Long-Term Lease for Climate Tech Start-up Centre at the Lighthouse

A Glasgow City Council committee granted a 99 year lease to Sustainable Ventures for the use of the Lighthouse in Glasgow city centre as a location to help climate tech firms grow.  This long-term lease will bring new life to the council-owned building, which has not been in full productive use for several years.

 The Lighthouse, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in 1895, is an A Listed building formerly home to the Glasgow Herald and - from 1999 - Scotland’s Centre for Architecture, Design and the City.  A recent review of the Lighthouse failed to find a long-term, sustainable use of the building for council purposes. 

Sustainable Ventures is Europe’s leading growth partner for climate tech, empowering entrepreneurs through funding, expert services and a thriving community of peers and partners. To date, Sustainable Ventures has supported over 1000 climate tech startups to scale, generating 7,000+ green jobs and £1.2bn+ in funding. Their London and Manchester workspaces, central hubs for their business community, are currently home to over 170 climate tech businesses. Sustainable Ventures recent survey of climate tech founders as part of its forthcoming regional report indicates that hundreds of businesses across Scotland see a dedicated hub as a key catalyst for growth.

Scottish climate tech companies generate more than £15 billion annually for the economy, with most of these businesses located in the central belt; within two hours of the Glasgow City Region.  A key aim of the Lighthouse project is to secure private sector investment to transform the Lighthouse into a Net Zero Innovation Hub, becoming the go-to place for ‘Clean Tech’ companies in Scotland to start up, scale up and eventually outgrow the facility. 

The granting of the lease allows a long-term, sustainable use for The Lighthouse, with Sustainable Ventures committed to both investing in the building and maintaining public access. 

Councillor Ruairi Kelly, Convener for Built Heritage and Development at Glasgow City Council, said:

The granting of the lease for the Lighthouse for this exciting new purpose not only brings a much-loved Charles Rennie Mackintosh building back to full productive use, but also allows the creation of a space where innovation and investment in a growing sector will help drive the economy of Glasgow in the future. 

James Byrne, Partner, Sustainable Ventures said:

Glasgow’s Lighthouse is set to become the beating heart of Scotland’s climate tech ecosystem. We’re excited to partner with Glasgow City Council to transform this iconic building into a world-class hub - connecting entrepreneurs, investors, and industry to accelerate innovation and unlock the region’s economic potential. By supporting founders with funding, expert services, and a collaborative community, we anticipate The Lighthouse will help generate 5,000 inclusive jobs, support 500 companies and drive the transition to net zero, not just for Glasgow but right across Scotland. 

This is the second Mackintosh building - after the Martyrs’ School at Townhead - in Glasgow where a new and sustainable use for the property has been found this year.