Delancey founded Plexal in 2017
Plexal started as the 68,000 sq ft co-working space at Here East on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Today it’s that and much more. As well its Stratford site being home to over 150 East London businesses, Plexal has evolved into an innovation and growth company working with some of the biggest government departments and global technology firms to deliver on their goals for change and progress.
An evolution
When Plexal began in July 2017, it was a key part of the regeneration of the London 2012 Olympic Games legacy. A co-working space that aimed to support startups and local businesses, acting as a catalyst for collaboration – between Plexal members and the wider Here East community.
Stepping beyond the physical coworking space model, Plexal now operates across three locations – London, Cheltenham and Manchester – with a team of over 100 people. They’re collectively creating workspaces for innovators, running innovation programmes and consultancy, building regional growth and helping SMEs scale strategically.
Today, Plexal is a global innovation company, delivering projects for some of the most influential government departments like the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, HMGCC and the National Cyber Security Centre and world-renowned organisations including Amazon Web Services, Airbus Defence and Space, Google Cloud, Transport for London and more.
Government-led innovation
Plexal describes its approach to innovation as government-led. It intimately understands the objectives of government and policymakers and is helping to strengthen the UK’s technology capabilities through collaboration.
In keeping with this, the company works closely with government, industry, startups and academia to drive economic growth and reinforce national security as a collective.
By closing the gap between early-stage and established organisations – across the public and private sectors at home and abroad – Plexal has impacted over 1,200 businesses, added £731m to the UK economy and helped create 9,400 jobs. As societal, political and economic needs continue to evolve, so too does Plexal. It remains engaged with its past but, crucially, is focused on the future and the positive role that innovation and technology will play in supporting global change.
Plexal, an innovation company and coworking space that supercharges collaboration
Responsible Investor
Plexal is committed to integrating ESG best practice into all its business activities. For example, Plexal champion equality, launching their Community Respect Charter in 2021, and delivering unconscious bias training and events supporting founders, women in business and LGBTQ+ members. As a delivery partner for the East London Inclusive Enterprise Zone (ELIEZ), Plexal Stratford is now also accessible for people with a range of seen and unseen disabilities and is shaping the future of inclusive innovation. Plexal and Disability Rights UK, together with Sport England, host events to showcase the growing evidence base of Disability Rights UK’s Get Yourself Active programme.
In addition, Plexal employees are offered one paid volunteering day each year and support their co-working community of over 800 members. One member in particular, BADU sports, is supported with the space and resources needed to help them deliver for their community. Plexal has played a pivotal role in providing BADU with the space and resources needed to them to deliver to their community. During the pandemic, Plexal provided students a quiet study space for those whose home environment was not conducive to remote learning.
Plexal is also the innovation partner for the National Cyber Security Centre, and has helped 72 cyber startups raise over £200m in investment.
Related supported organisations
- East End Community Foundation
- BADU Sports
- National Portrait Gallery Schools & Hospitals Programme