Developments

Reading’s proximity to London and Heathrow airport has long attracted major multinationals, including Microsoft and Oracle. However, its startup community is now growing too, and tapping into the established expertise and resources available in the city.

• In March 2018, the University of Reading opened the doors to its flagship Gateway building, the first part of the £35 million Thames Valley Science Park to open. It provides 70,000 square feet of flexible office and laboratory space for 20 technology-led companies, ranging from early-stage startups to global research and development centres. These include companies such as BioInteractions, Sage People and Clasado BioSciences.

• Drones have the power to revolutionise business and transform lives. Altitude Angel, is leading that charge, with the long-term goal to enable millions of autonomous drones to fly – safely – without any human pilots. They have recently raised $4.5 million in Series A funding in order to expand into new territories.  It says its Reading location is key to its success, allowing them to test their drone technology in the fields around the city centre.

• DataSift, founded in 2010, is a privacy-by-design data and analytics platform and one of the shining lights of Reading’s tech scene. It was acquired by San Francisco based Meltwater in March 2018 and the acquisition is expected to cement the company’s status as a leading provider of AI-powered competitive intelligence.

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 Reading startups say is influential