Supporting Hackney’s businesses at Digital Shoreditch 2015
Hackney Council will be connecting international investors with the borough’s small businesses thanks to its support of the Digital Shoreditch festival.
Launching on 11 May, Digital Shoreditch is a two-week international festival featuring over 140 events and an expected attendance of 15,000 people from the tech, creative and related industries. The programme includes short 10 minute ‘lightning talks’, panel debates, exhibitions and a host of networking opportunities that are based in and around the historic Shoreditch Town Hall.
As a founding member, Hackney Council is once again at the forefront of the festival with a series of events aimed at supporting the growth of east London’s Tech City, encouraging networking with local businesses and creating employment opportunities for Hackney residents, while showcasing the new Opportunity Hub in Hoxton.
Cllr Guy Nicholson, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, will officially launch the festival in addition to hosting a talk on the Council’s role and relationship with Tech City.
Council-led panel debates and talks with industry experts will explore the next phase in Hackney’s economic growth, and Council initiatives to improve skills and create opportunities for residents to access employment within these industries.
The Council will be leading a tour around Tech City, introducing over 100 investors and people from all areas of the tech industry to some of the most exciting start-up businesses in Shoreditch, encouraging attendees to explore how these businesses can be funded and supported.
At the Opportunity Hub, the Council’s Ways into Work team will be on-hand throughout the festival, helping to connect local people looking for employment with businesses, jobs and training opportunities in the tech sector. The Opportunity Hub will also feature as a space for an event exploring what digital skills are needed in the tech industry and how local people can access jobs.
We’re really pleased to be a part of this year’s Digital Shoreditch festival. It is fantastic to see visitors from around the world flock to Shoreditch to celebrate the incredible tech cluster that started here – with its unique spirit of creativity and collaboration. We’re excited to see the ideas and investment that result from these two weeks of packed out events, including the start-up tour. This festival is also an opportunity for the Council to explore with the business community what skills and training local people need to access jobs in this growing sector.
You can find out more about Hackney’s events at Digital Shoreditch by visiting investinhackney.org.
For information about the festival, visit digitalshoreditch.com and follow #DS15 on Twitter.