Gymshark launches tech incubator with Innovation Birmingham

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Mar 15, 2019

Fast-growing sportswear brand Gymshark has partnered with Innovation Birmingham to speed up the growth and success of emerging digital tech businesses through an incubator programme.

The gymwear brand’s #LiftYourBusiness programme will offer digital tech SMEs innovating in the West Midlands access to free co-working space at Innovation Birmingham’s iCentrum building as well as regular support and guidance from members of the Gymshark team.

It builds on the first #LiftYourBusiness campaign to provide businesses with the opportunity to access Gymshark’s global network and learn from the expertise of a brand that ships to over 180 countries across the world. The inaugural programme launched in August 2018 and supported eight SMEs.

Ads

Adam Harrison, head of special projects at Gymshark commented: “We’ve been extremely encouraged by the partnership with Innovation Birmingham, and it’s enabled us to give something back to the area that we call home. High levels of interest were shown for the first programme and over the last six months we’ve highlighted why there was such competition for places.

“We’ve been working with eight digital technology businesses all operating in a variety of different sectors, from workplace wellness, clean energy and fitness testing to mobile apps and performance coaching. Bringing the region’s brightest innovators together in one place has highlighted the collaborative commercial and social relationships that this can trigger.”

Gymshark has quickly become the go-to brand for many fitness enthusiasts, gaining a cult status for its pastel hues and reasonably priced performance leggins. Celebrities including Emma Roberts, Chanel Iman, and countless social media influencers have helped it become a social media phenomenon, helping it become the one of the UK’s fastest-growing companies in 2016.

“In the six months that we’ve been working with Gymshark we’ve seen first-hand how a partnership between an innovation specialist and a sector leader can result in fantastic opportunities for SMEs,” commented Katharine Fuller, head of business support at Innovation Birmingham.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming the new cohort of businesses and supporting them with disrupting markets, raising investment, recruiting, growing and succeeding in the tech landscape.”