written by: James Burke 31 July 2009

Digital North East is a North East England regional strategy that aims to expand the digital sector and stimulate the regions economy through digital technology. The strategy, which is owned by ONE North East, is currently in draft form for comment and review by delivery partners.

Digital North East is a North East England regional strategy that aims to expand the digital sector and stimulate the regions economy through digital technology.

The strategy puts forward two intertwined aims: expanding the digital sector and stimulating the region’s economy through digital technology that are to be achieved by the overarching

objectives:

• For the North East to be a European centre for digital sectors; using the region’s active network of sector support agencies and it specific sectoral strengths to drive growth & innovation, enhance the region’s profile and attract skilled workers and new businesses
• For North East business use of digital technology to overtake the UK average

The strategy, which is owned by ONE North East, is currently in draft form for comment and review by the potential delivery partners identified in the strategy which currently include:

• Sunderland Software City (SSC)
• DigitalCity (DC)
• Northern Film & Media (NFM)
• Codeworks
• Universities (Teesside, Durham, Sunderland, Newcastle & Northumbria)
• Business Link North East
• One North East
• The North East Regional Portal (TNERP)
• Manufacturing Advisory Service
• “Business membership bodies”
• Local Authorities (LAs)
• Homes and Community Agency
• Adit
• “Other innovation connectors”
• Northern Design Centre (NDC)
• Institute of Digital Innovation (IDI)
• e-Skills
• Sector bodies
• “Private sector”
• Animex
• Skillset
• STEM Partners
• “Third sector”

The list above relates to potential delivery partners that have been identified within the strategy that are now being called upon to “buy into” and support this regional strategy so that a coordinated and collaborative approach to the delivery and support of the “key interventions” can be achieved.

The intended audience of this draft strategy document are the organisations who will be acting as delivery partners and may already be undertaking work in the region relating to the “key interventions”.

The “health” of the digital sector in the North, and particularly the North East, is currently under wider national scrutiny at the moment following the Daily Telegraph “It’s still (grim) up North” and TechCrunch UK follow up articles OK, so it’s not exactly “grim” up North for tech — But there are some issues and Calling all North East tech start-ups: can you help us? by Milo Yiannopoulos.

Milo recently visited the region and started a series of interviews with digital start-ups, investors and advisors responding to the initial Daily Telegraph piece, many of whom provided their comments to camera captured in this short video.

The “grim up North” article certainly generated debate, and continues to do so.

I hope that the opening up of this regional draft strategy will spark further debate within the region and identify and bring forward additional “delivery partners” over and above the list above as there certainly is a passion in the North East for this sector by digital businesses in this sector who are willing to respond, support and collaborate to achieve the aims of expanding the digital sector and stimulating the region’s economy through digital technology.

click here for more information and a copy of the Draft strategy