“Exciting opportunities for tech start-ups” to be provided.
David Hardman of Innovation Birmingham and Ami Shpiro of Innovation Warehouse
A partnership agreement has been signed between Innovation Birmingham and London-based Innovation Warehouse; a tech start-up accelerator and co-working base. The agreement will provide the tech entrepreneurs with a like-minded base for London/Birmingham visits, as well as the opportunity to pitch for seed investment.
Innovation Warehouse – located under the listed ironwork of Smithfield Market in central London – was founded by serial tech entrepreneur and investor Ami Shpiro. Since launching in 2011, it has been home to over 100 tech and e-commerce start-ups.
Innovation Birmingham’s Entrepreneurs for the Future centre has incubated over 80 innovative tech start-ups over the past four years. The centre sits within the Campus’ 44,000 sq ft Faraday Wharf building, which is currently home to over 85 tech businesses.
Dr David Hardman MBE, CEO of Innovation Birmingham said: “Innovation Warehouse has a very similar vibe to our Entrepreneurs for the Future centre and this new partnership presents exciting opportunities for the tech start-ups based at both locations. The entrepreneurs can drop in on the sister centre when they’re in the area visiting. There will also be opportunities to access a new set of personal mentors, a wider series of informative networking events and to pitch for investment.
“Innovation Warehouse has a formidable track record of investing in tech start-ups. A very active network of sector specific angel investors is connected with the centre and we anticipate that it won’t take long for an investment deal to be struck with a start-up based at the Innovation Birmingham Campus. This partnership arrangement will create invaluable exposure and an open door for tech entrepreneurs to reap the rewards from.”
Ami Shpiro, Founder of Innovation Warehouse said: “We instigated this partnership with Innovation Birmingham because we realise the advantages of Birmingham’s skills pool, lower cost base and the merits of operating within a thriving tech cluster environment.”
Ami Shpiro continued: “The UK’s tech revolution is not restricted to London, and there are start-ups based in the capital that could realise undoubted benefits from closer ties with tech entrepreneurs around the UK. The Innovation Birmingham Campus has established a great reputation for incubating innovative tech companies and we are enthused about the prospect of getting to know the entrepreneurs and the wider community that supports the centre.”
Both Innovation Warehouse and the Innovation Birmingham Campus offer a range of co-working spaces, small offices, meeting rooms, event space and mentoring for growing start-up teams.
In addition to a range of membership packages, funding from the European Regional Development Fund enables Innovation Birmingham to provide a free incubation package to qualifying innovative tech start-ups that has a monetary value of £10,000. The flagship incubation programme provides bespoke mentoring and business planning to achieve investor readiness, as well as free telephone usage, 2Gbit/s broadband and office space for six months. The Entrepreneurs for the Future centre is unique to Birmingham and specifically designed to harness and support the city’s burgeoning tech community.
To be enrolled into the Entrepreneurs for the Future centre, applications must be made online. For more information on how to apply, please visit www.e4f.co.uk
