Science Park welcomes tech innovators
A NEW partnership aimed at boosting innovative businesses and helping them to grow was launched in Wokingham borough last week.
Innovation Catalyst is a collaboration between Barclays Eagle Labs, VitalSix, Henley Business School and The University of Reading owned Thames Valley Science Park (TSVP).
By working together, the venture aims to boost the Thames Valley tech sector, helping entrepreneurs startup and scale up and to take advantage of its location in one of Europe’s largest tech clusters.
Based out of the Shinfield science park, the incubation and work space aims to be integral part of the scheme to encourage innovators to collaborate and working together as they cook up new ideas among the entrepreneurial business community.
It has a 65-seat work space, and will also be home to the Barclays Eagle Lab Flight accelerator programme for up to 12 individuals, designed to shape and scale the next generation of Thames Valley tech businesses.
The Barclays Eagle Lab
Flight 16-week accelerator programme delivered by VitalSix, offers tech high growth small businesses intensive support and will focus on creative thinking, participation and cross collaborative working, as well as access to expert mentoring and introductions to major firms and a programme of events.
By the end of the programme the participants will aim to have a clearly defined, innovative and marketable service or proposition, with the potential to scale-up to help give the region’s tech community a crucial boost.
And to celebrate the scheme, business leaders from across Wokingham and Reading came together for a launch party held at the science park last Thursday. The Wokingham Paper was the only press present.
David Gillham, Executive Director of Thames Valley Science Park, spoke at the launch event.
He said: “The Thames Valley is renowned internationally as a centre for innovation and knowledge-based companies.
“As a partner in Innovation Catalyst, Thames Valley Science Park shares the vision to create a much needed anchor for innovation; it is the physical centre of a virtual community to bring closer together businesses, the University of Reading, investors, expertise and more.
“At Thames Valley Science Park we take a supportive, flexible approach – specialist facilities and the dynamic mix of companies already here make this an exciting place for ambitious companies to grow.”
And Barclays is excited at the prospect of the park and what it will bring to Wokingham.
Gary Chugg, Barclays Head of SME, Thames Valley, said: “Tech is an area where the UK has every reason to become a world leader.
“The Thames Valley is home to some of the leading tech firms in the world and we want to help build on the success of this sector, and play a leading role in transforming innovative firms in the future.”
For more details on the Barclays Eagle Lab Flight accelerator programme and find out more should visit https://labs. uk.barclays/flight-reading and contact the VitalSix team at hello@vitalsix.co.uk