Canopy logo


A sustainable workspace for impact-focused enterprises to collaborate and thrive.  



This project is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund


The Canopy is a community of impact-led startups, entrepreneurs and small businesses accelerating solutions to global sustainability challenges.

Part of the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), the Canopy provides workspace, support, and access to knowledge and networks for you to collaborate, connect and thrive.

This is a new home for sustainability innovation. Where ideas are built, radical collaboration happens, and no two days are the same.

This is your Canopy.

COMMUNITY

Join our community of sustainability innovators and entrepreneurs

Sustainable innovation is a collaborative effort, and together we are greater than the sum of our parts. By joining the Canopy you will become part of a supportive community of impact-focused professionals, building enterprises, changing minds, solving problems.

This is a place where like-minded entrepreneurs can ideate and join forces with academics, Fellows, corporates, financiers and innovators from other disciplines.

Located within the Cambridge innovation cluster, Canopy members can connect with CISL’s 140 staff working on sustainability leadership initiatives with international leaders in business, government and finance.  You’ll also join CISL’s established network of 30,000 sustainability leaders representing every industry on every continent.

The Canopy will help you build meaningful relationships to improve and accelerate your business journey – and ultimately your IMPACT.

WORKSPACE

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Sustainable workspace for sustainable businesses

Housed with CISL’s staff in the ultra-sustainable Entopia building in central Cambridge, the Canopy provides newly renovated workspace for startups, small businesses and entrepreneurs looking for a progressive, inspiring and collaborative place to work. Members have access to: 

  • A full events programme and support
  • Dedicated desk or hot desks
  • Breakout space and collaboration areas
  • Bookable meeting rooms
  • Top floor boardroom for those meetings when you need to impress
  • A roof terrace with 360 views across the city
  • A building that matches your values when it comes to sustainable performance and design
  • Great coffee, secure WiFi, event space and much more. 


 
The Entopia building - a building designed for connections
 
The Canopy is housed within CISL’s HQ, the Entopia building. As an ultra sustainable-retrofit, we have transformed the former Cambridge telephone exchange into an exemplar of sustainable building design, that puts wellbeing front and centre. The building sets new standards across embodied carbon, and application of circular economy principles whilst meeting multiple sustainability standards.  
 
The Entopia building is located in the heart of Cambridge city centre among Cambridge University colleges, and a 5 minute cycle from the main city station.
 
Inside, we’ve created a space in which you’ll want to spend time. The interior has been carefully curated, applying circular economy principles and showcasing innovative biobased materials.
 
Achieving the highest possible sustainability standards, including BREEAM Outstanding, the Passivhaus 'EnerPHit' standard, and the WELL Gold certification – this is a building that lives and breathes innovations in sustainability.

EVENTS

Grow your impact

Canopy members have access to a dynamic range of events and mentoring to support  business development, impact potential, and personal growth. Responsively designed to nurture our community, the Canopy will run weekly events, drop-ins and workshops covering topics including personal resilience, innovation showrooms, sustainability insights and business essentials workshops on topics such as finance and storytelling.

Pitch days and demo days will put your ideas directly in front of CISL’s network of corporate and finance partners.
 
Canopy members can apply to join CISL’s Canopy Accelerator programmes delivered in partnership with corporates partners and philanthropic funders. Delivered across a breadth of sustainability impact themes, our Accelerator Programmes take a select cohort of disruptive innovators through a programme of business and personal development, helping you to strengthen your business proposition and deliver your full impact potential.

Whilst each Accelerator Programme is designed around a specific impact area or sector to target and support a coherent cohort, we aim to address the breadth of sustainability impact areas, from net zero and circular economy disruptors – to women in sustainability innovation.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Canopy is for entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses that meet our membership criteria for impact-led sustainable business. You’ll contribute to the community, as well benefit. When we all contribute, we all gain.
 
Our full time, flexi and virtual membership packages give you the flexibility to get what you need from being part of the Canopy Community, wherever you are in the world.

ACCELERATE

Sustainability innovators and entrepreneurs

Individuals and teams working on early-stage ideas and enterprises with the potential to tackle global sustainability challenges at scale.

THRIVE

Established
small businesses

Established and more mature enterprises with a high level of commitment to sustainability in their value-creation model.

CONNECT

Freelancers and independent consultants

Those working in support services who focus on the ‘sustainability sector’ or on improving sustainability in organisations.