The annual Tech Nation Report was released last week, which highlighted the rapidly growing tech sector in the UK, as well as the emergence of ‘silicon suburbs’, tech towns with higher-than-average levels of tech employment – and with half of these tech towns surrounding Whitehill & Bordon, we really are right at the heart of the UK’s thriving tech industry.
The report highlighted the fantastic future of the UK tech sector, with tech expanding 2.6 times faster than the rest of the UK economy.
The digital tech sector is worth nearly £184 billion to UK economy, up from £170 billion in 2016.
At the same time, the number of jobs in digital tech rose at five times the rate of the rest of the economy, demonstrating how the digital tech sector is one of the best-performing industries in the UK economy.
Prime Minister Theresa May spoke to Tech Nation, “Over the last year, the performance of the United Kingdom’s digital tech sector has been world-leading, with British firms attracting more capital than any other European country. Our great strength in technology and innovation, built on the UK’s excellence in R&D and creative thinking, is demonstrated by the breadth of tech activity right across the country, and the powerful networks being forged by the next generation of entrepreneurs”.
For years, London has been the centre of the UK’s tech industry, ranking as the second most connected place for tech in the world, after Silicon Valley. However, when it comes to proportion of overseas customers, the UK capital trumps the self-appointed tech capital of the world.
But as London fills up, digital tech companies have started to spread out, and as a result, tech towns have formed with a large concentration of creative minds and innovative companies in relatively smaller areas.
The clusters of tech companies have been a huge contributor to the overall growth of the sector, as the tech communities that have formed around Whitehill & Bordon, such as Guildford and Southampton, create an environment of progress, as like-minded tech companies share and exchange ideas to achieve collective growth.
“The digital tech industry is powering the growth of local economies across the UK. However, it is not the sole preserve of larger metropolitan cities. Areas such as Guildford, Aldershot, Slough and Heathrow have significantly higher digital tech density and the highest levels of employment and tech turnover, suggesting that the UK has emerging digital suburbs. This finding challenges the conventional view that UK tech activity is based in large cities” – Tech Nation 2018 Report.
Productivity in digital tech for the top 15 UK Travel to Work Areas
A key area in the UK tech revolution is the productivity power path from London to the mouth of the River Severn, running along the M4 corridor and spreading to Southampton and Portsmouth.
Our position here at Whitehill & Bordon is right at the heart of this path, and it’s this fantastic location that gives companies unrivalled access to the highest quality of tech research and also creates opportunities for new business relationships between tech giants and new startups.
Former Minister of State for Digital Matt Hancock, commented on the exciting future for silicon suburbs like Whitehill & Bordon, “Tech Nation 2018 not only highlights the underlying strength of our digital economy but also emphasises its huge potential. Our world-leading tech firms are growing fast and creating the high-skilled, high-paying jobs of the future. They are a hotbed of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. This is a huge success story, and we are working hard to make sure the benefits of digital technology reach every corner of the country as we build a Britain that is fit for the future.”
There are many other reasons to be excited about the new tech town that is Whitehill & Bordon. IBM have joined forces with the Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company to turn it into a smart town; a town for the future. The connectivity and efficiency will be like nothing seen before, creating an environment that feeds business growth but also allows for the highest quality of life, with state-of-the-art medical facilities and lifestyle information.
Joining forces with a global firm of the calibre of IBM is a recognition of the vast potential Whitehill & Bordon’s future holds for everyone that makes it.
Businesses will be able to run faster and more efficiently than ever, putting Whitehill & Bordon on the map as a new tech hub in the UK.
The Tech Nation Report 2018 is simply further confirmation of the huge potential of Whitehill & Bordon and proves that there is no better place for you and your business.
