Report

Regional and National Ecosystems: Untapped Potential

An introductory guide to how local policymakers can create the right climatic conditions for tech start-ups

Local government has the potential to play a significant role in developing the tech sector across different regions of the United Kingdom by bringing together all the ingredients of a successful tech ecosystem and providing the right conditions for tech start-ups and scale-ups to thrive in their local areas.

This guide provides local authorities with ideas and policy recommendations for supporting tech start-ups and scale-ups in their area by nurturing a high value ecosystem and attracting (and retaining for the long term) a deeper pool of tech talent and investment. It will also be of interest to tech start-ups, scale-ups and investors in understanding the opportunities and challenges for local authorities in supporting the tech sector
across the UK regions.

The key to a successful tech ecosystem is critical mass in terms of access to talent, advice and investment. The tech ecosystem in the South East of England, and particularly London, is recognised as one of the best in the world. London’s melting pot of global talent, combined with access to capital and an established advisory and networking infrastructure, makes it a highly attractive place for start-ups, scale-ups and investors alike.

Notwithstanding the draw of London and the South East, the UK tech sector flourishes in other regions, often in clusters of specialist talent – for example, cyber-security in Glasgow, gaming in Brighton, agri-tech in Aberdeen and virtual reality in the North East of England. There is untapped potential to grow these and other regional tech hubs.

Local authorities may hold the key to unlocking some of this potential and this report contains numerous pragmatic suggestions for doing so.