Minister Gemma Arias-Vasquez yesterday hosted a showcase event at the Peter J. Isola Start-Up Hub at Europort.

A statement from the Government follows below:

The Minister for Health, Care and Business, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez, yesterday hosted a  showcase event at the Peter J. Isola Start-Up Hub at Europort, bringing together key partners  and supporters from Gibraltar’s business community for a first look at the fully fitted space. 

The hub was first announced earlier this year and is part of the Government’s manifesto  commitment to deliver a start-up hub offering accessible workspace and practical support for  new founders. 

Yesterday’s showcase event gathered representatives from the Peter J. Isola Foundation,  Europort, the Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce, the Gibraltar Federation of Small Businesses  (GFSB), Young Enterprise, and other supporting businesses, together with officials from HM  Government of Gibraltar. 

Located at Suite 842, Europort, the Peter J. Isola Start-Up Hub provides shared workspace for  entrepreneurs who are developing early-stage business ideas and are not yet ready to take on  dedicated premises. The Peter J. Isola Foundation has generously supported the project by  funding the rental cost, with internet services provided by U-mee and security support donated  by Focus Security and El Martillo. 

Following this second announcement period, the Department of Business will review interest  levels to determine the viability of taking the initiative forward. 

John Isola, the President of the Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce said: 

“The Chamber supports this initiative as encouraging start-ups is a key driver of future economic  growth. This is a welcome programme that helps new businesses cross the critical threshold  from idea to launch, providing much-needed support at an early stage.” 

Daniel Delgado, Vice-Chairperson of the Gibraltar Federation of Small Businesses said: 

“We are very happy to endorse this initiative. It is exactly the kind of practical support we like to  see as it encourages entrepreneurship, helps people turn ideas into businesses, and supports  start-ups at the point when they need it most. It is particularly valuable for younger  entrepreneurs.”

Sean Michael Federico, representing Young Enterprise Gibraltar said: 

“For Young Enterprise participants, this provides an ideal space to consider taking their ideas  forward. Many young teams struggle to find somewhere to operate once our programme ends,  and this initiative fills that gap. We hope it will help more teams develop their ideas into fully fledged businesses.” 

The Minister for Health, Care and Business, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez, said: 

“Since I announced this initiative earlier this year, the level of interest has not been what we had  anticipated. Yesterday’s showcase is therefore an opportunity to provide a visual representation  of what we are offering and, indeed, what we were campaigned to offer: a practical and  supportive space for people with start-up business ideas who simply need the right environment to take their first steps. I am very grateful to everyone who has helped make this possible and to  all our partners for continuing to support the development of Gibraltar’s start-up community.  We are mindful that there are already businesses offering these co-working spaces and  therefore, the hub will be limited to a maximum of 4 start-ups and a competitive pricing  structure that requires them to cover service charges, rates and utilities between them.” 

Further information about the Peter J. Isola Start-Up Hub, including how to express interest in  participating, is available at https://oft.gov.gi/start-up-hub or by emailing [email protected]