North East England has an established digital and tech network that provides the ideal location and eco-system for starting and growing a business.
Our tech clusters accelerate business growth by sharing best practice and providing opportunities to collaborate with cutting-edge digital firms and tech innovators. A comprehensive calendar of networking events, training and workshops, webinars and informal catch-ups provide regular access to the region’s most dynamic digital and tech players.
Key networks and cluster groups
Digital Catapult North East Tees Valley (NETV) supports businesses from across the region to explore the growth and adoption of advanced digital technologies to improve the productivity and performance of organisations.
Digital Union is the largest network of digital businesses across the North East and offers business support, events, webinars and digital sector bootcamps.
Dynamo North East is a volunteer-led group that aims to grow the North East IT economy through collaboration, innovation and skills. It hosts regular events and an annual digital conference and runs several digital clusters and special interest groups to champion specialities like cybersecurity, digital construction, shared service operations and fintech.
Innovation SuperNetwork brings together more than 50 partners and over 5,000 businesses to share new ideas, market opportunities, knowledge and funding to support innovative businesses in the North East.
Sunderland Software City (SSC), the delivery organisation for North East and Tees Valley, supports technology start-ups and large businesses through regular tech meet-ups and organising the North East Digital Festival and Tech Talent events.
Sphere Network combines academic research and industry experience to address cross-sector challenges through digital transformation and innovation. It offers informal networking, round table and deep-dive events to explore new problem-solving routes.
VRTGO Labs is the UK’s first industry-led virtual reality and augmented reality centre of excellence that brings together businesses, academics and freelancers to collaborate on the development and commercial application of these emerging technologies.
LITNE – is an LGBTQ+ diversity network for people working in technology and offers regular events and news.
NOVA: North East Game Collective brings together the regional gaming companies for an annual conference created by games developers, for games developers.
BIM Academy, founded in 2010 by Northumbria University and Ryder Architecture, is a centre of excellence for digital construction and transformation that helps businesses apply building information modelling (BIM), smart processes and digital technologies to accelerate their output.
North East Screen is the screen agency for North East England, supporting the regions film & TV industry. With a number of programmes of support, North East Screen can support businesses by:
- Production Fund –supports world class HETV and award-winning content filming in the North East to secure sustainable, high-end productions attracting inward investment and jobs.
- Film Office – supports all incoming productions finding crew, locations and making filming in the region seamless through a film friendly local authority network.
- Development Team – supports regional production and supply chain companies to attract talent and win business.
- Skills Team – supports established crew and new entrants to the industry. Through their work with the Screen Alliance North, the team is building a thriving and skilled workforce across the North of England.
