Here East reveals second cohort of ‘East London Innovators’

• The campaign from Here East, London’s technology and innovation campus, identifies and celebrates the innovative and creative individuals, business and community leaders across East London
• The second cohort of 50 will join the network of East London Innovators, with the inaugural cohort announced in February 2019
• This year’s new additions are tackling a wide range of issues in society, from air pollution to disability inclusion – with many pivoting to lend their support during the COVID-19 outbreak

London, 14 May 2020: Here East, London’s technology and innovation campus, today announced its second cohort of East London Innovators. The campaign identifies individuals and organisations who are working to make a tangible, positive difference within the East London community.

The initiative showcases the innovative work being done throughout the East London boroughs. The innovators include founders of cutting-edge tech and science applications which are disrupting industries, as well as leaders of non-profit social initiatives, and cultural and education projects – all working to meaningfully tackle and provide solutions to real-world problems.

This announcement comes as several innovators across the first and second cohort are demonstrating great tenacity and resourcefulness in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak, pivoting their innovative work to support the new challenges facing the communities across London.

Amongst the second cohort of innovators are Alex Stephany, Founder and CEO of Beam, a multi-award winning platform which allows people to crowdfund homeless people’s employment training, Ashwini Deshpande, Founder of Art-Z, a software using artificial intelligence to reduce the amount of fabric wastage in the fashion industry and Matt Pierri, Founder and CEO of SociaAbility, a mobile app which enables users to find and contribute accessibility information for local venues and hotspots.

The second cohort of innovators also includes Matteo Maccario, CEO of Pluvo, a street structure which tracks and removes harmful pollutants from the surrounding air, Henry Smith, Founder of the Wickers Charity, which supports young people in Hackney and Randy Rampersad, Founder of the Green Vic, a pub that aims to be the world’s most ethical through measures such as employing vulnerable people and a drinks list which helps over 40 charities.

They join the likes of Wayne McGregor, multi-awarding winning dance choreographer, Hayden Wood and Amit Gudka, founders of Bulb, a major industry challenger in the green energy sector, and Cemal Ezel, founder of Change Please, the coffee social enterprise dedicated to combating homelessness, all who were part of the inaugural cohort of East London Innovators.

Here East, established by Delancey launched East London Innovators in 2019. This network continues to grow through the announcement of further cohorts and is testament to the wealth of talent and innovation to be found in East London.

This year’s cohort was selected by an expert judging panel comprising of Bindi Karia, Innovation Expert and Advisor, Emma Frost, Director of Innovation, Sustainability and Community for London Legacy Development Corporation, Mark Martin MBE, Teacher and Founder of Urban Teacher, Philip Glanville, Mayor of Hackney and Tracey Walsh, Chief Executive of East End Community Foundation.

East London has a strong heritage when it comes to industry and innovation. From being selected as the home of the 2012 Olympics, it’s continued to build on this legacy, and in recent years, it has undergone a remarkable transformation. The area is fast emerging as a core creative and innovation hub whose work is significant across London, from the opening of East Bank to the established artistic community at Fish Island. The flourishing innovation and creative scene is due to the highly talented and diverse groups of people who work tirelessly across the boroughs.

Here East is currently home to over 4,000 start-ups, scientists, artists, businesses, students, academics and global businesses working and studying across the campus. As a catalyst for growth, the campus has created a community that inspires collaboration and innovation for London’s most impactful businesses, technologies and sectors. Plexal is the innovation centre at the heart of Here East, creating a community of start-ups and entrepreneurs producing ideas and businesses that address the biggest challenges facing corporates, government and society.

Gavin Poole, CEO of Here East, said: “At Here East, we have carefully curated an ecosystem of individuals and businesses who are committed to cross-sector collaboration and developing innovative ideas utilising different mediums. These are values we witness every day as being embodied throughout the East London community – and the overwhelming response to support one another in the face of COVID-19 has brought this into sharp focus.

“The unveiling of the second cohort of East London Innovators strongly demonstrates this, and I am delighted to see this impactful network further expanding, showcasing incredible levels of talent and dedication to making a positive difference within our community. This year’s judges had a large number of applications to consider, and these finalists were chosen because of their community impact and engagement, as well their creativity and innovation.”

For a full profile of each innovator, please visit the East London Innovator site here.