Here’s your weekly round up of startup competitions, awards, co-working space and accelerator news.

Aviation accelerator

International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, Vueling, IAG Cargo and Avios, has announced the launch of its global accelerator programme, Hangar 51.

Startups are invited to pitch to join Hangar 51 and work with one of the world’s largest airline groups to create next generation travel experiences and find solutions to real business challenges through lasting and collaborative partnerships.

Working with corporate innovation specialist and early-stage investor L Marks, the initiative will support the development of new entrepreneurs to transform the aviation industry and revolutionise customer experience through new technology, products and services.

The ten-week programme, based at IAG’s HQ in London, will enable startups looking to enter the aviation industry to trial their products globally and receive mentoring from the Group’s senior management team.

The programme will focus on four areas:

Improving airport processes:making customer journeys through the airport easier.
Digitising business processes:developing new tools and processes to speed-up and simplify the business.
Data driven decisions: finding new ways that data can increase customer satisfaction and create business value.
Wildcard: any idea that start-ups believe can improve customer experience.

Startups from around the world can now submit their applications to join Hangar 51 at www.hangar51.com. Applications will close at midnight GMT on November 6, 2016.

Glenn Morgan, IAG’s head of digital transformation, said: “This brand new programme will bringing cutting edge digital start-ups into the heart of our business. We want them to tell us what we don’t know. If start-ups have something that can be applied to our industry to help our customers then we want to hear from them. This initiative is a great opportunity for early stage businesses to fast-track their innovative ideas by working closely with IAG. We’ll fully support them through mentoring and funding to improve customer journeys with new disruptive and innovative ideas.”

Eagle Lab in Norwich

Barclays Eagle Lab MakerSpaces will officially open on Wednesday 26th October and will be based at Whitespace Norwich.

The Lab will provide access to resources including expert mentoring, 3D printers, laser cutters and events space.

With the partnership, Barclays and Whitespace will seek to give Norfolk entrepreneurs and the wider community access to a facility that will help them experience the potential of cutting edge technology and will encourage them to think about how it could be applied to the creation of innovative future solutions.

Steven Roberts, strategic transformation director at Barclays, said:“We’ve created the Barclays Eagle Labs because technology is transforming the speed at which start-ups can grow and scale. Simply having access to a 3D printer can now help people turn a clever idea into a business success overnight, and by providing practical resources along with our financial expertise we intend to help many businesses succeed.

“The new Barclays Eagle Labs in Norwich will take our relationship with entrepreneurs one step further, providing them with access to the tools and resources that will help them accelerate growth,” he added.

Neil Garner, founder of Whitespace Norwich, also commented on the news: “Whitespace was established to give fledgling technology businesses a home to expand and achieve growth. The spirit of collaboration is part of the fabric of the Whitespace Norwich tech coworking experience and so this new relationship with Barclays Eagle Lab MakerSpaces fits perfectly with what we are all about. The new Barclays Eagle Lab will take the Whitespace in to a new and exciting level, giving our members access to technology like 3D printers that will no doubt inspire new ways to achieve further growth.”

Just Eat food tech accelerator

Just Eat has announced the launch of a new accelerator programme for startups and early stage businesses in the food tech space.

The company is looking for five dynamic businesses to join its first cohort.

Just Eat will invest in the businesses and connect them with a number of dedicated mentors, entrepreneurs and industry experts.

At the end of the programme, Just Eat will host a second pitching event attended by venture capitalists and angel investors.

Applications are now open.

Northern Stars 2016

Northern Stars, a pitch competition that seeks to find and showcase the best tech startups in the North of England is accepting applications until this Sunday!

King’s College accelerator

King’s College London has announced the first 20 startups to join its new accelerator programme.

Over 12 months, the accelerator, run by King’s Entrepreneurship Institute, will provide the ventures with mentorship from leading entrepreneurs, revenue generating support, access to investors and accelerator space equivalent to £30,000 worth of investment.

Startups taking part in the programme are from areas such as MedTech, FinTech, hardware, data management, education, logistics and distribution, tourism, media and consumer goods.

More information about the 20 ventures can be found in the Lookbook.

Young Software Engineers

The Young Software Engineer of the Year 2016 awards took place at last night’s ScotlandIS ScotSoft ceremony.

Each Scottish university submits the best final year undergraduate software engineering project from their cohort for the awards.

Stuart Whitehead from Robert Gordon’s University won first prize. His project, which aimed to simplify the way that IoT software and devices connect by creating a common ‘plug and play’ framework, was deemed ‘outstanding’ by the judges.

Second place was awarded to Andreea Lutac, from the University of Glasgow, for her project developing real time robot camera controls.

InMotion Hackathon

InMotion, an independent venture from Jaguar Land Rover, is holding a hackathon in London on 12th October with the aim of generating ways of disrupting the mobility industry.

“The challenge will involve building an app focusing on a mobility service in London, making it user-friendly and understanding how the money comes in,” state the organisers.