Tech Nation Talks: What can the East of England offer scaleups?
1 min read
East of England
Discover events, stories and useful resources in your local tech cluster
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Our Entrepreneur Engagement Managers (EEMs) are helping to build a national network of ambitious tech entrepreneurs.
I’m Thea Goodluck, your EEM on the ground in the East of England.
This page is your directory to help you find the best resources available in the region.
Need something else? Email or tweet me for help with plugging into our UK-wide entrepreneur network, applying for Tech Nation’s growth programmes, and everything inbetween.
East of England in stats
For more stats on UK tech, discover Tech Nation report 2019
8.33Digital tech turnover (£bn)
19,090Digital tech business count
89,000Employment in digital tech
101Digital tech productivity per worker (£000s)
Also check out: Scotland | Yorkshire | North East | North West | Northern Ireland | Midlands | Wales | South West | South East | London
James Parton, MD, The Bradfield Centre
Opportunities?
For me, opportunities in Cambridge lie in strengthening collaboration. That applies at the city level, in encouraging the overlap in sectors like data science and biotech (for example). At a regional and national level there are initiatives like the Cambridge–Milton Keynes–Oxford Arc and the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor, internationally demonstrated by the growing Cambridge relationship with China.
Challenges?
When you have a truly world-class University in your city, talent is theoretically on your doorstep. However, the reality is that local startups and scaleups are in head-to-head competition with the likes of Google, Amazon, Facebook and other blue-chip organisations. We are trying to do our own small part to encourage entrepreneurial avenues as an alternative. Alongside the people problem, to avoid companies outgrowing the area as they scale, more work needs to be done around the cost of living and local transport infrastructure to support a commuter workforce.
John Fagan, CTO, Axon Vibe
Opportunities?
We have a highly connected, passionate and engaged tech, and creative community. And Norwich is a great place to work and live. Year-on-year, the city’s reputation is growing as a thriving tech cluster. We are attracting talent, but we need more. We continue to invest and grow our team in Norwich, as well as at our HQ and offices. We find that staff retention is very high in Norwich.
Challenges?
Talent acquisition is a slow burner. You can’t follow the standard playbook in terms of advertising positions, receiving applications/CVs and then interviewing – and the rest. We usually find good talent; it’s out there, but you need to be patient. You might often have to make opportunistic moves, even when you are not looking, and start longer-term relationships which might result in a hire further down the road. This is a challenge when you are a high-growth startup.
John Nicholson, CTO, IJYI
Opportunities?
The tech community in Ipswich is really thriving at the moment. There is a real buzz here which is being driven right from the grassroots by organisations such as Creative Computing Centre, who run technology skill sessions for eight-to-16-year-olds. There are a really committed group of people and organisations who are driving growth in the tech sector in our region, with small local events and meet-ups, networking groups and larger-scale industry events.
Challenges?
A challenge which we face here in Ipswich, and it’s one which is being played out across many areas of the country, is recruiting candidates with the right digital and tech skills. We’re delighted to hear about the new STEM centre which is planned for Bury St Edmunds and demonstrates the commitment to growing tech skills in our region. Also, like all organisations, the uncertainty of Brexit has had an effect on businesses within Ipswich and the wider region of East Anglia. We have a strong shipping and logistics sector in our region and these organisations are being particularly affected by the Brexit process.
- Prowler.io, a Tech Nation Upscale alumni, have raised $24m to support product expansion and growth. The now $100m-valued company, which first based itself out of a Barclays Eagle Labs in 2016, uses AI to help businesses and organisations make better decisions.
- The Bradfield Centre co-working space has gone from strength-to-strength and is now home to more than 80 tech scale up businesses, including six university spinouts. In addition to the provision of workspace, it offers service and support to accelerate the growth of resident and non-resident companies.
- WeWork announced plans to open its first coworking space in Cambridge. Adding to its spaces in London, Manchester and Edinburgh, the company’s new site will offer space for startups, mid-sized companies and major enterprises, in addition to freelancers.
- Cambridge-based startup Closed Loop Medicine emerged from stealth mode to raise £2.1m to expand its team in preparation of undergoing clinical trials with the NHS. The company combines proven drug treatments with digital therapeutics to treat and manage major health conditions such as sleep disturbance and hypertension.
- Start Codon, located in the heart of the Cambridge Cluster, was launched in April 2019 to provide a world-class life science accelerator. It offers significant funding and support to rapidly translate the most disruptive and innovative research into successful start-up companies.
- Invest East is a new investor-led investment readiness programme set up to support ambitious Norfolk businesses, helping them to understand (and prepare to raise) equity and other forms of finance.
