National law firm Shoosmiths was a project partner in Bruntwood’s successful consortium bid for funding to launch a tech hub in Leeds, delivering a major boost to the city.
Leeds City Council has awarded Bruntwood, the largest regional property developer and operator in the UK, £2m to open a tech hub at their new Platform development located at the city’s mainline rail station.
Aimed at digital start-up companies and entrepreneurs, the hub will support more than 1,000 new jobs over the lifetime of the project and will be run in partnership with the City Council and organisations across Leeds’ digital community.
Platform, due to open in autumn this year, will provide an inspirational home for Leeds’ digital sector, fostering innovation and collaboration. It will also offer a focal point to bring the wider regional tech community together, and a showcase for international investors.
Shoosmiths creative industries and digital team has a strong reputation in the digital sector and their investment in and support of similar hubs in the North, having been a part of the success story of The Sharp Project, Manchester’s creative digital media hub, as founder tenants providing specialist legal support to the business eco-system and will provide similar support to the Leeds Tech Hub.
The Tech Hub will provide 1 Gigabyte connectivity. Facilities will include event, demonstration and meeting spaces to support an extensive events programme and a variety of flexible workspaces combining hot desking, co-working and studio suites. The Tech Hub will also have access to a roof garden and terrace with stunning views of the city and surrounding areas, providing a unique event space.
The other Tech Hub consortium bid partners include specialist talent support services company – Complete Resourcing.
