The opportunity to deliver a keynote speech at the excellent Enterprise M3 Annual Conference in Woking this month gave me cause to ponder the role of local government and business groups in promoting digital skills and capability development across the UK.
With Wild Orange Media located just a few miles away in nearby Surrey, Enterprise M3 has a mission close to my heart. Its ambition is to develop the most powerful sci:tech corridor in the country where high-growth, knowledge-based businesses can thrive. It does this by fuelling debate with central government, securing funding to develop regional activities, and helping local businesses collaborate for mutual growth. If you have a business in this corner of the world, you’d be well-advised to find out more about the organisation’s work.
With hundreds of businesses in attendance, the M3 corridor seems well-placed to capitalise on the opportunities of the digital age. The region benefits from close proximity to London and excellent (if often overwhelmed ) transport links to the coast and some of the UK’s most beautiful towns and villages. But while technology hubs like London’s Silicon Roundabout and the Northern Powerhouse seem to get most of the headlines, it’s also clear to me that the UK’s long-term technology prosperity lies in developing future-ready skill sets across the whole of the UK, not just in a few privileged regions.
That’s the wondrous thing about technology; it allows us to compete on the global stage from wherever we happen to be. And so too must we compete with other smart-thinking organisations, whether in a neighbouring town or on the other side of the world. So, if you’re lucky enough to live in a fast-developing region, be sure to seek out your Local Enterprise Partnership growth hub and find out how they can help you accelerate your business in our digital world. Alternatively, if you find yourself in a part of the world that central government or development agencies seem to have left behind, seize the opportunity to become your local growth driver by helping others generate new revenue streams from the world’s unstoppable technological progress.
To find out more about booking a keynote speaker for your event please visit our Speaker page. For the Enterprise M3 Annual Conference I was hired as a motivational speaker by the Champions After Dinner Speakers agency.