- The EIRA programme involving both the University of East Anglia and Norwich University of the Arts, funded by Research England, provides businesses with easy-to-access, subsidised knowledge exchange through grants and vouchers across AI, digital creative and life sciences.
- Building on the New Anglia Digital Tech Skills Plan, City College Norwich has won £6.1m funding to be focussed on education, with workshops and IT facilities, enabling a number of digital courses to come together in a purpose-designed building. The project has been designed to enable students, apprentices and local SMEs to increase their digital capability.
- A new Norfolk & Suffolk IoT Innovation Network is enabling private, public and educational sector organisations and the public to explore, trial and implement IoT technology by sending and receiving low-power signals from digital sensors. Potential use-cases include flood and traffic management, and agritech.
- The Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor initiative, which links hi-tech hubs and like-minded businesses, has launched its ambassador programme
- BT has opened a commercial-grade quantum network link between Adastral Park and the Cambridge node of the UK Quantum Network (UKQN), heralding a milestone in the UK’s ability to test and develop quantum computing technologies.
- Invest East is a new investor-led investment readiness programme to support ambitious Suffolk businesses to understand and prepare to raise equity and other forms of finance.
- The EIRA programme involving both UEA and NUA, funded by Research England, provides businesses with easy to access, subsidised knowledge exchange through grants and vouchers across AI, digital creative and life sciences.
- The Scale Up NewAnglia programme addresses the needs of potential high-growth businesses in Norfolk with events and ongoing support.
- Building on the New Anglia digital tech skills plan. the joint BT/University of Suffolk Digital Skills & Innovation Accelerator has received £6.5m to establish of a new, nationally significant ICT research and training centre at Adastral Park, combining academic and industrial R&D capabilities, teaching and lifelong learning.
Joe Parry, founder and CEO, Cambridge Intelligence
About Cambridge Intelligence
Cambridge Intelligence builds data visualisation technologies that make the world a safer place. From law enforcement to cyber security and fraud detection, every day thousands of analysts rely on our technology to ‘join the dots’ in their data and uncover hidden threats.
Year founded
2011
Why Cambridge?
Cambridge produces strong engineers and has a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem of founders & suppliers. And the work/life balance is great, with people having only a short bicycle ride between work and home.
National and international focus
Although our HQ is in Cambridge and employs 40 people, we also have four staff in North America. We are a UK export success: the US is our largest single market with 50% of our total revenue – and we have customers in 30 other countries.
Dr Nigel Pitchford, CEO, Ieso Digital Health
About Ieso Digital Health
Ieso Digital Health is a digital therapeutics company whose mission it is to harness advanced technology and clinical science to develop new and better treatments for mental health conditions.
Year founded
2000
Investment raised
£18m
Why Cambridge?
The Cambridge ecosystem is unique. We are surrounded by the university, the great hospitals, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, as well as digital health and biotechnology companies, all working together towards a common goal of improving patient outcomes. We benefit from working with all of these organisations through formal collaborations and peer support and learning.
National and international focus
In the UK, Ieso is looking to strengthen its partnership with the NHS as it continues to deliver world-leading treatment for mental illness. In the US, we are working with a number of leading healthcare providers to improve access to treatment. Beyond the US, we are exploring how we can use our technology to improve access to mental healthcare for those markets that are less developed than the UK.
Sarah Mintey, founder and CEO, Developing Experts
About Developing Experts
Developing Experts has ambitious goals! We are committed to empowering teachers to teach specialist subjects with confidence and ease. Starting with science, Developing Experts is a complete curriculum solution for children aged four-to-14 years.
Why Norwich?
My co-founder and I both reside in Norwich so, although I am having to travel to London more frequently, we have an excellent talent pool to draw from through the University of East Anglia. The Local Enterprise Partnership has also invested in the company. As a result, we are committed to building a global company with Norwich as its HQ.
National and international focus
We have a number of major opportunities that we are currently working towards both in the UK and overseas, so we are having to maintain a balance and focus on both.
Neil Garner, founder and CEO, Thyngs
About Thyngs
Thyngs is a platform that enables businesses to enhance any of their physical marketing assets, transforming them into an instant point-of-sale via smartphones without need for an app. Customers include major charities, global brands and retailers.
Why Norwich?
The business was founded by people already based in Norwich and there is now an excellent local talent pool driven by many fast-growing local tech businesses. There is also a fantastic grassroots local meet-up and event scene, which culminates every year in a 54-Hour hackathon called SyncTheCity.
National and international focus
We are currently working with many UK businesses, while also working for many global brands. We also have sales presence in New York and Sydney, have manufacturing partnerships in China and expect increasing international business.
Nathan Berkley, CEO, Muhdo
About Muhdo
Muhdo is a genomics company and the first in the world to offer a true internal wellness epigenetic profiling programme direct to consumers, inspiring and supporting them to live healthier, happier and longer lives. Its vision is the mass personalisation of preventative and curative health through epigenetics, delivering a truly holistic and objective health and wellness programme.
