Description: Europe’s largest fintech‑/cyber/AI scale‑up hub, offering workspace, community, mentorship and ecosystem exposure in Canary Wharf. (Level39)
Commentary: Great for companies targeting financial services / fintech / cyber sectors. The premium location means cost might be higher, but proximity to major financial institutions gives strategic value.
2. Plexal (at Here East)
Postcode: E15 2GW (14 East Bay Lane, Here East campus) (Newham Council)
Description: An innovation centre and coworking hub focused on mobility, AI, cyber, health‑tech etc, located in the Hackney/Stratford Olympic Park area. (Plexal)
Commentary: More flexible than ultra‑premium city hubs; good for startups looking for space + innovation network in East London. The trade‑off is a slightly less central “prestige” location, though transport links are good.
3. Innovation Warehouse
Postcode: EC1A 9PT (1 East Poultry Avenue, Farringdon) (venuescanner.com)
Description: A coworking & incubation space for digital‑tech startups offering desks, mentoring, events in a central London cluster near Farringdon/Smithfield. (London Cleantech Cluster)
Commentary: Ideal for early stage software/tech startups wanting centrality and community. The scale is more modest (vs huge hubs) but can be more agile and cost‑friendly.
4. Founders Factory – London HQ
Postcode: (Address not specified in source) – London HQ. (foundersfactory.com)
Description: A venture studio + accelerator hybrid: builds & invests in startups, provides operational teams, network, and corporate partnerships for growth. (Financial Times)
Commentary: Excellent for founders wanting not only space, but structured acceleration and funding. The trade‑off: higher selectivity and more programmatic constraints.
Description: A specialist incubator for life‑sciences / biotech/value‑added research companies, offering laboratory and office facilities in central London. (companypartners.com)
Commentary: If your startup is biotech / med‑tech and requires lab infrastructure, this hub is tailored. However, such niche facilities often cost more and have more stringent requirements compared with generic coworking.
Description: A deep‑tech accelerator/incubator that selects individuals, helps form founding teams & build companies; focus on high‑potential early‑stage tech. (demo.topy.ai)
Commentary: Highly competitive, but very high leverage for top‑tier founders. Not as suited for more “traditional” startups looking just for desk space.
Description: A multi‑incubator campus in West London housing several innovation/tech hubs, labs and startups; a broader ecosystem rather than a single building.
Commentary: Good if you want to be part of a large ecosystem; less “one hub” identity, but the breadth of facilities is beneficial. Location west of central may affect commute depending on where you are.
Description: A community‑focused incubator supporting tech‑for‑good, social enterprise and early stage startups with flexible space, events and networking.
Commentary: Particularly suited for founders wanting social impact + tech; if your focus is purely commercial/scale‑up you might prefer more commercial‑hardtech hubs.
Description: A coworking/incubation space in the “Silicon Roundabout” area serving early‑stage tech/product companies, providing desk space, community & events.
Commentary: Good value and central in the heart of London’s startup cluster; the downside can be competition for space and that amenities may be more basic than premium hubs.
11. Imperial College Incubator
Postcode: W12 0BZ (80 Wood Lane, White City, London) (UKSPA)
Description: Offers office + laboratory space for early-stage science and tech companies. Includes lab benches, write‑up areas, fume hoods, etc. (UKSPA)
Commentary: Ideal for deep‑tech or life‑science startups needing wet labs and strong academic links. Less suited if you’re purely software and budget‑constrained.
Description: Flexible plug‑and‑play offices, coworking + incubator support for tech startups in East London. (The Office Providers ®)
Commentary: Offers a good balance of support + space for early‑stage ventures; East London location is attractive for startup ecosystem (Shoreditch/Stoke Newington area).
Description: Supports startups in digital products, AI/data, predictive analytics; provides incubation environment. (londoninnovationhub.com)
Commentary: Software/data‑led startups could benefit; check cost, community size and fit with your domain.
18. Digital Catapult
Postcode: Not specified in search result; UK‑based innovation agency for advanced digital technology. (Wikipedia)
Description: Works with startups, industry & academia to accelerate new/emerging tech adoption. (Wikipedia)
Commentary: Might be less of a traditional “space + desks” incubator and more of a programme/infrastructure partner; good if you’re building novel tech.
19. Tileyard
Postcode: Kings Cross, London (exact postcode not given) (Wikipedia)
Description: Creative & tech space, originally for music, but now includes AI, digital agencies, startups. (Wikipedia)
Commentary: Great fit if your startup overlaps tech + creative/media; less ideal if you need strict lab infrastructure.
20. Smart EA Incubator
Postcode: WC1X 0ND (2 Frederick Street, Kings Cross, London) (Smart Ea Incubator)
Description: Incubator providing support services, likely for early‑stage tech ventures. (Smart Ea Incubator)
Commentary: Location in Kings Cross is excellent for connectivity and startup ecosystem; good pick for early‑stage founder teams.
Key Takeaways & Commentary
Stage & sector fit matters: If you’re in deep tech, biotech or need lab space (e.g., I‑HUB, LBIC) you’ll need different infrastructure than a generic software startup (TechHub, Innovation Warehouse).
Location trade‑off: Central City vs East (Hackney/Stratford) vs West (White City) each have different costs, commute implications and ecosystem character.
Programme vs space‑only: Some hubs provide structured acceleration (Entrepreneur First, Founders Factory) while others are primarily workspace + community. Pick based on whether you want mentoring/funding or just a base.
Budget & cost: Premium hubs (Level39, Plexal) may command higher cost – evaluate value vs what you’ll use.
Community & network: Many hubs emphasise events, linkages to corporates/VCs. That network value can be as important as physical space.
Specialist vs general: Some hubs are niche (biotech, med‑tech, cyber) others general. Align your hub to your company’s domain.
Here are 10 of the top tech incubation / startup‑hub spaces in London (with postcodes, descriptions, and comments). I can dig up a further 10 to reach a “top 20” list if you like.
Comments & Insights
Many of these hubs are stage‑specific: some are for seed/early‑stage (coworking + desks + mentoring) and others for deep tech/lab‑heavy (Imperial) — choose based on your startup’s needs.
Location trade‑offs: Central/City hubs give prestige and investor proximity but often higher cost; East London (Shoreditch/Kings Cross) offers ecosystem + relatively lower cost; West (White City) may offer research infrastructure but commute might differ.
Facilities matter: If you need labs/wet‑tech, pick hubs like Imperial; if you’re building SaaS, fewer amenities may suffice.
Support vs space: Some hubs emphasise mentorship, investment, community; others are mostly workspace. The right balance depends on your startup needs.
Cost vs value: Premium hubs will cost more — ensure the benefits (network, support, facilities) align with your business stage and budget.
