Here East

What Here East does

Here East is a privately held 1.2 million sq ft mixed-use innovation and creative campus operator headquartered at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Hackney, East London. The asset was created through a £120m privately funded regeneration of the former 2012 Olympic Media Centre, completed in 2014 by Delancey and the London Legacy Development Corporation, and today accommodates over 30 tenant organisations and approximately 6,500 people working and studying on site. The campus is anchored by the 661,000 sq ft Broadcast Centre and the 227,200 sq ft Press Centre, supplemented by The Gantry (21 creative studios built using WikiHouse open-source construction technology), Plexal (a 68,000+ sq ft innovation hub housing 800+ members and described as Europe's largest innovation ecosystem), and a Canalside retail and leisure cluster.

The company's core technology is the campus itself rather than software. Notable technical components include The Gantry — the world's largest WikiHouse build, engineered with Hawkins\Brown, Architecture 00, WikiHouse, Paragon and Momentum Engineering using machine-milled, flatpack, slot-together construction lifted into position on the Broadcast Centre's exterior — and the Plexal 'mini-city' design with a town hall, makers lab, events stage, high street, central park and library. The campus is supported by an electric shuttle bus to Stratford transport connections (Elizabeth Line, Underground, Overground, HS1) running every 10 minutes.

The business model is asset-based recurring revenue: commercial office lettings (Press Centre and Broadcast Centre, with units up to 70,032 sq ft) are managed via appointed agents Knight Frank and Cushman & Wakefield; retail and leisure lettings on the Canalside are managed via CF Commercial; Plexal generates membership and innovation programme fees directly; and event spaces (The Yard, The Undercroft, Canalside, Plexal Centre Stage) are hired for community, corporate and cultural events. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Customer segments span universities (UCL, Loughborough, Staffordshire, Teesside, NABA, LMA), enterprise tenants (Sports Interactive, Ford Mobility, APL Logistics, Quadient, Barratt London, Scope, Hawk London), creative and cultural institutions (V&A East Storehouse, Studio Wayne McGregor), startups and scaleups via Plexal, and a long-tail of independent retail and F&B operators. Marketing is community- and ecosystem-led, centred on the 'Visionary' podcast, the 'It all starts Here' and 'London Calling' (SXSW Austin) event programmes, and PR handled by Seven Hills.

Name

Here East

Legal name

Here East

Website

https://hereeast.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Here East operates a 1.2 million sq ft mixed-use innovation and creative campus at London's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, housing 30+ organisations — including Plexal, Sports Interactive, UCL, and the V&A East Storehouse — and serving universities, enterprises, cultural institutions, startups, and retail operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mixed-Use Creative & Innovation Campus

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Event Setup, Moves/Adds/Changes (MAC) & Space Turnover Services (EDAEAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

University & Educational Venue Operations (Auditoriums, Campus Arenas) (MPAGALAI), Fairgrounds & Expo Parks (THAHAAAH)

Keywords

• Flexible workspace leasing
• Commercial property lettings
• Innovation campus
• Creative studio rentals
• Event venue hire

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Commercial Space Lettings: Here East leases flexible office and workspace to businesses, entrepreneurs, and institutions. The Press Centre (227,200 sq ft total) and Broadcast Centre (661,000 sq ft total) provide commercial lettings managed via Knight Frank and Cushman & Wakefield. Spaces range up to 70,032 sq ft per unit.
2. Retail & Leisure Space Lettings: Here East generates rental income from retail, food & beverage, fitness, and leisure operators located on the Canalside and throughout the campus. Retail lettings are managed via CF Commercial.
3. Plexal Innovation Centre Memberships: Plexal, the largest innovation ecosystem in Europe, generates revenue from membership fees charged to startups, early-stage companies, and innovation programmes operating within its 68,000+ sq ft facility.
4. Event Space Hire: Here East monetises its event spaces — The Yard, The Undercroft, Canalside, and Plexal Centre Stage — by hosting third-party events ranging from community gatherings to corporate keynotes and cultural festivals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Here East operates a 1.2 million sq ft mixed-use creative and innovation campus at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Hackney, East London, providing flexible commercial workspace, creative studios, retail and leisure space, event venues, and the Plexal innovation hub to businesses, universities, cultural institutions, and retail operators. It monetises its campus through commercial and retail lettings, Plexal membership fees, and event space hire.

