TechNExt, Ordnance Survey, hybrid work
And not the Spending Review, I decided not to write about that
It’s TechNExt this week, and I was at the main stage opening in Newcastle on Monday - I’m hoping to be at some of the data and AI session today, so may see many of you there.
The festival is in its third year, and has fast become a centrepiece of the North East tech scene.
It’s an important occasion to either galvanise optimism or inject realism, depending on your viewpoint / which session you’re in.
There was a bit of both on Monday, with some positive overall news about the UK’s ability to create tech unicorns (meaning a private business valued at over $1bn) and some good chatter about the potential of AI…but the North East never really felt like it was well-placed to take advantage of that as the keynote speakers talked about it all.
I was a bit concerned by the idea that we are in the era of the ultra-large mega-business, and that unicorn status was no longer the aim, but the price of a seat at the table.
The counter to that is the suggestion that we don’t actually need to be chasing a seat at that table, we just need to be doing better than we are - more start-ups, quicker scaling, drawing in more capital.
All of that would have a significant impact on the regional economy and create positive change in people’s lives…without really troubling the unicorn counters.
There’s more TechNExt stuff happening today, tomorrow and Friday - you can find out about it all on the festival website.
I’m not going to write about the Spending Review
I just can’t be bothered, I’ll be honest with you.
It already feels a thousand years ago, everyone has already got excited/upset.
So, I’ll just signpost to a couple of things.
The LGA have done a really comprehensive briefing, where they put the announcements across dozens of topics against their reaction.
And there’s a good opinion piece in Times Higher Education which explores plans to support regional R&D, suggesting a big role for universities in place-based/city-region interventions.
ORDNANCE SURVEY CONTENT ALERT
The Ordnance Survey - known for having really accurate maps which are impossible to fold - have partnered with Transport for the North to look at which of you lot have driveways.
The importance of that lies in the fact that without a driveway you can’t charge an electric vehicle at home.
Turns out this is another league table the North East doesn’t perform well on.
The region is patchy at best (darker colours mean more driveways on the map above), which isn’t a surprise if you’ve ever looked out of your window at a typical urban North Eastern street.
You can have a good poke around on TfN’s interactive map here.
Access to hybrid work
The ONS has published some new analysis of who has access to hybrid work, based on demographic characteristics.
There’s probably not much new ground being broken here - you’re more likely to work hybrid if you have higher qualifications and if you are in higher earning brackets, and you’re less likely to work hybrid if you have a disability, live in a deprived part of the country, or work part time.
But, even if we sort of knew all of that, the analysis is useful as is having it all in one place.
Celebrating the world's first railway
It's the 200th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington railway this year, and there's lots going on over the summer.
The Guardian have visited the route, gone for a walk and stopped at some of the main highlights.
It's a nice write up of a really significant part of the region's heritage.
Working with me
Short-ish newsletter this week - hopefully see some of you later on at the TechNExt Data and AI hub - but if not, I’m always up for a coffee and a catch up.
You can reach me on arlen@arlenpettitt.co.uk.