Professional services giants Deloitte and Geldards have signed up to become corporate partners of BioCity Nottingham, Europe's fastest growing bio-incubator. The two agreements bring to seven the number of corporate partners working with the flagship bioscience incubator company.

Deloitte is a leading business advisory firm with offices across the UK. Brokered by the Nottingham office, the deal will see Deloitte staff offering support to BioCity tenants as well as providing a range of audit, tax, consulting, and corporate finance services.

Mark Doleman, practice senior partner at Deloitte in Nottingham, said: "Supporting businesses at an early stage of their development is crucial. Deloitte has a broad range of experience serving life sciences businesses at all stages of development and across all disciplines, which is why the firm was keen to become a corporate partner of BioCity.

"By providing the businesses located at BioCity with access to our knowledge and expertise, Deloitte hopes to play its part in nurturing what is an important growth sector for the city."

Joining Deloitte as a corporate partner is Geldards, one of the country's leading regional law firms. With over 250 staff based in the Midlands and Wales, the company has developed a dedicated Healthcare and Life Sciences advisory team working out of Nottingham and Derby. They will help guide BioCity tenants through day-to-day management and compliance issues as well as specialist areas such as know-how licensing and patent and trademark dispute resolution.

Head of the Healthcare team at Geldards, Andrew Borkowski, said "We are very proud to be associated with BioCity which has done so much for bioscience, pharmaceutical, med-tech & healthcare companies through its resources. We also recognise the boost it has given the Nottingham economy in attracting businesses in these sectors to the City".

Both firms will be regular visitors to the BioCity Pennyfoot Street campus, holding advisory clinics, running seminars and taking part in business network events.

BioCity CEO Dr Glenn Crocker says: "The corporate partners form a crucial part of the business ecosystem developed at BioCity, where companies can gain access to all the specialist skills they need to create a successful business, leaving them free to focus more efficiently on core activities. Deloitte and Geldards each bring a great deal of experience and skill to the BioCity companies and I am delighted to be working with them".

For more information on BioCity Nottingham, view their website: www.biocity.co.uk