Visit to Barclays Eagle Lab at MediaCityUK

MediaCityUK
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Jane Lambert

Yesterday morning i visited Barclays Eagle Lab at the Landing in MediaCityUK.  According to their website, "Eagle Labs are a community resource available for everybody .......... a space to create, innovate and grow."  They first came to my attention when I learned that each of the finalists in NESTA's Inventor Prize competition was to receive £5,000 and mentoring from Barclays Eagle Labs (see NESTA Inventor Prize Shortlist 31 Jan 2018 NIPC Inventors Club blog). It seemed to me that the Eagle Labs came close to an accelerator for inventors which I had canvassed in No Invention should be left behind here - the Case for Inventor Academies 27 Jan 2018 NIPC Inventors' Club blog.  I wanted to see one of those labs for myself and as my nearest was in MediaCityUK I made an appointment to visit it.

I was welcomed by Darren O'Brien, Eco System Manager, and James Medd, Maker Technical Coordinator at The Landing.  Darren and James work closely together as do their respective organizations. The Landing, which describes itself as "the technology enterprise incubator for high-growth companies at the heart of MediaCityUK," hosts over 120 businesses including Barclays Eagle Labs in its 7 floors of co-working space.  The MediaCityUK Eagle Labs has a room full of the latest 3D printing and other additive manufacturing equipment.  It makes that space as well as its financial expertise and business connections available to startups and other small businesses.   Those using such facilities include companies in film and other creative industries as well as tech.

Eagle Labs offers co-working desk and private office packages each of which includes 24 hour access. mentoring and coaching, networking, introductions to angels and other investors, access to  prototyping and making equipment and membership of the Landing's social facilities. Meeting rooms, offices, workshops and labs can also be booked by the day or in some cases portions of a day as can the additive manufacturing equipment.  Talks and and one-to-one consultations with local mentors are arranged regularly.

Anyone wishing to discuss this article should call me on 020 7404 5252 during office hours or send me a message through my contact form.

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