On 12 June, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, launched a £1.6m clean technology incubator at London’s Tech Week.

The incubator, known as “Better Futures“, aims to provide funding and other technical and business support to over 100 technology start-ups in London which focus on clean technology innovation, low-carbon solutions and combatting the problem of climate change. It is hoped that the incubator will spur on the creation of a clean technology hub in London.

The incubator is being funded by the European Regional Development Fund and is a collaboration between the Mayor of London, Imperial College London, Imperial College London Consultants, OPDC (Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation) and Sustainable Bridges C.I.C.

Indeed, as part of the incubator package, some qualifying start-ups will be given the opportunity to pursue their research at Imperial College’s Centre for Cleantech Innovation.

In addition to launching the Better Futures incubator, the London Mayor also announced his desire to transform London in the world’s leading smart city. According to a recent report by IESE Centre for Globalisation and Strategy, London is already Europe’s leading smart city, and is second only to New York in the global rankings. The Mayor was quoted as saying: “The potential for cutting-edge technology to tackle a host of social, economic and environmental challenges is immeasurable.  From air pollution and climate change to housing and transport, new technologies and data science will be at the heart of the long-term solutions to urban challenges.”

Initiatives such as the incubator and the drive to make London the world’s leading smart city are crucial at this time as London begins to find a role for itself in a new, post-Brexit role. More of the same, please, Mr Khan!