Vilnius will join six other leading cities around the world that have a Rise start-up hub – London, Manchester, New York, Cape Town, Tel Aviv and Mumbai.
“With the Rise project we strive to combine the most innovative global ecosystems and to promote innovation, especially in the financial services field. We are pleased to include Lithuanian start-ups and tap their skills and knowledge,” said Lubaina Manji, the head of Barclays group innovation department and the Rise Network Manager.
The Rise Vilnius hub will gather global mentors for young entrepreneurs, organise hackathons and workshops and events. Rise Vilnius will also offer financial technology companies and start-ups spaces for work, meetings, events and direct broadcasts. The new 550 square metre space will be opened in the city centre – Gynėjų street, as part of Vilniaus vartai complex owned by the company INVL Baltic Real Estate.
“Lithuania is one of the fastest growing economies in Europe. In recent years in particular, there has been a fast start-up ecosystem growth. Vilnius is a lively and welcoming space for them to thrive – the city offers start-ups an advanced IT infrastructure and a lot of opportunities,” said Mariano Andrade Gonzalez, the acting head of Barclays’ operations centre in Lithuania.
“For many years Barclays has been one of the country’s largest employers, and the opening of the Rise Vilnius will further deepen and strengthen our commitment to the country. We aim for Rise Vilnius to become a gateway to the world for Lithuanian startups,” he said.
Members of the community will be able to participate in the international network of programs, to present their ideas in any other Rise urban community or to investors, and access a global network of mentors. Membership will also allow physical access to Rise hubs in any other city.
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