Mission Street and BGO sign latest tenant for Oxford science space

• What Xyme, an AI-driven enzyme design company, has taken space at Inventa in Oxford
• Why Mission Street and BGO opened the building last year, as the first purpose-built commercial science scheme in Oxford’s West End
• What next Duo on site with 183,000 sq ft next phase

Science and innovation developer Mission Street and investment manager BGO have signed Xyme, an AI-driven enzyme design company, to office space within Inventa, the first purpose-built commercial science scheme in Oxford’s West End, Green Street News can reveal.

Founded in 2024 by techbio entrepreneur Andrew Hopkins, Xyme uses AI and quantum chemistry alongside experimentation to empower the design of new enzymes. Hopkins has assembled a leadership team in order to rapidly scale the company and implement Xyme’s vision.

Xyme has taken 5,600 sq ft within Inventa for its first major lease, due to the building’s location in Oxford’s central urban science district within walking distance of Oxford train station.

Completed in 2024, Inventa was designed to accommodate science and innovation companies across high-tech lab and offices, as well as 9,000 sq ft of amenity.

Mission Street is on site with the second phase, Fabrica, which will provide an additional 183,000 sq ft of labs and offices across five storeys, and continues a pipeline of 2m sq ft of commercial science and innovation space in the area.

Artem Korolev, founder and chief executive of Mission Street, said:

“At the forefront of AI-powered innovation, Xyme is exemplary of the kind of cutting-edge research and development that we are enticing to Oxford’s West End, a second-to-none location close to the city centre.

“The signing follows a close period of collaboration with Xyme to ensure design and development of the facility goes hand-in-hand with the firm’s ambitions.”