Street, a major development that will bring forward cutting-edge research space, innovation assets and a new public realm for residents and businesses. She highlighted how Royal Street forms a crucial part of Lambeth’s wider mission to drive inclusive growth and create long-term opportunities through the life sciences sector
Speakers highlighted major plans for:
- cutting-edge research and lab facilities
- New innovation and enterprise spaces
- deeper collaboration between universities, industry and the NHS
- programmes designed to strengthen local skills and careers pathways
This sector-facing event made clear the scale of investment and partnership coming into the district, and the opportunity to position Lambeth at the forefront of UK life-sciences growth.
What this means for Lambeth
These initiatives align strongly with the Lambeth Growth Plan, which identifies health and life sciences as a priority growth sector for the borough and a mission to bring forward 20,000 jobs in these sectors. For Lambeth, the SC1 partnership represents:
- expanding pathways into high-quality STEM careers for residents
- deepening engagement between local communities and major research institutions
- creating new workspace and innovation assets that support business clusters
- delivering a model of growth centred on equity, skills and opportunity
SC1 London is showing how inclusive innovation can thrive, where world-class research and investment go together with opportunities for local people