Communities are set to benefit from better jobs and more opportunities in tech as 14 Government-backed projects to support local tech sectors across the UK are unveiled.
The projects – funded under the Government’s Regional Tech Booster programme – will provide businesses and entrepreneurs with targeted training, expert guidance, help to build networks, and support to scale their operations from within their communities. This is to ensure that the jobs and benefits of a thriving tech sector are available to people right across the UK, not just in London, as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.
These projects launch right off the back of UK-wide opportunities opening up for tech following the recent announcement of another AI Growth Zone, this time in the North East, and a suite of major tech investments across the UK, following the UK US Tech Prosperity Deal.
Regional Tech Booster projects will include a support scheme for early-stage gaming startups in Scotland, create pathways from further education to entrepreneurship in Lancashire, unlock growth for tech businesses ready to scale in Yorkshire, launch an AI innovation challenge in Wales, and accelerate the growth of the advanced connectivity technology industry in Suffolk.
Alongside the localised focus, some of the projects will alsosupport greater diversity within the sector, with a focus on underrepresented founders. One in Northern Ireland will focus on boosting AI adoption amongst founders, and a West Midlands project will help underrepresented founders build up the networks and support they need to succeed in tech.
This comes as Government’s commitment to promoting diversity in tech takes a leap forward, following the Tech Secretary’s announcement of an advisory group to be established to champion diversity across the sector and tech policy development.
Government is partnering with UK Tech Cluster Group to deliver the £1m Regional Tech Booster programme, ensuring local expertise is driving the work on the ground in these communities. The programme also includes a series of investment events, through a National Investment Corridors initiative, with the first two taking place in Bristol and Leeds later this year. The National Investment Corridors will put local tech centre-stage, boosting investment into the UK’s tech talent from beyond the capital.
Tech for Growth Minister, Kanishka Narayan MP said:
“The Scottish tech sector is thriving, employing 102,000 last year, and worth over £18 billion.
“I want to harness the dynamism of the Scottish tech sector and that’s why through the Regional Tech Booster programme we’re funding projects with Game Space, to provide bespoke support for early-stage Scottish games startups, and ScotlandIS, to create peer networks, provide targeted training, and connect founders to national support for Highlands and Islands businesses.”
“These projects will leverage the sector’s strengths while helping tech businesses and entrepreneurs grow to new heights from here in Scotland, creating more jobs and opportunities for Scottish communities and tech talent.”
Scotland Office Minister, Kirsty McNeill, commented:
“Scotland’s tech sector continues to be a powerhouse for innovation and growth. I am pleased the UK Government’s Regional Tech Booster programme is supporting organisations like Game Space and ScotlandIS to unlock even more potential across Scotland.”
“Through Game Space’s work with early-stage gaming startups and ScotlandIS’s efforts to connect tech founders in rural and remote communities, we’re ensuring that Scottish tech talent can thrive wherever they are based. These partnerships demonstrate the UK Government’s commitment to building a stronger, more inclusive tech sector that delivers economic opportunities right across Scotland.”
Karen Meechan, CEO ScotlandIS, commented
“The Catalyst Pilots and Investment Corridors are a game-changer for the UK tech sector. By giving smaller clusters the platform to showcase their strengths and connect into national and international opportunities, we can spark fresh ideas, accelerate innovation, and ensure talent and ambition from every corner of the UK gets the recognition it deserves. These clusters bring together innovators, creators, buyers, and sellers, unlocking economic potential and driving growth across the whole country.”
The Regional Tech Booster programme will also include workshops on tech ecosystem planning and sharing best practice for ecosystem development with authorities across the country. Further Regional Tech Booster programme details, including investment event dates and venues, will be available via delivery partners, UK Tech Cluster Group, as they are confirmed.
