Venture Creator Programme

Accelerating the path to Net Zero

Our Venture Creator Programme is for London-based businesses looking to scale their innovation technology which will tackle the climate crisis.  This programme will teach you the core technical and business skills that’ll take you to the next level.

Challenge 03: Food Systems

Calling all London innovators, entrepreneurs, and change-makers! Are you passionate about building a healthier, more sustainable, and equitable food system for our city? Then the Food Systems challenge is for you.

We’re seeking bold, innovative solutions that address the pressing challenges facing London’s food landscape:

Food insecurity: Rising costs and unequal access are leaving too many Londoners behind. We need your help to create a food system that nourishes everyone.

Unhealthy diets: Poor nutrition is a leading cause of preventable illness. Let’s work together to promote healthier choices that are accessible and culturally relevant for all.

Environmental impact: Our food system has a significant footprint. We need your sustainable solutions to reduce waste, protect our planet, and build resilience for the future.

What does the Venture Creator involve?

Venture Creator programme will be delivered in-person over 8-weeks at Plexal HQ in Stratford, east London. Each week there will be a half day workshop with content aimed at challenging and improving your solution. The workshops are designed to help you answer critical questions that will ensure the success of your testbed, including:

• Local challenge validation: who do I need to speak with to develop a detailed understanding of the local context for this challenge?
• Solution-fit: how does my existing solution fit this local context? What requirements are needed and are iterations necessary?
• Partnerships and testbed sites: Where will I test this solution? What other local partners need to be involved to make this a success?
• Testbed operations: What health and safety, permits, licenses or planning permissions do I need to gain?
• Measuring impact: What impact will my solution have on east London, and how do I measure it?

Throughout the programme Plexal, SHIFT, and partners will provide mentorship and connections to relevant local stakeholders to unlock new opportunities for your business in east London.

A clear project owner should be nominated from your organisation to attend each week’s half day workshop in-person, however other colleagues are welcome to join these as well. Your wider business will also have the opportunity to engage with the programme through a series of online sessions that bring together wider groups to share learnings and opportunities.

Plexal will also offer innovation facilities for the duration of the programme, including up to 2 hot desks for each company to use, affording cohort members the opportunity to co-locate in east London with close access to local partners, testbed sites, and the support team at Plexal team.

Challenge 01: Natural Cities

Meet our first cohort

Challenge 02: Sustainable Structures

This challenge was an urgent call out to all of the London innovators working to reimagine buildings and energy systems for a net zero future.

East London is one of the fastest changing urban locations in the UK and presents the ideal opportunity to demonstrate solutions that make urban areas more sustainable. By reshaping our skyline for a more resilient future here, we can set the standard for resilient cities worldwide.

We looked for bold, systemic responses that consider the complexity of how different aspects of our built environment connect and interact, by targeting SMEs working on a solution that addresses one or both of our challenge areas.

Meet our second cohort