Norwich and Norfolk are an acclaimed tech centre of growth, but despite all the promise and skills that abound across the county, the potential never seems to be realised. The new announcement that Townshend House, the former ITV Anglia HQ, will open in spring 2025 as a workspace for digital business might abate some of these concerns.
Enough investment?
Even though Norwich City Council is investing funds from its £25 million Norwich Town Deal Fund, and the council owns the bricks and mortar of Townshend House, the precise investment figures aren’t available at the time of going to press. Recently, local entrepreneur and founder of local startup incubator Akcela Ventures, James Adams, wrote on LinkedIn about his frustration. He also pointed out that increased investment in the tech ecosphere of the city will lead to greater trade throughout the city.
Yes, Liverpool may receive £96 million in an infrastructure deal and Norfolk receives pennies by comparison, but this region can point to its innovation and skills – we might not have any motorways but one local company can grow rice in the ocean.
Kudos to the east
Looking at the range of startups across the county, the glaring problem seems to be this: how does an active and innovative firm move from startup to scale? Agritech flourishes in Norfolk, thanks in part to promotion by Norfolk County Council. The council also sponsors Nor(DEV): con, the largest tech conference in the east, where new ideas and innovative solutions are discussed by the people who make the apps, create the websites and write the code. But startups do need fostering and nurturing so they can reach their potential.
New ideas
October’s list of innovative startups in Norwich reveals a whole cornucopia of ideas, talent and sheer brilliance. What is urgently needed is both the political will to support these enterprises and some local angel investors. The city has ideas in abundance. Sync the City, organised by John Fagan, showcases ideas from all sectors of the community in a bid to establish viable and sustainable companies. Sync the City is a superlative method of grounding a would-be entrepreneurs and their business propositions in the practical world in order to make them viable. The spirit is so willing, but starting from an idea is just the start; maximising potential is a whole different ball game.
Workspace
While the creation of the new tech hub in the centre of the city is welcome news – and the investment by the International Workplace Group is essential to the space’s development – an injection of funds to retain the city’s vibrance and diversity and tech creativity is also essential. The city council is sharing the £25 million levelling up fund among eight worthy contenders but it’s paltry. The New Anglia LEP offers grants, but given that they receive most of their funding from central government, this appears to be an accounting procedure from a single pot.
Moving forward
This city and this region need more. The UK Tech News report stated: “Our capabilities are highly significant with world leading research and technology development relating to diverse areas such as marine science, offshore renewables, life sciences, agri-tech and telecommunications.” While all of these aspirations are superb, there are many young people in Norfolk who have no idea that such promise exists within the county. Nor(DEV): has scholarship tickets for the conference, but the county needs more. To put it very simply, if the investment in startups, new ideas and innovation is minimal, then those wonderfully lively brains that will lead tech development will evaporate or go elsewhere. Surely now is the time to inject some hope.
