A new report has highlighted the impact of innovation campus Here East on London since the 2012 Olympics.
The campus’ 2020 Impact Report showcases the economic and social impact on the capital within the local community.
There are now 4,500 people working and studying in the former London 2012 press & broadcast centre, while close to 100,000 people visited the campus for events, education and business over the last 12 months.
With 75 per cent of the campus let to companies spanning start–ups, academic institutions and global corporates, Here East, and the onsite innovation centre Plexal, has become London’s fastest-growing cluster for eSports, micro-mobility and the creative industries.
“The vision for Here East was to create a space that housed ground-breaking technology-driven and creative businesses, to deliver jobs and education for East London and the whole of the UK as part of the Olympic legacy,” said CEO Gavin Poole.
“Eight years later, that legacy has created a community of entrepreneurs, academics and corporates at the forefront of the country’s economic recovery.
“This Impact Report sends a clear message to the rest of the UK and future host cities around the world – the Olympics can be a springboard for entrepreneurial success and a launchpad for innovation with long-term economic and social benefits.”
Here East’s Insights Programme has provided more than 100 local young people with opportunities to engage with businesses in the last 12 months while the London Legacy Development Cooporation’s (LLDC) free EAST Education Summer School welcomed over 400 local 12-17–year–olds for to access space and insights into businesses across the campus.
The four universities onsite – Staffordshire University London, Loughborough University London, UCL and the soon to open Liverpool Media Academy – engage daily with tenant businesses onsite to offer students opportunities to develop career experience.
Deputy Mayor for Business, Rajesh Agrawal, said: “Here East has set a new standard for regeneration as part of the legacy of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, which benefits local communities and drives economic growth.
“The Mayor and I have seen first-hand how the community is supporting disadvantaged Londoners as well as pioneering world-class innovation and research which could have an impact on Londoners for years to come.”
Lyn Garner, Chief Executive of London Legacy Development Corporation, commented: “The transformation of the former Press and Broadcast Centres into a hub of innovation and collaboration at Here East is a huge legacy success story. East London is reaping the social and economic benefits and will do for generations to come.”
Here East, which is owned by clients of Delancey, a specialist real estate investment advisory company, is designed to foster collaboration, allowing its community to scale and grow at pace.
Tenants include BT Sport, Plexal, Giit.tv, Sports Interactive, Ford Smart Mobility, Matchesfashion and The Trampery, who provide 21 studios for local artists, businesses and designers on the Gantry.