First Pearson, now Google sponsors London's TechHub for startups

Google has now joined global publisher Pearson to become one of the first founding sponsors of TechHub, a new co-working space and innovation centre for technology start-up companies in central London. The space has a launch party on Friday and officially opens on Monday 12 July.

It would appear Pearson came on board to tap into startup talent, but for Google the TechHub project is clearly of interest as a way to enliven the developer scene. Google’s Reto Meier, Android developer advocate, says Google is supporting TechHub’s aim to provide developers and budding tech entrepreneurs with “an affordable, buzzing and creative working environment.” It can’t hurt that TechHub will play host to developer meetups and there are plans for a device room / hackspace with lots of goodies in it.

TechHub launches next week on July 12 and has finally revealed its location: the ground floor of 76-80 City Rd, 10 seconds from the Old Street Tube station, here, slap bang in London’s “Silicon Roundabout” cluster of tech companies.

TechHub may just be what a few continental European entrepreneurs have been looking for. At least 20-30% of seed and venture capital spent in Europe comes out of London and plenty of European startups prefer to register as companies in the UK. But London itself is an expensive place for a startup to get an office or have some kind of footprint. So TechHub (@TechHub on Twitter) may help solve this problem with a mixture of flexible “drop-in co-working” for members at £300 per year and permanent deskspace for £275 per month.

Started by entrepreneur Elizabeth Varley (CEO) and TechCrunch Europe editor Mike Butcher (director of strategy), it’s been building momentum for the last few months. So, we’re glad that Mike’s banging on about it for the couple of years is finally leading to some results.

There are of course other shared office facilities in London, but TechHub’s focus on the flexible/mobile tech community appears to be laser-like – with an uncontended fibre 100 mbs up/down leased line, device room, space for conference-style events, meeting rooms and full-time hosts to book cabs and hotels etc. for visitors.