Year founded
2017
Why Ipswich?
Ipswich has amazing links to London, and international Airports are within easy reach. The area is diverse with amazing countryside and beaches on its doorstep, making it a great place to work and live. We have found an amazing talent pool living here, who don’t want the pressure of working in a stressful city. Home/work balance is important to building a strong company competing on the international stage.
National and international focus
We are a multinational business with a strong presence in Asia and Europe.
Latest news from the region
Meetups & networks
Research shows that collaborative tech ecosystems with bustling meetup scenes are more likely to thrive. As a founder, making the effort to get out to meetups and network events can lead to serendipitous encounters with people in the community who can give your business a boost.
If you have a suggestion for this section, let Thea know!
- Cambridge – Tech & Beer
- Cambridge – Pitch & Mix
- Cambridge – Barclays Eagle Labs Events
- Norwich – Sync Norwich
Co-working space
Co-working isn’t just about the free coffee – it’s a more flexible alternative to working out of traditional office space and brings the benefits of being part of a community. There’s no better way to build out your network, discover new routes to collaboration and discover the best tech events to attend. We’ve picked out some of the best co-working spaces in the region.
Have a suggestion for this section? Let us know
- Cambridge – Barclays Eagle Labs Cambridge Incubator
- Cambridge – The Bradfield Centre
- Cambridge – St John’s Innovation Centre
- Cambridge – ideaSpace
- Cambridge – Allia Future Business Centre
- Cambridge – Cambridge Space
- Cambridge – Incubyte
- Cambridge/Norwich/London – Tech East Workspace Passport
- Hethel – Hethel Engineering Centre
- King’s Lynn – King’s Lynn Innovation Centre (KLIC)
- Colchester – Space Studios at 37 Queen Street
- Norwich – Barclays Norwich Eagle Lab
- Norwich – Norwich University of the Arts Factory Incubation Centre
- Norwich – UEA Enterprise Centre
- Ipswich – Ipswich Waterfront Innovation Centre (IWIC)
- Ipswich – Innovation Martlesham
Skills support
From learning how to develop software to nailing the art of self-promotion, helping your team brush up on its digital and soft skills can be financially rewarding while reducing reliance on others. We’ve highlighted some of the best code clubs, incubators, accelerators, bootcamps and other support services in the region.
Have a suggestion for this section? Let us know
- East of England – Tech East
- Cambridge – Barclays Eagle Lab Cambridge Maker Space
- Cambridge – Barclays Eagle Labs Cambridge Incubator
- Cambridge – Bradfield Centre Central Working Academy
- Cambridge – Cambridge Network – School for Scale-ups
- Cambridge – Cambridge Network – Cambridge Academy
- Cambridge – Anglia Ruskin University
- Cambridge – University of Cambridge Judge Business School
- Cambridge – Makespace
- Cambridge – Cambridge University Department of Computer Science and Technology
- Cambridge/Peterborough – Allia Accelerate
- Bury St Edmunds – West Suffolk College
- Ipswich – Innovation Martlesham – Incubator
- Ipswich – University of Suffolk
- Ipswich – New Anglia Growth Hub
- Ipswich – Suffolk New College
- Norwich – University of East Anglia
- Norwich – Norwich University of the Arts
- Norwich – City College Norwich
- Norwich – Hackspace
- Norwich – Norfolk Developers
- Norwich – New Anglia Growth Hub
- Norwich – Tech Velocity
- Wymondham – Scions Coalition Scheme, Netmatters
- King’s Lynn – College of West Anglia
- Colchester – University of Essex
Finance & Investment
Securing finance and raising investment can be vital when it comes to taking your startup to the next level. Whether you’re seeking angel, VC or bank finance, we’ve picked out a range of investors, funds and support networks in the region.
Have a suggestion for this section? Let us know
- Cambridge – Barclays Eagle Labs Cambridge Incubator
- Cambridge – Cambridge Enterprise
- Cambridge – Cambridge Angels
- Cambridge – Cambridge Innovation Capital
- Cambridge – Cambridge Capital Group
- Cambridge – ADV
- Cambridge – Martlett
- Cambridge – Ahren Innovation Capital
- Cambridge/London – Amadeus Capital Partners Ltd
- Ipswich – Anglia Capital Group
- Ipswich – Invest East
- Ipswich – New Anglia Growth Hub
- Norwich – Anglia Capital Group
- Norwich – Barclays Eagle Lab Norwich
- Norwich – Invest East
- Norwich – Low Carbon Innovation Fund
- Norwich – New Anglia Growth Hub
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