When most people think of technology hubs, they may come up with places like Silicon Valley in California or the Old Street area of London. While it’s the case that those places and others are firm favourites of tech professionals and venture capitalists, the reality is that there are plenty of places across Britain which are shaping up to be competitive homes for tech firms.
Norfolk on the east coast of England is one such place. The county has a lot going for it, including a burgeoning tech scene in Norwich and beyond – and, as one local entrepreneur recently noted, increased globalisation opportunities thanks to its proximity to the transatlantic flight routes of Stansted Airport. This article will delve deeper into the role that technology could play in Norfolk’s economy – and look at what sort of sub-sectors of the tech industry might one day appear here.
Agri-tech
Norfolk has long been known for its farming industry. Farming and technology can and do go hand in hand. Technology has been part of farming since the earliest farms, even if what was cutting edge at the time amounted to no more than a plough. In recent years, however, the term “agri-tech” has come to denote everything from crop modification systems to food packaging labs, and the agri-tech sector as a whole is believed to be worth around £14bn in total.
In many ways, Norfolk is a perfect place for agri-tech to boom. With acres of flat and fertile land, testing is simple and easy. Given that Norfolk continues to play host to thriving agricultural businesses, the demand for the use of agri-tech tools is present – meaning lower shipping costs and a less risky supply chain. According to local tech industry leader Tim Robinson, scientific research talent is already strong in the Norfolk area, so the leap towards making business to business agri-tech product offerings need not be too large.
Casino software development
To many who like to play casino games online, the whole thing is just a bit of fun – with added funky graphics and exciting themes thrown in for good measure. However, there is a whole industry behind the online casino world, and casino software development is big business.
The online casino industry is hugely popular in the UK, and now is a great time to capitalize on it. Even young companies with a small portfolio of games, like Stockholm-based Thunderkick Casinos, enjoy a lot of success. This page goes into more detail about their range of products, but it is companies like this that prove how a small, talented group of people can create a successful business.
Gaming companies based in Norfolk can take advantage of a huge pool of talent from the county’s biggest university, the University of East Anglia (UEA), which notably offers a BSc and MSc in Computing Science. The country is well connected to Cambridge and London via train, and also Europe via Norwich Airport, so talent can be drawn in from afar, and there is also a huge pool of potential clients no further than a short trip away.
Ancillary services
As well as developing actual tech products and services, there’s also a lot of scope for Norfolk to start providing ancillary services to the tech sector as well. Tech office space could well become big business in this region, especially thanks to the improved transport links outlined above. Fashionable tech co-working spaces often flourish in areas which mix old and new. With historic Norwich located in the county, there are plenty of opportunities for landlords and property developers to take a role in shaping the new Norfolk tech economy rather than merely responding to it.
Once the requirement for tech skills is taken out of the equation, there’s a range of other services required. Tech firms also need to be taken to market, for example, and Norfolk already has a variety of promising leads in that regard. The UEA also offers a BA in Marketing and Management at the Norwich Business School – and with UEA often ranked second only to Cambridge in the East of England region’s university guides, there’s a golden opportunity for local graduating talent to be put to good use in the tech sector.
Overall, it’s time to put aside any misconceptions about what the Norfolk economy has to offer. While it might not be San Francisco or Silicon Roundabout, it’s got a burgeoning technology scene that is only likely to grow in stature in the coming years. From agri-tech to casino software development, the types of tech firm which could make it here in Norfolk are diverse.
