The Humber’s digital innovation has hooked in the Middle East’s entrepreneurial epicentre, with Tech Week Humber’s launch buoyed by huge partners at home and abroad.
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre - the gulf state regulator and trade facilitator set up by royal decree - is joining high growth smart city specialist Connexin to make the 2021 celebration the best yet.
And the fact the international trade hotspot - benefiting from access to a myriad of emerging markets - is now looking to the Humber tech scene as reputation builds, is seen as quite a coup.
James Bernard, Europe’s regional representative at DMCC, explained the reasoning. He said: “The 海角视频 has always been one of our key areas of focus geographically, we have so much interest and the governments are quite aligned.
“There is so much to offer 海角视频 companies, doors are open and others can be opened and the thirst for business is there.
“The region lends itself to what Dubai has to offer; that expansion, thirst for business, great innovation that has settled in the Humber and is now focusing from the inside out and looking to expand. The region itself is a perfect example of an epi-centre of innovation growth and that’s what Dubai sees itself as in the UAE.”
Tech Week Humber vows to celebrate the achievements within the digital acceleration that has been witnessed through the pandemic, while seeking to open up the UAE to Humber tech businesses.
Founder Antonio Tombanane said: “2020 was by far the most challenging year for most of us. Many of us lost loved ones and our livelihoods were put at risk because of the pandemic, however, through adversity many rose to the challenge.
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“Zoom and Teams calls became the norm, and businesses pivoted. Technology has always been at the centre of it all, digital disruption has accelerated at an unprecedented level, our lives have changed forever.
“We want to shine a light on our region, and promote global partnerships, while inspiring the next generation into tech. The Humber has become a hotbed for technology, with Hull securing more investment than any other city in the north of the 海角视频.
“We have such a vibrant tech community in this region.”
Much of that was from Hull-based Connexin’s £80 million capital raise, part of which will be used to set up an academy to further digital skills and qualifications.
The event will be a hybrid, featuring a night summit, women in tech event, and the Humber Tech Awards return after a pandemic pause. Diversity and inclusivity and education will also feature.
Mr Tombanane said a first ever crypto summit was being planned with DMCC “screened from the Humber to a global audience,” with high calibre speakers from the likes of Deliveroo, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, Oracle, IBM and Google sharing the stage with regional talent.
Thanking sponsors including Business Live publisher, Reach Plc, he said: “We have already attracted a global audience, this year we are looking forward to going further, inviting the world to the Humber.”
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Ben Pocock, marketing lead for business and enterprise at Connexin, joined the launch, held as part of Humber Business Week. He said: “Business and entrepreneurialism has always stood out to me as one of the hallmarks of the region,and there is a real thriving tech scene, with some incredible tech businesses coming from the Humber, continuing to grow, innovate and create new job opportunities.
“Numbers are backing us up too,” he said, highlighting Tech Nation’s sixth place rating for investment. “This shows the Humber is an increasingly attractive proposition for investors in technology and infrastructure,” he said.
Mr Pocock, who arrived as a student in 2013, said Hull was also highlighted in London Tech Week’s reports as “an established leader in digital tech with spotlights on our 100 per cent access to ultrafast broadband across the city as well as notable scale-ups, start ups and innovations across healthcare, industry 4.0 and things like edtech, demonstrating why many see East Yorkshire as one of the best places to start a business”.
Impressed with business and education links he found, he is now helping further them. “Tech Week Humber It is all about showcasing the best of the region and celebrating all the region has achieved,” he said.
“With the challenges of the last year there have been some really incredible innovations and developments within the tech scene that deserve recognition.
“It is also an opportunity to share the latest trends and learnings with each other.
“One of the strengths of the Humber’s business community is just that, the community aspect. We really want to encourage businesses to come together, share experiences and collaborate, and Tech Week is a fantastic opportunity to do that.
“We have always championed Hull and East Yorkshire, and have been committed to building a tech business that not only improves the way we work, live and play, but champions our region and the people and businesses that are here.
“We think the Humber is one of the best kept secrets in tech, and we want the world to know.
Hull was the first city to have a carrier grade internet of things network and also the first city to have its own dedicated smart city platform, all built and developed by people from the Humber. We think that is pretty amazing.”
The week starts on November 4.