I've written previously about the increasing attractiveness of London to talented people from around the world and the various factors that go into making the city such an attractive base are fundamental to making Britain such a supportive environment for innovation.
It's perhaps not surprising therefore that RocketSpace, the Silicon Valley based co-working pioneer, is setting up its first overseas campus in London's knowledge quarter.
The facility, which is located near Angel tube station, will have space for around 1,500 people and is due to open in 2017. It will offer members a range of facilities, including the usual cafe, super-fast web connection and event space.
Arguably more important than the facilities however are the social activities hosted at the venue, whether it's the ability to rub shoulders with your peers or receive expert mentoring and support via workshops.
"London's tech community continues to rapidly expand and drive innovation," said RocketSpace Founder and CEO Duncan Logan. "Creating a physical presence here is critical to our expansion strategy and mission to build an ecosystem for innovation to thrive, across a global network of campuses. We are very excited about working with London's tech entrepreneurs, who are creating some of the most disruptive technologies of the future."
The campus will be housed in Regents House, which is currently occupied by The Royal Bank of Scotland, who are a major partner in the project.
"It's a real testament to the UK's thriving tech community that a pioneering company like Rocketspace has chosen the UK as their first office outside of the U.S.," said Simon McNamara, Chief Administrative Officer for RBS. "We recognize that the technology industry will be a key growth area for the UK in the coming years so we are delighted to play a part in helping RocketSpace locate here, as we aim to build stronger links with innovative startups."
A key goal for the facility is to help the startups expand overseas, which is a major aspect of the scale-up agenda that is such a key part of UKTI policy. The new co-working space will support this by providing access to a number of multinational companies, including Lufthansa Cargo and Schneider Electric.
It will also hopefully prove a valuable addition to the already thriving Knowledge Quarter ecosystem that is home to a rapidly expanding network of corporate, academic and government expertise.