The government has announced 14 new local tech projects as part of a £1 million Regional Tech Booster program.
Designed to support tech businesses and founders and grow local tech ecosystems, the projects will give them targeted training, expert guidance, help to build networks, and support to scale their operations from within their communities.
The program also includes a series of investment events, through a National Investment Corridors initiative, with the first two set to take place in Bristol and Leeds later this year.
"We want UK tech to grow and succeed from any and every corner of the country," said tech for growth minister Kanishka Narayan.
"It's a no-brainer that supporting projects like these, and encouraging more investment across the UK, will catalyse our tech brilliance to boost economic growth and opportunities for communities nationwide."
Projects include a support scheme for early-stage gaming startups in Scotland, with an emphasis on community building, peer learning, ethical strategy, and sustainable business growth.
Another Scottish project is ScotlandIS: Future Ready In Scotland. Aimed at giving tech founders in rural or remote communities the same opportunities as those in more urban or connected areas, this will provide peer networks and targeted training, as well as connecting isolated founders to national support and organizations.
In Wales, Tramshed Tech's AI Innovation Challenge will give businesses practical AI skills through workshops, mentorship, and hands-on learning, while helping startups and scale-ups integrate AI solutions.
"This initiative aims to position Wales as a hub for AI-driven growth and entrepreneurship," the government said.
And there's a similar AI focus in Northern Ireland, where Activate AI combines AI-powered tools with hands-on support, targeting women, minorities, and rural entrepreneurs through masterclasses, peer collaboration, and regional showcases.
Meanwhile, a pilot in the East Midlands is offering a structured support pipeline – from rapid prototyping and pre-launch programmes to scale-up and funding readiness – through workshops, mentoring, tech tours, and showcase events.
Other projects include programs to create pathways from further education to entrepreneurship in Lancashire, unlock growth for tech businesses that are ready to scale in Yorkshire, and accelerate the growth of the advanced connectivity technology industry in Suffolk.
"The sheer volume of strong applications we received shows there is a huge desire to grow tech ecosystems across the whole of the UK," said Dr David Dunn, UK Tech Cluster Group lead on Catalyst Pilot Projects.
"As the projects are delivered, we are excited to share learning across other ecosystems – it is this multiplier effect of knowledge transfer that really makes the Regional Tech Booster initiative valuable."
The Regional Tech Booster programme will also include workshops on tech ecosystem planning and sharing best practice for ecosystem development with authorities across the country. And, said the government, investment corridor events will be rolled out to more regions over this year and next.
Make sure to follow ITPro on Google News to keep tabs on all our latest news, analysis, and reviews.
MORE FROM ITPRO
-
A new 'top-tier' Chinese espionage group is stealing sensitive datanews Phantom Taurus has been operating for two years and uses custom-built malware to maintain long-term access to critical targets
-
Alkira names Bruce Hockin as new EMEA and APAC channel chiefnews Hockin will lead the vendor's channel growth strategy across the two regions as it looks to meet the growing demand for network infrastructure as a service
-
Government’s ‘Humphrey’ AI tool helps local authorities cut costsNews The Minute tool, part of the Humphrey AI assistant, is being trialled at 25 councils
-
The UK government hopes AI will supercharge public sector digital transformation – IT leaders aren’t so sureNews Research from SolarWinds shows public sector transformation is progressing at a snail's pace despite IT leaders pushing for rapid improvements.
-
Starmer bets big on AI to unlock public sector savingsNews AI adoption could be a major boon for the UK and save taxpayers billions, according to prime minister Keir Starmer.
-
UK government targets ‘startup’ mindset in AI funding overhaulNews Public sector AI funding will be overhauled in the UK in a bid to simplify processes and push more projects into development.
-
UK government signs up Anthropic to improve public servicesNews The UK government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Anthropic to explore how the company's Claude AI assistant could be used to improve access to public services.
-
US government urged to overhaul outdated technologyNews A review from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found legacy technology and outdated IT systems are negatively impacting efficiency.
-
Government urged to improve tech procurement practicesNews The National Audit Office highlighted wasted money and a lack of progress on major digital transformation programmes
-
Government says new data bill will free up millions of hours of public sector timeNews The UK government is proposing new data laws it says could free up millions of hours of police and NHS time every year and boost the UK economy by £10 billion.
