A tech start-up is launching in Hull in spectacular fashion, partnering with Google to deliver an event designed to drive digital skill development.
The Edge Hub has been launched by members of the team behind Tech Week Humber, with Jo Fleming and Antonio Tombanane, who both have a background in IT and recruitment, working with experienced entrepreneurs Shaun Larvin and Simon Lunt.
They aim to improve knowledge and introduce new opportunities in the city and beyond.
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Antonio said: “We launched Tech Week in 2019, we have the next edition coming up in November and this event is all about connecting things together and connecting education with enterprise.
“The focus of Tech Week has always been on the skills and enterprise in IT and technology and it’s great that we now have an annual event, but at the same time it raises the question of how many lives we are actually changing and upskilling.
“Tech moves at a phenomenal pace, with something new coming along every week, and by partnering directly with the global tech giants we will give local businesses and local people the opportunity to learn directly from the horse’s mouth, using the latest products and services and finding out about what’s coming next.
“Our partners at The Edge Hub include Google and IBM and we are in discussions with many more. Our vision is to offer our audiences a choice of different companies and their products because you will have a better chance of getting a job with Google, their distributors and re-sellers, if you know what they do.”
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It has already secured the endorsement of Hull City Council, which recognises the potential benefits for training and job creation in the region’s growing digital sector.
The company is now targeting other key influencers including MPs, other local authorities and tech businesses of all sizes as it prepares to present Digital Marketing Strategy with The Edge Hub on Tuesday, September 14 - described as a Tech Week spin-off.
Jo said the launch event will be a specific training webinar around digital marketing strategy for SMEs and small businesses. It is free of charge and considered relevant to businesses, agencies and individuals working in tech.
“From our work in IT recruitment we identified the job opportunities but it was not easy to find people who had the right skills,” she said. “Tech Week has helped us build a reputation and relationships with the global players so we followed up on that – our challenge is to get them interested in Hull and we refused to take no for an answer.
“We want to drive as much footfall as possible to this webinar and then work towards a physical event where we can get people in the room with these businesses.”
Antonio was welcomed on to the Forbes Business Council a year ago, at the time telling how he wanted to use the opportunity to showcase the Humber region.
Ronan Harris, Google 海角视频 & Ireland managing director, said: “Now more than ever, having the right digital skills can have a transformative impact on business sustainability, growth and job creation.
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“By partnering with The Edge Hub to provide free live webinar training through the Google Digital Garage, we hope to inspire and upskill individuals and businesses, helping people to find a job or grow their skills from home.
“Despite the ongoing uncertainty, we want to show how digital skills can help people and businesses restart and thrive”.
Mark Jones, director of regeneration at Hull City Council, said it was an exciting launch, as he explained why the authority committed to being headline partner of Tech Week.
“We have witnessed the growth of the digital sector in our area in recent years and we know there is much more to come,” he said.
“There are new digital businesses setting up in our city and relocating here, and there are more traditional businesses making greater use of technology to improve what they already do. All of this is bringing increased demand for digital skills, creating good quality jobs and careers for people in our city.
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“We are excited to see the launch of The Edge Hub as a private sector business which is seizing the initiative by engaging with a global tech company to improve skills and bring jobs to our city. We welcome and support that enterprising approach and we look forward to some positive outcomes.”
is a free event and will take place from 11am until midday on Tuesday, September 14.
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