Ongoing expansion of Dubai Science Park to boost regional R&D as storage and logistics capacity set for 147% growth | Dubai science City

Dubai, UAE, 5 June 2024: Dubai Science Park’s ongoing expansion project will increase its storage and logistics capacity by 147%, helping to address the growing demand for Grade-A spaces amid rising global appetite for research and development (R&D), the region’s leading destination for scientific advancements has announced on the side-lines of the BIO International Convention held in California on 3-6 June.

Spanning 200,000 sq.ft., the new storage and logistics spaces will empower the destination’s growing base of more than 500 customers, including global life, energy, and environment science leaders such as AstraZeneca, Pfizer, BeiGene, and GE Healthcare, in addition to 6,500 professionals across the life, energy, and environmental sciences to accelerate regional R&D innovation.

“The progress of any nation is inextricably linked to the pace of scientific innovation and an unrelenting commitment to pursuing holistic, evidence-based excellence,” said Marwan Abdulaziz Janahi, Senior Vice President of Dubai Science Park at TECOM Group PJSC.

“Enabling the regional scientific industry to reach its full potential requires addressing, and often pre-empting, the needs of the community of researchers and thinkers that are redefining our collective future. Dubai Science Park already unites the world’s brightest minds across research and testing through to manufacturing and distribution with the ecosystem and infrastructure needed to achieve their business objectives and drive sustainable growth. As localised R&D and innovation pick up pace in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’, Dubai Research and Development Programme, and We the UAE 2031 strategies, the demand for an industry-dedicated destination like Dubai Science Park is poised to grow. Our ecosystem is evolving to match the needs of our customers today and tomorrow.”

Due for completion next year, the project will increase total gross leasable storage area to 336,000 sq.ft. at Dubai Science Park, which is the storage and logistics base for global industry leaders including Epygen Labs, which operates a laboratory for industrial enzymes at the location; Elixir Pharma, which has a secondary packing and batch release site at the science hub; and Al Wakeel Recycling, which runs a facility to recycle food and other consumer goods at the destination.

Comprising 26 units equipped with high power load capacity, the new storage and logistics spaces will range from 6,000 sq.ft. to 16,000 sq.ft. to serve a range of business needs. Leveraging Dubai Science Park’s strategic location, the additional storage capacity offers access to key transport networks including Al Maktoum International Airport, which will serve as a multimodal logistics hub for 12 million tonnes of freight when its planned expansion is completed.

Amid a significant influx of institutional investment and business growth, underpinned by Dubai’s geographic location, pro-innovation legislation, and fast-growing e-commerce market, demand for prime industrial and logistics land has outstripped supply in recent months.

Dubai Science Park’s The UAE Healthcare Ecosystem white paper, produced in collaboration with EY and launched in January 2024 at Arab Health, notes that the UAE’s healthcare expenditure is projected to reach AED 112.7 billion by 2027. The destination’s ongoing expansion will grow capacity in the regional healthcare and biotech sector as government initiatives promote enhanced treatment and research to deliver preventative and personalised healthcare.

The new storage and logistics areas are located close to Dubai Science Park’s LEED-certified Laboratory Complex, which offers shell and core spaces with sector-specific infrastructure to enable R&D, and its progress was announced as Dubai Science Park participates in the BIO International Convention, a platform to unite more than 20,000 global biotech leaders. Dubai Science Park is among the Global Innovation Hubs under the spotlight at the event in San Diego, California as an accelerator of future biotech development led by R&D and innovation.

Dubai Science Park is part of TECOM Group’s portfolio of business districts, which include Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City, Dubai Production City, Dubai Knowledge Park, Dubai International Academic City, Dubai Design District (d3), and Dubai Industrial City.