London’s bootcamp for fin tech start-ups

AERL members paid a visit to Level39 Europe’s largest technology accelerator space, for finance, cyber-security, retail and smart-city technology companies.

The head of Level39 (and former marine) Ben Braybn explained how Level39 puts start-ups through their paces, focusing not on building billion-dollar companies, but creating solutions to billion-dollar problems.

Outlining the eco-system at Level39, Braybn said start-ups located in Canary Wharf were a stone’s throw away from 30% of the world’s IT budget owners. They had access to mentors, investors and global financial institutions.

Start-ups wanting to join, need to demonstrate that they have a viable, scalable product and have the means to pay the rent. Level39 does not operate an equity model as other tech incubators do, but acts more as a landlord.

With 80,000 square feet, the infrastructure is there for successful start-ups to scale up.

Level39 has 900 members, 180 start-ups, representing 40 nationalities. The focus is on internationalisation which is why it receives more than 100 delegations annually and has international partners such as Innovation Norway.

Economic attachés were interested to learn more about how their investment or innovation agencies could become a partner of Level39.

Photo: Ben Braybn of Level39 and AERL Chair Nicholas Niggli