I write about the NorthEast tech sector and help the startups within it. Recovering from a broken back and trying to walk again. Being the change I want to see.
Sep 23, 2020 • 11 tweets • 7 min read
💡🦾🖥️ Hey it's a NE tech thread! 💡🦾🖥️
People have asked which North East digital tech companies I mentioned on today's Digi Drive launch - firms across the region which have been innovating as a response to the pandemic. There are no doubt countless examples but here's a few:
Teesside 3D Visualisation, interactive digital media and digital consultation pioneers @Animmersion caught my eye in April when the team launched virtual, interactive events tech. businesscloud.co.uk/news/north-eas…
Sep 17, 2019 • 4 tweets • 3 min read
Exciting news coming out of @TechNation today. We're ecstatic to reveal applications are now OPEN for three of our leading growth programmes; Rising Stars, Upscale and Future Fifty.
Full details here: bit.ly/2lSXKze
So then, North East tech #startups! Are you looking for a huge boost in profile? Apply for @TechNation's ⭐⭐Rising Stars⭐⭐, which also gives you the opportunity to connect with top investors, corporates and influencers!
You might have seen a new study published yesterday looking at issues (e.g. health, crime, qualifications and economy) to determine the most deprived UK local authority areas. Long story short, Middlesbrough was named as the most deprived part of England. mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/e…
I'm a big believer in hegemony; the media undoubtedly has a direct&powerful influence on audiences. I don't know the mechanisms of this study but the reporting feels pretty irresponsible. There's a danger here that audiences, en masse, will assume Middlesbrough is without hope.
Sep 5, 2019 • 13 tweets • 5 min read
Good morning! We've just announced which companies will be on the next @TechNation#fintech programme. You can read about the programme in its entirety here. technation.io/news/fintech-c… In this thread I'll talk about what (IMO) it means for the North East specifically.
3 firms from the NE, the most of any region outside of London, will feature on this programme. We hope that the startups taking part will not only graduate the programme with a greater chance of survival but will be bolstered with the knowledge & connections they need to thrive.
May 14, 2019 • 9 tweets • 4 min read
Released today, the Tech Nation 2019 Report presents UK tech on the global stage. You can read the Report online here: technation.io/report2019/#in…. Happy to answer any questions you might have. Continue this thread for North East-specific insight (just my own personal takeaway).
The Report delves into UK tech scaleup activity. Newcastle stood as one of the top 20 UK cities for scaleup tech investment 2015-2018, with £148m of investment during the period. To put that into perspective, London led the way with £9bn and Cambridge was second with £583m. #gap
May 3, 2019 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
I got a call from a Senior BBC Producer yesterday talking about plans in the pipeline for a feature on digital tech in Middlesbrough. Call was mainly about data and quantifying cluster growth but we did get into case studies & anecdotes. This is where grassroots is so important.
We ended up talking about @refreshteesside for a good five minutes. Talking about the sentiment in the area and how things have changed from days of heavy industry to what new opportunities digital has brought. I mentioned the talk @easbynow gave exactly on this at Refresh.
Mar 11, 2019 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
I’m 27. My brother is 16. My dad is 53. We were discussing #northoftyne Mayor & devolution yesterday. The thing that struck me was my bro saying, ‘You’ve been talking about this for weeks but does any of it matter? Nothing will change.’ There’s an overwhelming sadness here.
While there’s an argument that potentially little can change due to the relatively small size of the deal (over 30 years) it worries me more how disfranchised and faithless many young people are when it comes to politics. This includes me and not just my younger teenage brother.
Feb 28, 2019 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
This is a really interesting data set, it's pleasing to see the NE enjoy growth across the board. It's always important that we celebrate our successes. Equally it's as important that we don't misquote or even misunderstand what we're being told here. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/upl…)
Between 2010 & 2017 the NE digital sector enjoyed 48.9% growth in GVA - the fastest-growing % increase of any UK cluster. That's great. However, it's only great for areas the data represents. This is often where we get confused (and often arrogantly self-serving) in the region.
Jan 23, 2019 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
If I had a pound for every time I hear or read that Newcastle is the fastest growing tech hub outside of London I'd be a very rich man. We need to stop saying this. It simply isn't true.
Between 2011 and 2016 Newcastle had more digital tech business births than any other cluster outside of LDN. 24% more than Manchester even. But it's not 2016 anymore. It's 2019. Things ground to a halt in 2017 when we were waiting for Jeremie2.
Jul 23, 2018 • 4 tweets • 3 min read
The future of #drone technology is one of the most topical issues in UK #tech right now, especially with Brexit looming & regulations being called into question. Responsibly-used, drones can play a huge role in helping to apply tech to help solve societal challenges.
This @nesta_uk report sheds a lot of light on the industry (yep, I'm geeking out). The UK has actually fallen behind internationally in this area of emerging tech, compared to the likes of (unsurprisingly) the U.S&China but also Switzerland&Singapore.
Jul 6, 2018 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
Super-impressed by Dr @hakim_yadi and Dr Lynne Corner of @NCLAgeing at the #NPHSummit. We’re always talking about what we can do to create new jobs, retain talent & attract investment.
It seems the next huge opportunity for the region will come from Innovative response to challenges brought about by #ageing.
