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NewcastleGateshead digital sector: Movement must follow Mapping

I’ve spent much of 2016 investigating growth in the North East’s digital sector and trust me, the passion, desire and ambition that exists in the industry has the potential to galvanise our region as a whole.

Here at Bdaily, we’ve always thrived on telling tech tales and I’m lucky that so much varying talent exists to keep our audience reading!

Despite the uniqueness that comes with each business’ identity, there’s a collective mindset that exists in the region.

I continue to witness an unfaltering determination, existing en masse, to really propel the North East into being a bigger and better force.

So much so that most companies - and this is regardless of their size - are willing to think outwardly and look at the greater good for the region.

How do we grow our businesses? How do we attract international clients? How can we keep top talent in the region? Who can we collaborate with? How can we promote the region, as a whole, to attract greater investment?

Such questions are warmly embraced and explored by many digital businesses in the North East and interestingly, I believe this appetite for further success is currently the strongest I’ve seen it in the past two years.

Growing the digital technology sector

Yesterday (11 October) I attended the ‘Mapping NewcastleGateshead’s Digital Sector’ event where this very concept of growing the region’s digital sector came to the fore.

In early 2016, Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council commissioned Auxin Associates to produce an analysis of the NewcastleGateshead digital sector, with emphasis of skills, business support, innovation, accommodation and infrastructure.

Yesterday’s get together, held at The Toffee Factory in Newcastle, provided Auxin with an opportunity to present the findings - and recommendations of the report - to the digital sector community.

You can read the report for yourself by clicking here.

I spent much of last night reading the analysis, and whilst undoubtedly well researched and very well put together, the findings would not surprise those well-versed in the region’s digital landscape.

And that’s by no means a discredit to the report, Auxin’s mapping of the region - collecting the views of tech leaders and consistent communication with the private sector - paints a true picture of what the North East’s digital sector looks like.

What interests me more, and most probably you reading this, is how the councils actually respond to not only the findings but the insatiable hunger of the digital community that has mounted of late.

Recommendations

Perhaps we need to consider the report’s recommendations to gauge how likely council action will be. And I must stress, the digital community does not expect cash-strapped councils to lead the charge in raising its profile worldwide, it simply asks for support.

A lot of what’s put forward lies with the views of Digital Union, the North East’s digital support network, and those already holding an understanding of the landscape.

Recommendations (some response can be view between pages 86 and 89 of the report):

• Make a very public and explicit statement of commitment and support for the sector, immediately followed up by action and resource
• Where the private sector takes the initiative, actively support their efforts to lead the sector, and encourage greater co-ordination amongst all active networks
• Efforts on investigating all opportunities for the public funding of new and refurbished tech focused buildings, and develop all possible means to encourage private investment in tech focused buildings
• Look at ways in which their existing and future incubator and small business facilities work together to develop a networked and collaborative culture
• Facilitate a joint discussion between educational institutions, the LEP, local networks and the private sector to ensure businesses needs are better met, and those leaving education are better prepared for work in the industry.
• Work alongside further education, higher education and privately-developed schemes to investigate options for code academies
• Investigate how to harness the enthusiasm from businesses to help, and working with existing private sector networks implement a structured support system
• Working with others, investigate how to deliver a focal point: a place where everyone and every business, initiative and organisation in the digital eco-system can go to find out who’s out there, what’s going on, and support available
• Work with appropriate organisations to encourage the development of funding to support a new proof of concept scheme, aimed at stimulating innovation and start-up activity
• Work with appropriate organisations to develop a finance team with strong and meaningful links to tech and investment centres such as London
• The councils should encourage the private sector, alongside appropriate partners, to lead creating a brand development plan that utilises ‘crowd sourcing’ and other innovative techniques to deliver a hugely effective campaign at a fraction of the conventional cost

Admittedly there’s quite a lot to take in there and I must confess when it comes to institutions in the region banding together for the greater good, an inevitable air of cynicism quickly amounts.

What I hope happens is that the current air of momentum is not lost. Digital Union has done exceptionally well in getting people together this year, focussing on collaboration. We’re seeing links between business and education continue to grow too.

What the digital community has is the attention of the councils, we now need to see action. Wouldn’t it be something to get behind if a strategic action plan for growth came out on the back of this?

Wouldn’t it be fantastic if the councils could say, ok we’ll do A, B and C but it’s up to you - the private sector - to do X, Y and Z? If jobs were dished out, so to speak, there are individuals and businesses who would jump at the chance to be involved.

What I hope we can capture here is the spirit that exists in the community, at present, to better itself. If the private sector continues to identify with itself and business collaboration grows, surely the collective voice will only strengthen.

Movement and action must follow mapping and analysis or else, dare I say it North East, what’s the point?

What are your thoughts? Do you see hope in the future of the North East’s digital sector? What practical steps should come next to propel momentum? How do we get the region fighting on the international stage as Greater Manchester does?

Share your thoughts with us below.

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