A newly formed community initiative has launched to champion Nottingham’s tech ecosystem.

Built in Notts has been launched by Martin Sandhu alongside research which claims the city’s tech sector is significantly outperforming its level of public investment.

The ‘Potential vs Investment Index’ compares 20 UK cities across Innovate UK funding, startup creation and graduate outcomes. It found that Nottingham is outpacing many of its larger rivals but receives far less Innovate UK support per capita than other major tech hubs.

The city secured just £6.1 million in Innovate UK technology funding in 2024/25, equivalent to £19 per capita, compared with over £45m for York (£225 per capita) and £28m for Cambridge (£188 per capita).

However the city saw 170 new tech businesses formed in the last year, and continues to produce more than 2,000 engineering and technology graduates annually, providing a strong skills pipeline for its digital economy.

At an event last night at Oldknows Factory in Nottingham, local founder and investor Jordan Adams delivered a talk titled ‘The Great London Lie: How Regional Champions Win the Scale Game’.