A new strategic tri-nation partnership tasked with identifying cross-border growth opportunities to boost the tech sector has been launched.
TechSpark Wales is the brand name of a new collaboration between Cardiff-based tech incubator hub Tramshed Tech and west of England-based TechSpark UK. The new umbrella brand will work with tech and digital companies and organisations on both sides of the Severn Estuary.
And the newly formed not-for-profit grouping has extended its reach to France, by joining forces in an industry-led partner programme with the Paris-based innovation hub St. Quentin-en-Yvelines (SQY). The organisation plays host to the largest innovation campus in France as part of ParisSaclay - the first tech cluster in France.
The wider collaboration will identify cross-border growth opportunities for French, Welsh and UK tech sector companies across a range of tech and digital disciplines, from AI and cyber, to data, fintech and greentech.
The initiative has the backing of both the UK and Welsh governments, with a formal memorandum of understanding being signed today at the UK Embassy in Paris.
Director of Tramshed Tech and a founding partner of TechSpark Wales, Mark John, said: “We at Tramshed Tech are delighted to see this series of high-level discussions between us finally come to fruition, reflected in both of these new ground-breaking industry partnerships.
"Over three years in the making, from the earliest discussions between us, to the setting up of TechSpark Wales and the final signing of our new memorandum of understanding with SQY – initiated before the onset of Covid – we have been supported in our ambitious plans by the Welsh and UK governments.
“We hope we have rewarded their faith in us by being able to demonstrate the resilience and determination of our respective tech networks to grow by working together. Despite the effect of the pandemic, we have continued to build our relationship with our English and French partners, to provide an exciting new platform to help support the development of tech and digital businesses in all three countries – Wales, England and France – a new triple alliance to grow our sector.
Managing director of TechSpark UK and founding partner of TechSpark Wales, Ben Shorrock, said: “This is a great example of how tech businesses across the UK and internationally can come together for the greater good. Having worked with the team at Tramshed for over three years as joint founder members of the UK Tech Cluster Group, we at TechSpark UK have seen first-hand the effect, impact and benefit of collaborative working in consultation with forward-thinking partners.
"We see huge opportunities for our networks to work together to achieve even greater and quicker growth for the sector, both sides of the Severn Bridge - and we look forward to continuing and extending that relationship with our wonderful new international partners across the channel”
President of SQY Jean-Michel Fourgous said: “It is a great honour for us to conclude this partnership agreement with the flourishing tech ecosystem of Wales represented by TechSpark Wales. This MoU was initiated before the pandemic and we are eager to start putting it in motion to reinforce our respective innovation hubs with this strategic collaboration.”
