Barclays Relaunches Cambridge Coworking Space for Climate Tech Startups
Barclays has recently revamped its Cambridge Eagle Lab, providing a renewed focus on supporting high-growth climate tech startups in their journey to connect, grow, and scale. In a significant effort to reduce its carbon emissions, the site has undergone an extensive retrofit that has successfully achieved a 90 percent reduction compared to its 2018 levels.
The revamped space aims to cater to the needs of climate tech entrepreneurs, offering increased desk capacity for up to 130 individuals. Additionally, there is a 75 percent expansion in collaboration space, allowing for a more flexible layout conducive to meetings, events, and networking opportunities. One notable addition is a dedicated area showcasing the climate tech technologies and businesses that Barclays supports through partnerships like Unreasonable Impact, Bridge programs, and Sustainable Impact Capital investments.
Barclays holds a unique position in helping its clients pave the path to a net-zero future while simultaneously fostering economic growth and generating new green jobs. The relaunch of the Cambridge Eagle Lab follows Barclays’ recent partnership announcement with Carbon 13, a venture builder located in Cambridge. This partnership aims to provide support and mentoring to over 100 startups, enabling them to tackle the challenges faced by our world on the road to achieving net zero.
It is widely recognized that new technologies currently not on the market will play a crucial role in achieving the required 35 percent of emission reductions by 2050, as estimated by the International Energy Agency. Supporting and nurturing new businesses in the climate tech sector is therefore of paramount importance. Barclays and its leading industry partners offer dedicated pre-seed and bridge programs that allow climate tech startups to join forces in this endeavor.
In line with its commitment to achieving net zero operations by 2050, Barclays has actively implemented energy-efficient retrofit measures at the Cambridge Eagle Lab. Collaborating with companies from its Sustainable Impact Capital portfolio and Unreasonable Impact program, Barclays has successfully improved energy efficiency. These enhancements are instrumental in finding low-carbon alternatives for essential activities such as electricity generation, transport, and heating.
The building upgrades include:
1. Implementation of energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
2. Utilization of renewable energy sources to power the facility.
3. Integration of smart technology to optimize energy consumption and reduce waste.
4. Implementation of sustainable water management solutions.
5. Adoption of green building materials and environmentally friendly practices throughout the retrofit process.
By relaunching the reimagined Cambridge Eagle Lab, Barclays demonstrates its commitment to nurturing the next generation of climate tech startups. Through strategic partnerships, dedicated programs, and their own efforts to achieve net zero, Barclays strives to shape a more sustainable and prosperous future.
Target Audience: Entrepreneurs, climate tech startups, investors, individuals interested in sustainable innovation, and those concerned about addressing climate change and its impact on the economy.
