One of the North East’s most successful tech entrepreneurs has backed a Dynamo North East campaign to tackle digital poverty.
Serial tech entrepreneur and philanthropist, Paul Callaghan CBE, will speak at the launch of a new fund to help people from all backgrounds explore careers in tech.
Callaghan has served as chairman of Newcastle-based software development business Leighton for over three decades.
The North East Tech Charity Dinner in Newcastle in March will see companies and ambassadors from across the North East tech sector come together for a networking dinner and to celebrate the launch of the Dynamo North East Digital Inclusion Fund.
Led by Dynamo North East and supported by The Community Foundation, the fund is said to support initiatives to help people gain confidence in digital technologies and create pathways into employment.
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The fund will bring together the region’s tech sector to ‘narrow the digital divide’, funding organisations that are able to support those most excluded by these barriers, a cause Callaghan proudly champions and hopes people will get behind.
“As someone born and raised in the North East, I am delighted to be involved in this initiative,” he said.
“I know how generous the people of this region can be and working collectively as a business community, we can help to address the challenge of digital poverty and change the lives of many people.”
Dr David Dunn, CEO of Dynamo North East, added: “We are delighted to have Paul joining us on our mission to help tackle digital poverty in the North East.
“The emergence of new technologies over recent years have had a transformational impact not only on our day-to-day lives, but also our industries, meaning today’s employees are often just expected to be digitally confident.”
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