Product overview

Here East is a single unified campus offering - a 1.2 million sq ft creative and technology hub at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The portfolio consists of commercial workspace buildings (Press Centre, Broadcast Centre), the Plexal Innovation Centre (Europe's largest innovation ecosystem), The Gantry creative studios, event spaces (The Yard, The Undercroft, Canalside), and retail/dining amenities. The campus serves as a home for innovators, entrepreneurs, and creative businesses, with tenants ranging from technology companies to cultural institutions and universities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Plexal: The dedicated innovation hub at Here East, designed as a mini-city, housing start-ups, early-stage companies and innovation programmes. Described as the largest innovation ecosystem in Europe, spanning more than 68,000 sq ft.
• The Trampery on the Gantry

Products and services

• Here East Campus A 1.2 million sq ft flexible workspace campus at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Hackney, East London, offering commercial office spaces, innovation hubs, creative studios, event venues, and retail/restaurant areas. The campus houses over 6,500 people working and studying across multiple buildings.
• Press Centre A 227,200 sq ft building at Here East with 36,999 sq ft available flexible workspace, positioned between the Lee Navigation canal and The Yard, housing Plexal and Sports Interactive. Commercial lettings are managed via Knight Frank.
• Broadcast Centre The largest building at Here East covering 661,000 sq ft with 193,371 sq ft available, housing television studios, a dance studio, and flexible workspace for businesses and educators. Commercial lettings are managed via Cushman & Wakefield and Knight Frank.
• Plexal Innovation Centre The largest innovation ecosystem in Europe spanning more than 68,000 sq ft, designed as a mini-city for companies to accelerate innovation, featuring a town hall, cafes, makers lab, events stage, high street, central park, and library with over 800 members. Memberships are sold directly to startups, scaleups and innovation programmes.
• The Gantry (The Trampery on the Gantry) A creative hive of 21 individual studios for artists, designers, and craftspeople built using WikiHouse open-source technology, providing 10,000 square feet of low-cost studios for Hackney Wick's creative community. Each studio tells a story with cladding inspired by local Hackney heritage. Managed in partnership with The Trampery.
• Event Spaces Venues for hire including The Yard (vibrant courtyard for sport screenings and cultural festivals), The Undercroft (rainproof space for pop-ups and installations), and Canalside (waterside location for casual mingling and events). Contact via [email protected].
• Canalside Retail and Leisure A retail and leisure area along the Lee Navigation canal featuring independent cafes, restaurants, bars, fitness studios (FS8 Stratford, F45 Stratford), and entertainment venues (Four Quarters arcade bar). Spaces are leased to retail and hospitality operators via CF Commercial.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6,500+ people working and studying on campus
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers28 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• London & PartnersflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026London & Partners partnered with Here East for the third edition of 'London Calling' at SXSW Austin 2026. The event united London and Austin innovation ecosystems and was hosted at Hanghart, Austin. Here East CEO Gavin Poole noted: 'The transatlantic relationship between London and the United States is thriving.'
• Loughborough University LondonflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Loughborough University London co-hosted 'London Calling' at SXSW Austin 2026 alongside Here East and was a partner in the 'It all starts Here' event. Additionally, Loughborough University London partnered with UCL to create CELL (Creative Experience Lab London) housed at Here East — a physical research space for immersive creative experiences.
• UCL Creative Experience Lab London (CELL)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026UCL's Creative Experience Lab London (CELL), jointly led with Loughborough University London, is housed at Here East as a physical industry-first research space designed to prototype the next generation of immersive creative experiences — from reimagined museum spaces to radically new live performance formats.
• WiseflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Wise (digital multi-currency account provider) was a partner for 'London Calling' at SXSW Austin 2026, with Vinay Nilakantan, Head of Product (North America) Wise, speaking at the event on navigating global finances and exchange rates.
• Oury ClarkflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Oury Clark was a partner for 'London Calling' at SXSW Austin 2026, with Partner Jemma Hotta speaking at the event. Oury Clark also supported the 'It all starts Here' event at Here East.
• Texas HouseflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Texas House co-hosted the 'It all starts Here' event at Here East alongside Here East, Plexal, and LMA, and was a partner for 'London Calling' at SXSW Austin 2026. Texas House supports Texas-UK innovation exchange and international growth for UK businesses.
• The Loop — Circular Economy HubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Here East collaborates with The Loop — East London's first circular economy hub created by Hackney Wick & Fish Island Community Development Trust. The collaboration focuses on implementing circularity within the built environment, reducing waste, and benefiting the wider community. Key initiatives include the inaugural Sustainability Forum, textile upcycling workshops with FibreLab, plastic transformation into green walls with Are You Mad, and rooftop composting with Compost Collective.
• Synapse Virtual ProductionflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Synapse Virtual Production co-founded by Justin Diener was a speaker partner at 'London Calling' SXSW Austin 2026. Synapse discussed the future of live entertainment and next-gen live experiences alongside CELL at the event.
