Developments

This cathedral city is abuzz with tech activity. Dynamic meetups are stimulating grassroots activity across all parts of its tight-knit tech sector. The University of East Anglia and Norwich University of the Arts are also playing important roles in stimulating the action.

• Step Into Tech goes from strength to strength, bringing parents, educators, employers and tech specialists together to help young people explore the exciting world of digital technology. It also works with young coders and makers to help them develop valuable skills for the future. Its highly successful Young Makers Tech Club for under-18s is now looking to expand into surrounding areas, including Suffolk.

• The digital accelerator TechVelocity aims to double the size of the Digital Economy in Norwich by 2020. The accelerator scheme helps businesses through mentoring, introductions to investors and by channelling them towards public funding. Its current cohort includes Assemble.FM, Landapp.com, Commercity and Protu.

• The universities of East Anglia, Essex and Kent have been awarded £4.7 million of UK Government Industrial Strategy funding. The aim is to support business innovation across the East of England’s artificial intelligence, digital creative and agri-tech sectors. Funding will target collaborations between universities and businesses, with a view to improving productivity and regional economic growth.  

Community perceptions survey findings

The Tech Nation 2018 Survey was conducted between January 2018 and February 2018, in partnership with Streetbees. This year’s survey received the largest response yet from members of the UK tech community. In a total of 3,428 submissions, people told us about the opportunities and challenges their local ecosystems face, and the digital tech leaders they admire. The majority of respondents (33%) were founders and CEOs.

Who Norwich startups say is influential