Earlier this year we consulted our 500-strong membership base of businesses on the issues that matter to them most in the North’s digital tech sector. This research, teamed with an in-depth SWOT analysis of the industry, led to the creation of our new, five areas of focus strategy – its aim to ensure our upcoming activity is in tune with exactly what the industry wants and needs.


This intervention is much needed. While there has been a will across all political parties to re-balance the geography of the economy through initiatives such as Tech North and the Northern Powerhouse, there’s still work to be done. It’s encouraging that Prime Minister Teresa May has appointed a Northern Powerhouse minister, but we are still to see this translate into any on the ground, meaningful support. Devolution, at least for Manchester, seems to be progressing but we are yet to see the impact of Brexit on the economy as a whole. Despite these setbacks the technology sector continues to grow and thrive. Now, we must not lose pace over removing and addressing the barriers that hinder its growth.


As well as political and economic pressures, the landscape is ever changing. Digital work is increasingly moving in-house which will create further challenges for many service businesses, and there is a constant demand for new skills and faster methods of working. These constant changes mean the way our businesses function are in constant flux.