Minister Gemma Arias-Vasquez has announced the establishment of Gibraltar’s first Start-Up Hub to encourage and support young entrepreneurs in the early stages of their development.

A statement from the Government follows below:

The Minister for Health, Care and Business, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez MP, has announced the  establishment of Gibraltar’s first Start-Up Hub to encourage and support young entrepreneurs in  the early stages of their development. The announcement was made last night at the GFSB Annual  Dinner where the Minister delivered a keynote address. 

The new initiative to be created and operated by a new Charity is aimed at supporting the growth  of the local start-up community by offering accessible, low-cost working environments and access  to business guidance and Government services. 

The Start-Up Hub represents a meaningful step in supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs.  Designed to promote innovation and collaboration through a community-focused approach helping  start-ups turn their ideas into viable ventures. 

The first hub will launch shortly at Europort, through a generous collaboration with the Peter J.  Isola Foundation, which will fund the cost of the premises for the initial group of start-ups. In  recognition of this support, the hub will be named the Peter J. Isola Start-Up Hub. The internet  facilities are kindly being donated by U-mee and the security services are kindly donated by Focus  Security and El Martillo. 

The Peter J. Isola Start-Up Hub at Europort will provide co-working space to multiple start-ups,  selected by a referral panel following an application process hosted on the Office of Fair Trading’s  website. Participating partners will have use of the hub for up to 12 months, paying only a share of  service charges and utilities. 

Further details about the new charity, its governance, and future hub partnerships will be  announced in due course. 

For expressions of interest in supporting the Start-Up Hub network, landlords and prospective  partners are invited to contact the CEO of Business or the Ministry for Health, Care and Business  directly. 

CEO to Business and the OFT, John Paul Fa, said:“The Peter J Isola Start-Up Hub is a practical step  in advancing our strategic goal of business development. By giving new entrepreneurs access to  space, support, and community, we’re helping them turn ideas into real opportunities. We’re proud  to assist with this initiative and look forward to seeing it grow.”

The Minister for Business, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez, said: “I was very pleased to have made  this announcement last night at the GFSB annual dinner. This is a manifesto commitment which I  am proud to now be able to deliver on and it is indeed something that we have been lobbied for by  the GFSB for some time. We are committed to supporting entrepreneurship and creating the right  conditions for new businesses to grow. I am hopeful that this new charity will provide the structure  and flexibility to develop a network of start-up hubs across Gibraltar, in collaboration with the  private sector. 

“The Peter J. Isola Foundation has led the way by enabling the first hub at Europort, and we are very  grateful for their generosity. But this initiative is not limited to one location. We strongly encourage  other landlords with suitable premises who wish to support local enterprise to come forward and  partner with the charity.” 

For more information or to apply for space in the Peter J. Isola Start-Up Hub, visit: https://oft.gov.gi/start-up-hub or email [email protected]