Tech City
Posted by Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, at 10:22, Thu 24 March 2011:
Last year the Prime Minister David Cameron made a big speech about how Shoreditch and the Old Street roundabout area was going to become Britain’s answer to Silicon Valley.
Our very own Old St was going to become a world class technology hub called Tech City, presumably with IT millionaires around every corner. http://tinyurl.com/techcityspeech
It all sounded very exciting, but then it all went quiet. So a few weeks ago I called for a debate in Parliament to find out what was going on. http://tinyurl.com/techcitydebate
Do you think that the Shoreditch area could become the new Silicon Valley? And what if anything could Government do to help?
Comments
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Posted by Dan Mackie, 10:36, Thu 24 March 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
What about Dalston? We are tech company in Dalston. We are here because Shoreditch rents are extortionate. There is no more space left in Shoreditch for expansion.
Posted by Henry Stewart, 10:44, Thu 24 March 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
Well I run an IT training company not far from Shoreditch. I would say the most important thing government could do is stop claiming it is helping small business when it is doing the opposite, and it should stop driving small business out of government supply.
Example 1: In apprenticeship delivery, they have introduced a minimum contract value of £500k. All the small businesses with smaller contracts are being bought out, merging or having to pay for the priviledge of joining large consortiums.
Example 2: There is a tender out for all central government IT training to be provided by one company. Apart from the absurdity of one company meeting all these needs, it will drive dozens of small providers out of providing training for government.
So cut the bullshit, Mr Cameron, about opening up government procurement to small business. Your government is closing it down as fast as it can, restricting competition and - as a result - increasing costs.
As we saw in the budget yesterday, with corporation tax cuts for big business and none for small business, this is a government of big business and is no friend of the entrepreneur.
What it should do: genuinely open up government procurement to small business. But it has to do it, not just talk about doing it.
Posted by James Wood, 11:28, Thu 24 March 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
THANK YOU MR ABBOTT FOR YOUR HELP WITH MY INTERNET BUZINESSS!!!!!!!!!1111!!one!!!!ONE!!!!
- a white dalston labourer
Posted by Sharon Irvine, 11:45, Thu 24 March 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
I think Shoreditch could do with some time and money put into it to allow businesses the chance to afford to set up in the area. There is such a great opportunity for new companies to set up in an area which is so well-located. Shoreditch shouldn't just be about nightlife!
Though, to be fair, I work in Old Street and it doesn't need to get any busier than it already is. Put the resources into an area that both needs and could benefit from it.
Posted by Simon Treen, 13:35, Thu 24 March 2011: (Is this post abusive?) #
David Cameron is Britian's answer to Sarah Palin, less clever, less well known, less attractive. Britian's answer to silican valley? What is that excatly?
Silican Valley: Hello Britain! Britain:
Err no. We can't do that! We don't have the sun. We don't have the money and we certainly don't have the culture of venture captial investment. And yes Shoreditch is too busy, what did he pull the name out of a hat? I'm sure in that peanut that rattles around inside his stupid shiney head he made conections with it being next door to the City and a oh they're getting a new train line hmmm - makes obvious sense.
The reality is that it will be paid for from the public purse and the profits will be privatised - as normal. With this being the case then, yes put it somewhere that needs the development or I don't know... DON'T BOTHER!
Maybe spend the money supporting people like Mr Stewart instead?
Maybe have a think about. Maybe, just maybe, he could do something that fits in with one of his other meaningless soundbites and work on creating something perhaps like a linked up & yet disperate network of tech companies and manufacturers nationwide, support apprenticeships in them at all academic levels and age ranges (I don't know perhaps even fully fund them, perhaps discounts, scholarships, whatever) support ways to link them up with researchers, academics, and importantly encourage funders and support the parts of the network with (of homegrown SMEs)with nice fat gov (not military ideally) contracts, support the staff in these business in being able to have time to train, think and create so as to encourage innovation (see Daniel Pink on what actually motivates us) and attract the best people, perhaps further to these sorts of elements you could extend such networking out to draw-in talent from across Europe and/or crowd source further innovation. You know something like that perhaps?
Or you could just say some stuff and write some fat checks out for your mates and the people who will swing some of that cash back to your party in the form of bribes (sorry donations). Or better still just say it and then bomb somewhere!