Howard de Walden opens leading Healthtech hub

The Howard de Walden Estate has taken a notable step in its healthcare innovation strategy after it announced its £52m investment in a new Healthtech hub centred on Hale House.

Partnering with Spacemade, the flexible workspace provider, Walden said it aimed to make the Harley Street Health District the leading global destination for health technology and innovation.

The new development in Portland Place will span three reconfigured buildings, all curated with health start-ups, investors and VCs in mind.

Leading UK health innovation organisation, UCLPartners will be the prime tenant at Hale House, occupying the first floor of 76 Portland Place.

Its chief executive, Chris Laing, said: “Our new base will help us connect the health technology and life science sectors with healthcare providers, patients, and the public, developing novel solutions that will define the healthcare of the future”.

The healthcare giant underscored its commitment to innovation across the healthcare sector.

A new era for Harley Street

Walden’s £52m commitment forms part of a broader ambition to reboot Harley Street’s reputation.

This project will mark an evolution for the district, which has been a hub for healthcare since the 1860s.

It will now house traditional healthcare as well as cutting-edge, tech-driven health sectors, combining preventative services, clinical care, and Health Tech in one place.

Walden’s chief executive, Mark Kildea, described the Hale House project as a “key step forward” in creating an integrated health district which reflects changing needs and trends in the sector.

The future of HealthTech

Hale House will be designed with collaboration in mind by housing flexible spaces and various facilities.

These spaces are expected to hold over 600 people and target high sustainability standards such as BREEAM Excellent.

Richard North, Walden’s head of commercial lettings said this was part of “Howard de Walden’s commitment to the highest standards in design, social impact and sustainability” through innovation.

Jonny Rosenblatt, Spacemade’s co-founder, dubbed it “the UK’s most collaborative HealthTech cluster”.

He said that he views industry-specific spaces such as this as essential in connecting HealthTech minds, and advancing healthcare transformation in an rapidly evolving generation.

This progress and investment health technology innovators follows the property empire’s major tax loss from earlier this year.