South: Barclays launches Eagle Labs to help start-ups take flight

 Barclays will be opening up spaces in its branches and offices around the country in order for UK start-up businesses to co-locate, collaborate and grow.

The new Barclays Eagle Labs will provide access to resources including expert mentoring, 3D printers, laser cutters and an events space – giving the UK’s start-up community a crucial boost.

The Eagle Lab, Maker Spaces and Incubators, will be specifically designed around the needs of local businesses and tailored to suit regional economic strength in specific industries. In particular.

• Barclays Eagle Lab – Maker Spaces will include access to 3D printers and laser cutters. This means businesses will have access to the tools they need to rapidly produce and test prototypes without having to import from overseas, and can significantly reduce the time and cost taken from concept to market. The new Maker Spaces will also be available for community events, digital Tea & Teach and LifeSkills sessions.
• Barclays Eagle Lab – Incubators will specifically target high-growth firms and entrepreneurs who are projecting 20% growth or more, and will benefit from collaborating with other like-minded business, and mentoring from Barclays industry experts.

Bournemouth will pioneer one of the first three sites with a Barclays Eagle Lab Maker Space at its County Gates offices.  Other Eagle Labs will be launched at Cherry Hinton and Chesterton Road, Cambridge, followed by Brighton in the coming weeks. 

Eddie Howe, manager at AFC Bournemouth, officially launched the town’s new Barclays Eagle Lab Maker Space alongside his assistant Jason Tindall, by producing a plaque on a laser cutter.  More than 70 guests drawn from across Bournemouth’s business community saw first-hand the facilities on offer.

“It was a real privilege for myself and Jason to be invited to the opening of the Barclays Eagle Labs,” Howe said.  “It is clear that the resources they provide will benefit many individuals and businesses, and I am delighted that Bournemouth will be one of the first towns to have one."

David Shepherd, Barclays personal and corporate banking, added: “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 Barclays Eagle Labs will take our relationship with local entrepreneurs one step further, providing them with access to the tools and resources that will help them accelerate growth.”

The latest Barclays and BGF Entrepreneurs’ Index revealed the number of start-ups is at its highest in three years, up 7% for the South West and 3.86% nationally in the first half of 2015, however the number of high-growth businesses had declined, showing more must be done to supporting growing businesses thrive and survive.

Ian Girling, chief executive, Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “With a rapidly growing and developing local digital economy, the launch of the Barclays Eagle Lab is a tremendously exciting initiative for the area. This will be an invaluable space and has the full support of Dorset Chamber and we look forward to working with Barclays and engaging both our members and partners with the Lab.”

The Barclays Eagle Labs are in addition to Barclays’ global launch of Rise – a network of physical spaces and a virtual community designed to work with innovative start-ups to pioneer the future of financial technology. Barclays currently has Rise hubs in London, Manchester and New York, with sites in Cape Town and Tel Aviv opening soon.  Rise is also home to the Barclays Accelerator, a start-up programme for fintech businesses in conjunction with Techstars, which has already supported several companies in driving innovation in financial services.

To find out more information about the Barclays Eagle Lab in Bournemouth, visit www.barclays.co.uk/eaglelabs.