Local Digital Conference 2022

How can tech help to strengthen local economies?

Join techUK for our Local Digital Conference on 24 October looking at the tech sector’s role in strengthening our local economies.

From Levelling Up, improving productivity, fostering innovation, and building partnerships across the public, private and third sectors, tech is instrumental in helping people, communities and businesses across our nations and regions to thrive.

At this free half-day virtual conference our guests will discuss how some of the components that make up 'digital capital' in our nations and regions can be enhanced, including:

Skills: We’ll discuss the importance of investing in digital skills to secure a future talent pipeline
Finance and investment: Capital and investment are key to ensuring that more ideas are funded and can play an important role in boosting the attractiveness of a location for new businesses. How can we improve investment in tech across our nations and regions? And can devolved Government play a bigger role in this?

Levelling Up and SME innovation: How can central and local governments further support SMEs to foster innovation?
Collaboration: Effective collaboration and coordination across and between public and private sector bodies is critical to success. How do we know it’s really working? And how do we take this forward through tough economic times?
Digital infrastructure: What role should local authorities play as digital leaders to encourage innovation, create market demand and digitise public services?
Trade support: How can we help tech firms in all parts of the UK tap into overseas export opportunities and take advantage of the UK’s new trading partnerships worldwide?

The event is also our opportunity to launch the latest iteration of the techUK Local Digital Capital Index (LDCI) which measures the strength of local digital ecosystems across 12 areas of our nations and regions, including the East Midlands, East of England, Greater London, North East, North West, Northern Ireland, Scotland, South East, South West, Wales, West Midlands, and Yorkshire & The Humber.

Launched in 2021, the LDCI is an econometric tool that enables the tech sector, policy makers, companies, and government (local, regional and national) to look at the components that make up a strong local tech sector and ecosystem, identify growth areas, seek best practice, and help them to make the case for investment in their own digital economy.

Click the 'Register' button above and join us on Monday 24 October for this free half-day virtual conference where the tech sector, local councils and partners will discuss the opportunities for tech firms, and the benefit to local economies.

Further Nations and Regions activities you may find useful:

Levelling Up Briefing with Andy Haldane, Chair of the Levelling Up Advisory Council, and Chief Executive of the RSA, 25 October, 2pm.

techUK – Building Stronger Local Economies

techUK champions the tech sector throughout the UK. We work with local authorities, devolved government, and local and national policy makers to advocate for the tech sector in strengthening economic growth and resilience. We provide opportunities for our members and local stakeholders to meet, build relationships, and collaborate to drive forward local projects. For more information or to get in touch, please visit our Nations and Regions Hub and click 'contact us'.