UrbanChain expands into Base at Manchester Science Park
Expansion at Bruntwood SciTech’s Manchester Science Park signals new era with UrbanChain scaling at pace and preparing for UK and international expansion
The fast growing company behind a platform for buying and selling renewable energy have moved to the 91,000 sq ft Base at Manchester Science Park.
Having signed a five year lease to take 4000 sq ft at Base, UrbanChain says their new headquarters, situated in the heart of Manchester’s knowledge quarter, will help them recruit the talent they need to match their expansion ambitions.
Working closely with the Bruntwood SciTech team to design and fit-out their new office space, the move represents a new chapter of sophistication for the business as they embark on further growth.
Backed by leading European investment group Eurazeo, UrbanChain are the UK’s leading provider of peer-to-peer energy exchange services.
They decouple renewable energy and consumers from the volatile wholesale market, create an alternative market with renewables to sell directly to people who want it, making green energy viable without subsidies and affordable for all.
Office buildings, data centres, hospitals, universities, housing associations, energy suppliers, industrial sites, local authorities and green energy generators all trade within the regulated platform which is blockchain backed and powered by AI.
Aligning to UrbanChain’s own ethos and focus on green energy, Base benefits from a number of sustainability measures and operates at Net Zero Carbon across the building’s communal areas. Other measures include an A-rated EPC, 704m2 of PV solar power, a hybrid heating and cooling system, and use of recycled materials to create alternative flooring finishes.
Somayeh Taheri, Founder and CEO, UrbanChain, said: “With a team rapidly growing beyond 50 people we are delighted to call Base our new home.
“Ofgem granted UrbanChain an electricity supply licence a handful of weeks ago, triggering another breakthrough in our journey. It means we can offer green energy customers new and improved products while giving renewable generators more control.
“As we also now embark on a Series B fundraise, we feel we have a working environment which aligns our talented workforce with our UK and international growth strategy.”
Josh Whiteley, Commercial Director for Bruntwood SciTech said: “We’re delighted to be supporting UrbanChain with their next phase of growth. From starting out with a single desk at our Manchester Technology Centre at Circle Square in 2018, we’ve witnessed them go from strength to strength - growing with us; expanding into various spaces within the Park, before reaching this milestone and settling in our state-of-the-art office development, Base. We can’t wait to see what happens next on their journey!”
Manchester Science Park is one of the UK’s most well established science and tech communities and is home to over 150 businesses working in areas such as industry 4.0, software engineering and development, energy, diagnostics and medical technology. Businesses based at the Park benefit from unrivalled access to a highly skilled talent pool through Bruntwood SciTech’s partnerships with the network of universities and alternative training providers, as well as opportunities to connect with sector-leading companies and city councils, cultivating potential for investment and business growth.
