Coworking space for climate tech startups in Cambridge 

Barclays opens retrofitted Cambridge Eagle Lab with renewed focus on helping climate tech startups to connect, grow and scale. 

Barclays runs 35 Eagle Labs sites across the UK to support local businesses. As part of wider ambitions by Barclays to achieve net zero operations by 2050, its Cambridge Eagle Lab has undergone a significant retrofit that should reduce the site’s carbon emissions by 90% compared to 2018.  

Cambridge Eagle Lab, photo courtesy of Barclays

Startup businesses developing climate-related tech are being invited to take up residence in the refitted Eagle Lab, which now has capacity for up to 130 people and a 75% increase in collaboration space. The more flexible layout enables meetings, events and networking. A dedicated area will also showcase the climate tech and businesses that Barclays supports through a range of partnerships, bridge programme and investments. 

That’s because the relaunch is part of wider investment by Barclays into the climate-related tech needed to achieve net zero. It follows the recent announcement that Barclays has partnered with Cambridge-based venture builder Carbon 13 to provide more than 100 startups with support and mentoring to help tackle challenges related to climate change.  

The retrofit was delivered in partnership with companies that are part of Barclays’ sustainable capital portfolio and Unreasonable Impact programme, such as environmental consultants Save Money Cut Carbon, who advised on plans. Naked Energy provided solar panels to generate heat and power. Energy-efficient double glazing with solar control to prevent overheating, smart heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and automatic lighting and window-blind controls are among the tech features to maximise energy efficiency and so minimise carbon emissions. 

Nick Stace, Head of Sustainability at Barclays UK, says: ‘We’re excited to be reopening the doors to our Eagle Lab in Cambridge with a renewed focus as a centre of excellence for climate tech startups. We want to play a leading role in supporting climate tech and sustainability-focused businesses, by giving them the tools to help them connect, grow and scale. It was crucial that the retrofit and internal redesign of the building accurately reflected the ethos of the businesses that will use it and we expect it to provide significant energy efficiency improvements, allowing us to take an important step forward in reducing our own operational emissions. 

‘We know that startups need more than just a space, which is why we’re also supporting businesses through our climate tech accelerator programmes from the Cambridge Eagle Lab. We hope this package of support enables businesses to scale at pace and tackle some of today’s most pressing climate tech challenges.’ 

For more information about the site and what it offers climate tech startups, see Eagle Labs Cambridge. 

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