Barclays Eagle Labs collaborates with Hartpury Uni’s Tech Box Park to see 20 start-ups access support

By Giles Gwinnett

12 January 2024

Share

Hartpury's Tech Box Park

A new collaboration will see 20 small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) gain free access to the workspace hub at Hartpury Tech Box Park in Gloucestershire to develop their agri-tech, food-tech, and green-tech offerings.

The tie-up is supported by the Barclays Eagle Labs Ecosystem Partnership Programme funded by the £12 million Digital Growth Grant from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, aimed at accelerating the growth of tech startups.

"This is yet another exciting partnership for us here at Barclays Eagle Labs in our mission to support UK tech start-ups," said Amanda Allan, director at Barclays Eagle Labs.

"Using the funding from the Digital Growth Grant from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology we think Hartpury University is an ideal partner for us.

"This match-funding will help them continue their proven track record in supporting local start-ups at The Tech Box Park."

The Tech Box Park, which offers self-contained workspaces and access to Hartpury's commercial farm for testing and trialling, has already proved to be a valuable space for innovation - supporting over 30 ventures.

For example, it has enabled a social enterprise to create a test bed for trailing hemp derivatives in animal bedding and showcased an innovative anti-theft solution for agricultural machinery.

Catherine Briggs, Tech Box park manager, added: "Backed by the UK Government, Barclays Eagle Labs offers a unique support system that seamlessly integrates with our existing Tech Box Park offering more valuable opportunities for founders, entrepreneurs, and scale-ups in the region to test, trial and commercialise new products for the land-based sector."

The 20 start-ups will gain Hartpury Tech Box Park memberships, valued at £2,500 and a six-month programme of support.

Visit Hampshire Biz News for bright, upbeat and positive business news from the county

By Giles Gwinnett

Giles Gwinnett is a writer at The Business Magazine. He has been a journalist for more than 20 years and covered a vast array of topics at a range of media settings - in print and online. After his NCTJ newspaper training, he became a reporter in Hampshire before moving to a news agency in Gloucestershire. In recent years, he has been covering the financial markets along with company news for an investor-focused web portal. His many interests include politics, energy and the environment. He lives in Dorset.