Sheffield Tech Parks (STP) alumni Nicola Kingswell is a founder with an unusual and inspirational story. In April 2024, she launched Labskin, a company Nicola previously worked at before it veered in a different direction under new leadership, resulting in its eventual closure.

After leaving Labskin, Nicola took on the role of Operations Manager at Unicorn bio, soon after the startup had moved into new offices at STP. It was during her time here that she picked up the ‘founder bug’, recalling the environment as an "entrepreneurial arena," where she witnessed firsthand new ventures taking off and the dedication required to make it happen.

As part of a community that nurtures innovation and collaboration, Nicola was inspired to begin her own entrepreneurial journey. Having maintained her belief in Labskin’s potential and the science behind its lab-grown full-thickness human skin models, she began to explore the possibility of re-establishing the company.

Securing the necessary assets and seeking investment were her first challenges. Nicola approached potential investors, including some in the US, who, despite their enthusiasm, considered the investment too modest for their portfolio. She explains,

“These investors are used to handing out billions and billions of pounds. I was asking for a little pot of money and they were a bit like, ‘nah, that's too small fry for us.’”

A chance encounter with a potential competitor helped Nicola to connect with private investors who shared her vision and belief for Labskin, enabling her to re-establish the company.

Unlike many entrepreneurs at the start of their journey, Nicola had to scale down the business in order to streamline and refocus operations. She sold the contents of eight of the company’s 11 labs and nine of its offices, leaving Labskin with three labs and one office, all based in York.

Nicola remains a valued member of our community at STP, she has even helped to fit out our new lab spaces with some of the cutting edge equipment she no longer needed at Labskin. And she emphasises how much the community and support she received at STP has influenced her decisions:

“The supportive environment at STP and the experience I gained with Unicorn Bio’s founders, Adam and Jack, convinced me to take the leap. It honestly scared the bejesus out of me, leaving employment and becoming an employer, but when I met people who remortgaged their homes and used savings to bootstrap startups, I thought, ‘maybe I can do this’.

“You aren’t alone at STP, there’s so much help available including drop-ins and events with guest speakers on things like finance and gaining IP, and people available to answer questions. It’s all been really helpful.”

For aspiring entrepreneurs, Nicola offers some advice: "Get your ducks in a row. Have a clear vision and surround yourself with people who share your passion and have expertise different to yours. You can’t do it on your own."

Nicola’s approach is already paying off; despite launching in April 2024 she’s already grown the team to seven and is on target to become revenue generating by the end of the year.

Nicola’s story is a great reminder that founder journeys come in all shapes and sizes and challenges along the way are almost always opportunities. We can’t wait to see Labskin continue to flourish under Nicola’s brilliant leadership. Find out more about the company here.