Barclays Eagle Labs is opening the doors of its newly designed Cambridge coworking space to climate tech startups.
The site has reopened with an increased desk capacity for up to 130 people and a 75% increase in collaboration space.
The startup support organisation has retrofitted the space with technology – such as hybrid solar power, smart heating and automatic lighting – to reduce carbon emissions.
Barclays Eagle Labs said it used several climate tech businesses from its existing programmes for the redesign, including Naked Energy, Save Money Cut Carbon and Zedify.
“It was crucial that the retrofit and internal redesign of the building accurately reflected the ethos of the businesses that will use it and we expect it to provide significant energy efficiency improvements, allowing us to take an important step forward in reducing our own operational emissions,” said Nick Stace, head of sustainability, Barclays UK.
Barclays Eagle Labs said the aim is to reduce carbon emissions from the building by 90% compared to 2018 levels.
The site will include a showcase space for its growth programmes. It follows a partnership with Cambridge-based venture builder Carbon13 to provide over 100 startups with support and mentoring.
Earlier this week, Barclays Eagle Labs launched an online skills platform, called the ‘Eagle Labs Academy’, for entrepreneurs looking to break into the tech world.
It’s the latest site opened by the multinational bank’s startup support division since securing government funding, worth £6m per year and provided via the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Barclays Eagle Labs beat Tech Nation – the previous recipient of the grant – in a bid for the funding. Tech Nation subsequently ceased operations but relaunched last October under the ownership of Founders Forum.
Barclays Eagle Labs launched two coworking spaces, in London and Birmingham, last autumn.