A £1 million government programme is launching in an attempt to help tech startups and scaleups thrive outside London, with new projects set to boost founders and ecosystems across the UK.
The Regional Tech Booster initiative, delivered in partnership with UK Tech Cluster Group, will fund 12 local projects offering early-stage businesses targeted training, expert mentoring, networking opportunities and support to scale.
Announced in July with the goal of making sure the benefits of the UK’s tech sector are felt nationwide, the projects span every corner of the UK.
In Scotland, Game Space will support early-stage gaming startups, while Tramshed Tech in Wales is launching an AI innovation challenge.
Blackburn College in Lancashire will run a new programme helping further education students turn ideas into startups and Sheffield Digital is set to help established tech firms break through growth plateaus.
Other pilots will focus on advanced connectivity in Suffolk, AI adoption in Northern Ireland, scale-up growth in Brighton and creating founder networks in the North East and West Midlands.
Many initiatives have a specific focus on boosting diversity by supporting underrepresented founders.
“We want UK tech to grow and succeed from any and every corner of the country,” said Tech for Growth Minister, Kanishka Narayan MP (pictured).
“Supporting projects like these, and encouraging more investment across the UK, will catalyse our tech brilliance to boost economic growth and opportunities for communities nationwide.”
The programme comes as the government ramps up efforts to expand regional tech opportunities, following the creation of a new AI Growth Zone in the North East and major investments through the UK-US Tech Prosperity Deal.
Dr David Dunn, who leads the projects for UK Tech Cluster Group, added: “The sheer volume of strong applications shows the huge desire to grow tech ecosystems across the UK.
“As projects are delivered, we’re excited to share learnings across regions – that multiplier effect is what makes the initiative so valuable.”.
The Regional Tech Booster will run pilots through 2026, each designed to deliver measurable local impact by supporting at least 30 tech businesses over six months.
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