How Victoria Garcia of Quick Labs aims to support new generation of innovators in Leeds

And, that sadly, is the point where many fledgling businesses die a slow and lonely death.

The lack of affordable lab space can snuff out the brightest spark, but scientific entrepreneur Victoria Garcia is determined to ensure corporate adventurers have a chance to see their business take off.

With Quick Labs, she aims to create the “Ryanair of lab space” which gives you an insight into the scale of her ambitions.

Ms Garcia has established Quick Labs in Leeds after her own experiences showed how difficult it can be for start-ups to access lab space without wrecking their fragile finances.

“I’ve created open access, equipped laboratory space in Leeds that is affordable for early-stage start-ups,’’ she said.

“They are the businesses that are really impacted by the shortage of facilities. Once a business has raised funding, it is very easy to go and pay for a lab.

“But if you don’t have money and you just have a great idea then it is very difficult.” The Royal Society of Chemistry recently raised concerns about the nationwide shortage of chemistry labs for research and development.

In its report, Unlocking Innovation, the society stresses the fact that deep tech chemistry can help secure a cleaner and better future.

However, entrepreneurial ventures developing these technologies are stuck.

With long experimental and development timelines, researchers cannot find suitable facilities to carry out the research or scale-up their technologies.

If Ms Garcia has her way, Quick Labs will lead to an influx of innovative businesses across the North of England. She recently welcomed Labour MP for Leeds South and Government minister Hilary Benn to view the facilities and discuss the importance of affordable lab space in creating jobs of the future.

“I am creating a model that, for some reason, nobody has monetised yet,’’ she said.

“The landlord in Holbeck, where I have established the first Quick Labs, was very selective in terms of the type of businesses he wanted in the building. We have space in Holbeck for up to 15 start-up businesses. Sometimes people just need a lab for a month or even a week, they have an idea and they need to test these ideas out in a lab.”

“I'm getting requests from educators who are interested in renting out the labs. This is a market I wasn't intending to target but people clearly need lab space,’’ she added.

“Leeds is the proof of concept for Quick Labs. I'm showing that this model can be monetised. I'm even getting requests from people in Manchester asking me when I'm going to open a Quick Labs there. The plan is to have Quick Labs in every major city in the UK.

She added: “"There is a really nice, welcoming community in Holbeck who are very supportive of our work."

Quick Labs has also launched a mentoring programme, backed by Leeds City Council, where people who are developing a business idea can benefit from grant-writing support, expert mentoring, and pitch practice.

Ms Garcia, who moved from London to Leeds for work four years ago, is also the CEO of BindEthics, a company developing and commercialising sustainable adhesives for engineered wood products.

She grew up near León in northern Spain, before moving to study for a degree in Ireland and her Masters in the Netherlands.

BindEthics recently secured investment for its non-toxic adhesive made from industrial food waste with support from Lifted Ventures, which aims to increase the flow of early- stage capital to female founded businesses.

“I wanted to have a company in which I could develop my technology. The glue in BindEthics is not harmful, it comes from food waste and it will meet all the regulations that manufacturers are looking for. Everybody is thrilled with the results of the industrial trials so far.”

Traditional adhesives are a significant environmental burden: they release toxic substances, prevent the recycling and safe incineration of engineered wood, and contribute to large amounts of construction waste in landfills.

BindEthics’ adhesive formula provides an effective and sustainable alternative.

Over two funding rounds, supported by Lifted Ventures, BindEthics has secured angel investments, creating gateway access to an Innovate UK grant, which equates to a total investment of £413,000 in the company.

This has seen it move into a new phase of product testing and commercialisation.

Ms Garcia said: “Our adhesive technology is a crucial step towards a healthier planet and aligns perfectly with industry’s movement toward Net Zero.”

“We are getting emails from all over the world asking for glue samples which shows the demand is out there.”

She hopes her story will inspire others who believe they are unable to change because of tradition or convention.

“You make the path by walking,” she said.

“I’m building BindEthics from the ground up—turning waste into high-value materials, solving an environmental problem, and proving that innovation doesn’t have to come from privilege or ideal conditions.”

“What I want people to understand is that we create our own reality, our circumstances,’’ she said.

“The way we think defines what we build, what we solve, and what we achieve.

“If I manage to sell this company for millions while making a real impact, that in itself will be my legacy, not just as a business success – but as proof that belief shapes reality.”