What has been billed as the largest “smart things” hub in Europe has been launched at Skypark in Glasgow.
The Smart Things Accelerator Centre, which was established to nurture new technology firms in Scotland, declared it will step up to the “next level” with the opening ‘thebeyond’ campus at the Finnieston business park.
Spanning 22,000 square feet, the hub includes electronics and fabrication labs, a research and development makerspace, and a 250-desk co-working space. It also comes with a media lab and hot desking areas.
Thebeyond was delivered through STAC’s partnership with the UK Government and Glasgow City Council, supported by investment from the private and public sectors. The funding includes £2.5 million from Federated Hermes, the global investment firm which owns Skypark. The partnership aims to establish Glasgow as a global hub for smart things and IoT (internet of things) innovation.
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Paul Wilson, chief executive and founder of the STAC, said: “The launch of thebeyond takes STAC to the next level as we continue on our mission to build world-class start-ups who can compete on a global level. We support our companies through mentorship, access to talent, funding, and networks, and it is a model which is unique on the Scottish tech scene.
“We now have a comprehensive environment to accelerate the entire product development process, providing inventors and developers with the tools and resources needed to bring their ideas to life, from concept to prototype.”
Mr Wilson describes thebeyond as STAC’s fourth pillar alongside STAC Scale - an industry-led, 18-month mentorship programme that has supported four cohorts totalling over 50 companies to date - talent platform STAC Jobs, and STAC Invest.
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The latter, which is set to launch over the next few weeks, will connect investors to IoT and smart things start-ups that are set to scale.
STAC is supported by a range of UK and international corporates, including Pelion, Plexus, and Keysight Technologies. It announced its latest industry partnership in June with an agreement to provide an innovation pipeline for Swedish carmaker Volvo Cars, a pioneer in the electric vehicle market.
Mr Wilson added: “Our mission is to transform Scotland’s rich research and innovation into entrepreneurial ventures that can go on to compete at a global level, and the partnership with Volvo opens up immediate opportunities for collaboration at scale for STAC’s portfolio of start-ups.”
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