This week we sit down with Samantha Woods, Director of Technology, Media and Telecoms for UK Corporate Banking at Barclays, to explore how Eagle Labs and innovation banking are lighting the way for startups, scale-ups, and the entire local ecosystem.

“Banking for all its pretense and purpose is moving money, receiving money, sending money… What I really want to do is enable my clients to do that in the least stressed way possible.”

Key takeaways from the episode:

• Finding your niche matters – Sam emphasizes making your passion visible and building the right advocates, whether you’re a founder or growing your career.

• Eagle Labs as a community engine – Since 2015, Barclays’ Labs have grown to 43 UK locations, offering workspaces, mentorship, and sector-focused hubs. Cambridge is now a national climate tech hub.

• Support at every stage – From online Founders’ Academy courses to accelerators for female and black founders, and sector-specific programmes, Labs help startups go from idea to IPO.

• Demo Directory & investor visibility – A platform where startups pitch directly to investors, turning ideas into funding opportunities.

• Facing the funding gap – Sam highlights the UK’s scale-up challenge: strong innovation but limited domestic growth capital, especially compared to the US.

• Sustainable innovation in action – Cambridge Eagle Lab itself is a retrofitted, solar-powered space demonstrating the kind of climate tech solutions it supports.

For anyone building, scaling, or funding a tech business in Cambridge, this episode offers both practical insight and a sense of community momentum.

Produced by Cambridge TV

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