• The TramperycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2018The Trampery partnered with Here East to deliver 'The Trampery on the Gantry' — a creative studios initiative within The Gantry structure. The partnership provides 21 individual creative studios for artists, designers, and craftspeople, with 10,000 sq ft of low-cost studios offered to Hackney Wick's creative community. Charles Armstrong, Founder & CEO of The Trampery, stated: 'The Trampery on the Gantry demonstrates how innovative architectural techniques can bring this unique space to life.'
• Seven HillscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSeven Hills is Here East's communications and PR agency, handling all media enquiries. Contact: +44 (0)20 7199 2205 or [email protected]. They manage the Here East pressroom including fact sheets, photography, and logo assets.
• Hawkins\BrowncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHawkins\Brown is the award-winning architectural practice that designed The Gantry at Here East — the largest WikiHouse build in the world. Led by architect Jack Stewart, they scaled up existing WikiHouse technology to create 21 individual creative studios across two levels.
• WikiHousecoreTechnology or IntegrationWikiHouse is an open-source construction project (co-founded by Alastair Parvin) that provides the technology behind The Gantry at Here East. The Gantry is the largest WikiHouse build ever attempted at scale. Each studio pod is machine-milled, arrives in flatpack, slots together like a jigsaw, and is lifted into position. Clayton Prest serves as R&D Lead.
• Architecture 00coreTechnology or IntegrationArchitecture 00 (the practice behind WikiHouse) partnered with Here East and Hawkins\Brown to create The Gantry. Architect Ryan McLoughlin of Architecture 00 explains how WikiHouse technology combined with parametric coding tools made the ambitious project possible.
• London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLLDC is responsible for delivering the long-term planning, development, management, and maintenance of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. LLDC was instrumental in the post-Olympic regeneration that enabled Here East's transformation from the former Olympic Media Centre.
• ParagoncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerParagon is a specialist in the design, fit-out, and refurbishment of commercial interiors. Site Manager Alexandru Taciu from Paragon led the construction of The Gantry at Here East, the first WikiHouse build at this scale.
• Momentum EngineeringcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMomentum Engineering is a creative, award-winning civil and structural engineering practice that worked on The Gantry project, reuse of existing structures, and building within the unique space at Here East.
• Leisure TechniquecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLeisure Technique is a design and manufacturing company involved in The Gantry project at Here East.
• BADUflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSports Interactive at Here East has an existing partnership with BADU. As part of this partnership, Sports Interactive sponsors BADU's grassroots women's football team and invests in coaching development opportunities for women and girls in the local community.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Trampery: London innovation hub operator providing affordable workspace for startups, creatives and social enterprises. Comparable as an innovation-hub operator and Here East's own partner on The Gantry; overlapping mission around creative community workspace.
• White City Place (Stanhope): Innovation-focused mixed-use campus in West London housing universities (Imperial College), broadcasters (BBC), and creative/tech tenants. Directly comparable as a London innovation campus with education and creative tenants.
• Cambridge Science Park: Established UK innovation campus owned by Trinity College Cambridge, housing tech and life science companies in dedicated workspace. Comparable as a mature innovation-park operator, though focused on deep tech/life sciences rather than creative/cultural sectors.
• King's Cross Estate (Related Argent): Mixed-use London campus combining commercial offices, retail, education (UCL, Google, DeepMind) and cultural anchors in a single regeneration project. Closest comparable to Here East in terms of post-industrial London regeneration, mixed tenant mix (enterprise + education + retail), and ecosystem-driven positioning.
• Manchester Science Park: Manchester-based innovation campus housing tech and science startups and scaleups with strong university connections. Comparable as a UK innovation campus model with university-tenant mix, though smaller and regional rather than London.
• Station F (Paris): World's largest startup campus housed in a converted Paris freight station, operated by Xavier Niel's Iliad. Comparable as a single-venue, mega-scale innovation campus with membership/programme model similar to Plexal.
• MediaCity Salford: Post-event regeneration campus (BBC and ITV relocation from London) housing broadcast, digital and creative tenants. Comparable as a mixed-use media/creative campus built on a similar regeneration thesis, though in a regional UK city rather than London.

Emerging players

• Huckletree: London-based flexible workspace operator focused on tech, creative and impact-driven startups, with multiple locations. Comparable as a workspace operator targeting similar startup/creative customer segments, though at smaller scale and without Here East's anchor-tenant university model.

Broad incumbents

• Battersea Power Station: Major London mixed-use regeneration site combining retail, F&B, offices and residential around a listed former power station. Broader incumbent in London's mixed-use regeneration category — overlapping positioning (cultural destination, F&B mix, flexible workspace) but much larger residential and retail bias.

Regional players

• Stratford Cross (Lendlease / LCR / QIA): Major mixed-use development immediately adjacent to Here East in Stratford, including retail (Westfield), office space and cultural anchors. Operates in the same Stratford transport catchment, creating direct competition for tenants and visitors but on a larger commercial scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hereeast
• Facebookfacebook.com/hereeastlondon
• Instagraminstagram.com/hereeast

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Here East