A new free and subsidised workspace in Camden has opened that is targeted specifically at fledgling companies focused on finding solutions to our planet’s biggest challenges. Supported by the Euston Town Business Improvement District (BID), Collective Infants School will make Camden a hot spot for young climate start-ups.
Located in the empty Hawley Infants School, the project is taking place inside a meanwhile space, as the building will eventually be demolished. It follows on from the success of the neighbouring Camden Collective that is expanding its operations into the new rooms that have been adapted for this evolving custodianship. Collective will be celebrating its 15th birthday to coincide with this launch.
For the first 12 months, 20 fixed desk spaces will be granted for free as part of a bursary programme, as well as four offices – with capacity of 10-15 people – at 50% of the market rate. This new hub has been created to support businesses who work in climate technology and on interesting, innovative and viable solutions for the net zero movement.
Collective Infants School will be a hub of ideas, partnerships and development of young businesses passionate about technological solutions to climate change and adaptation. Camden is home to so much technological innovation and it’s important to harness this to tackle one of the largest issues facing society. The companies will benefit from the provision of workspace, allowing them to focus on developing their technology and solutions.
Among the new tenants are pioneering startups committed to sustainability and innovation. These include:
- Taste Don’t Waste, an innovative app designed to minimize household food waste
- Oshun Labs, a female-led innovation lab creating sustainable solutions for women’s health and FemTech
- Loud Mobility, a social enterprise on a mission to make sustainable mobility more inclusive
- Think & Do, a local climate activator working on a series of climate focused projects across the borough
- Ecosy Travel, a sustainable travel and eco-escapes provider
- Granyt which is lending to SMEs to buy and install solar, batteries and climate hardware
“It’s an exciting time for Camden Collective, after seven years of dedication, we’ve secured the lease to extend our hub at Buck Street. This milestone gives us the opportunity to continue supporting innovation and community in Camden Town. With this new space, Collective is taking a step towards tackling climate change, this is a new venture for us but we see it as an important move to support young climate/tech businesses in their journeys to tackle some of the planet’s biggest challenges.”
“With the launch of Collective Infants School, we’re taking our mission one step further by embracing businesses focused on tackling climate change. Camden Collective remains committed to taking over meanwhile sites and transforming them into active hubs which give start-ups the chance to take risks, experiment, and grow in a low-cost way.”
Simon Pitkeathly, CEO, Camden Collective:
The new spaces were created with ten aspiring artists and construction students from Westminster Kingsway College’s 2023 cohort. This work experience was supported by Camden Collective in collaboration with Mace Group, experts in shaping the built environment, who helped the construction students from a theory-based careers perspective. MTArt, a former Collective member, ensured the young artists were supported and that the art world be made more accessible through the process. The students had the opportunity to contribute to the artistic scope of the space from design through to production, receiving hands-on experience directly from Collective Members within the industry who devoted two weeks of their time to provide them with mentorship, guidance and valuable insights into the creative industries. The construction students worked directly with on-site builders AS Harrison to work towards the spec briefed to the team in order to bring the space to standard. The new space not only provides additional workspace but allows Collective to continue its ‘Not Just A Workspace’ ethos by providing opportunities to local young people.
Camden Collective was born from a need to revitalise the High Street after the 2009 financial crash. It began as a Camden Town Unlimited funded project, which leased empty commercial units and turned them into free pop-up shops. These gave start-ups the opportunity to test the market and proved the viability of the unit for future commercial occupiers. One of these had a backroom, and Collective decided to try offering some free start-up hotdesking space in there, which proved to generate significant outputs in terms of businesses supported and jobs created/sustained. Pop-ups and hotdesking are now commonplace and commercialised, but back in 2009 they were much more novel concepts.