Tech City UK
 Tech City UK logo | |
| Formation | 2010 |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-profit |
| Purpose | Technology |
| Headquarters | Runway East |
| Location |
|
CEO | Gerard Grech |
| Website | techcityuk.com |
Tech City UK is a government-funded, non-profit organisation whose mission is to accelerate the growth of technology companies across the United Kingdom. Tech City UK aims to achieve this through a combination of targeted programmes, policy convening, effective promotion, and thought leadership.
Tech City UK was originally launched in 2010 in Shoreditch by UK Prime Minister David Cameron to support the East London tech cluster known as London Tech City or Silicon Roundabout [1]
History
Tech City UK began life in Shoreditch in 2010 when the UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced government funding to help tech companies grow, with a long term view of London becoming a strong competitor to Silicon Valley. It has since expanded its remit to support digital businesses across the UK.
Since its inception, Tech City UK has helped countless start-ups and digital businesses all over the country. With the UK digital industry growing 32 percent faster than the wider economy and bringing in over £161 billion[2] Tech City UK continues to be a champion of tech companies and digital SMEs.
Tech City UK receives public funding from the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media & Sport, which covers its programmes, policy informing and championing work. The funding amount for 2016-17 is £2.1million. Tech City UK compliments this funding with a small amount of funding through sponsorship.
Programmes, Publications and Support
Tech City UK currently offers the following programmes, publications and support
Future Fifty
The Future Fifty programme helps to accelerate the growth of a selected group of exciting, growth-stage UK-based digital companies by facilitating access to Government and its support mechanisms and fostering an environment in which companies can continue their growth in the UK, building links to London’s institutional investor base and capital markets. According to figures released during London Technology Week in 2015, companies that are part of the Future Fifty Programme increased their staff numbers at more than six times the national average. The companies, including Moo.com, Deliveroo, Huddle, eToro and Transferwise, increased their workforce by an average of 30% from June 2014 to 2015, while the national average is 5.4%.[3]
Companies in the Future Fifty programme raised £470m in the first nine months of 2015.[4]
Upscale
In 2016, Tech City UK launched Upscale, a 6 month pilot programme which provides some of the fastest growing UK tech companies with world class advice from successful entrepreneurs and operators who have built and sold their own businesses. The start-ups, which must have turned over £1m or have raised significant capital, benefit from a series of workshops with topics including how to manage your board and how to expand internationally.
The first cohort includes companies such as Appear Here, an online provider of short term retail space, Sam Lams, a company that creates IoT kits and Lingvist, and adaptive learning language platform. Mentors contributing their time and expertise to the programme include Unruly co-founder Sarah Wood, Skype co-founder Niklas Zennstrom and Local Globe partner Saul Klein.[5]
Digital Business Academy
In 2014, Tech City UK partnered with UCL to create The Digital Business Academy. The Digital Business Academy is a free, online learning platform that gives learners the skills they need to start, grow or join a digital business. It is the first government-funded initiative of its kind, created with a view to help close the digital skills gap that exists in the UK. Users can take courses created by Cambridge Judge Business School, UCL, Founder Centric and Valuable Content. Courses include How to set up a digital business, How to use social media for business and Run a digital marketing campaign, among others.[6]
Tech Nation Visa Scheme
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Tech Nation Report
In February 2015, Tech City UK launched 'Tech Nation: Powering the Digital Economy', the first comprehensive analysis of the clusters powering the UK's digital economy. The report delved into 21 cities right across the UK and uncovered some of the incredible growth from outside London. Tech Nation 2015 found 1.46m people employed in digital technology companies, a figure predicted to grow by 5.4% by 2020.[7]
The following year, Tech City UK launched 'Tech Nation 2016: Transforming UK Industries', this time focusing on the impact of the digital tech economy and its impact on traditionally non-digital industries. Tech Nation 2016 found that the digital tech industries saw £161bn turnover in 2014 and grew 32% faster than the rest of the economy between 2010-2014.[8]
Management
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References
- ↑ "PM announces East London 'tech city'". Gov.uk. 10 Downing Street. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
- ↑ Burn-Callander, Rebecca (11 February 2016). "UK's digital industries growing 32pc faster than wider economy". Retrieved 26 April 2016.
- ↑ Styles, Kirsty (19 June 2015). "Tech City’s Future Fifty are creating jobs at six times national average". Tech City News. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
- ↑ Morrison, Caitlin (21 October 2015). "Digital firms in Tech City UK's Future Fifty raise £470m as international expansion increases". City A.M. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
- ↑ Burn-Callander, Rebecca. "Skype founder on speed dial for start-ups as part of new Tech City initiative.". The Telegraph. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
- ↑ Woods, Ben. "Tech City UK launches government-funded online learning platform for digital and business skills". The Next Web. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
- ↑ "Tech Nation marks UK-wide growth". Tech City Insider. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
- ↑ Hellier, David. "Digital tech employees are offered 36% higher wage than UK average". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
External links
Coordinates: 51°30′59″N 0°06′31″W / 51.516525°N 0.108623°W