Teesside, the conurbation made up of Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Thornaby, Billingham and surrounding settlements near the river Tees in England’s north-east, now has an annual digital economy worth £174m ($291m).
Following the launch of DigitalCity in Middlesborough in 2004, the area has been making a significant impact on the local economy. DigitalCity, Teesside’s digital supercluster of startups, was established by Teesside University, and funded by the university, the European Regional Development Fund and the private sector.
DigitalCity is made up of the Phoenix Building, housing DigitalCity Innovation, and Boho One, housing DigitalCity Business. The Phoenix Building is dedicated to harnessing the university’s resources and capabilities to help turn students’ ideas into businesses, while Boho One dedicated to offering start-ups a social space, affordable rents and a package of support to aid their transition into the successful business world.
Middlesbrough and Stockton-on-Tees are now both ranked at number 16 on the National Institute of Economic and Social Research’s list of the UK’s digital hotspots. It is the only hotspot north of Birmingham.
David Jeffries, head of DigitalCity, said: “DigitalCity was created 10 years ago to capitalise on Teesside University’s expertise in the technology sector by giving a framework of support for digital startups and entrepreneurs. Long before boot camps and accelerators were well-known, DigitalCity fellowships gave enterprising graduates access to world-class mentors and facilities.
