Clean Tech Pioneers Calling Canada Water Home
As the world faces challenges like climate change, health crises, and food insecurity, a new generation of pioneers are developing ground-breaking solutions.
Canada Water is fast becoming a hub for visionaries tackling these challenges, whether that’s local food producers applying fresh thinking to the use of urban spaces, tech researchers automating processes to speed up manufacturing, and the growing cohort of ClimateTech startups transforming the way we consume energy. The right location is pivotal to their success, and Canada Water offers unparalleled flexibility and a vibrant community that connects and empowers like-minded entrepreneurs.
Flexible, Future-Ready Lab Spaces
At the heart of this transformation is Paper Yard – one of London’s very few purpose-built laboratory buildings. With 33,000 sq ft of small suite lab and write up (office) spaces, this building provides a unique opportunity for the next generation of climate tech businesses to scale in a likeminded community, and to do so with the support of a partner who can offer a full range of support services.
Just next door, TEDI-London (The Engineering and Design Institute London) brings academic innovation into the mix. Created through a collaboration by Arizona State University, UNSW Sydney, and King’s College London, TEDI-London is training the next generation of engineers. A Memorandum of Understanding with British Land ensures KCL’s spinouts have access to Canada Water’s emerging lab infrastructure.
Meet Prosemino
Current occupiers at Paper Yard include Prosemino, a cleantech venture builder dedicated to combating climate change by co-founding and nurturing groundbreaking early-stage clean energy technologies.
“There aren’t many offerings in the country that do by-the-bench (a single desk) rent — and if they do, you still have all of the challenges of having to put all of your equipment in yourself”, says Dr Gyen Ming Angel, director of venture building at Prosemino.
“British Land helped us design and fit out the entire space. That eliminates a major bottleneck of the process of finding and setting up a lab space. If you’re a repeat founder, you know how hard that is — and if you’re a first-time founder, you don’t even know where to start”.
Connecting founders
The incredible minds making this change happen also need real world spaces where they can connect, explore the challenges and celebrate the successes.
Canada Water is becoming to go-to meeting point for climate tech visionaries through our innovative Founders Connect events. A partnership with Prosemino and Climate Connection, the empowering event series is one of the ways pioneers can come together and discuss what they’ve achieved, ask questions and inspire their peers.
Prior events have also created tangible business outcomes, such as angel investment new talent opportunities, and business introductions.
Why Canada Water?
Access to talent is a huge part of business growth, and there are more people under the age of 35 living within a 45-minute commute of Canada Water than any other major transport hub in the city, putting this area top for opportunity within this demographic.
The 53-acre development, set against a backdrop of green and blue open spaces and an exciting mix of bars, restaurants and cultural venues, offers a different perspective on Central London, whilst also being two stops from London Bridge and one stop from the Elizabeth Line.
“We know we’re on the edge of something that’s evolving and is new”, says Dr Angel. “We want to be a part of the longer-term vision”.