What are the innovations going on in the city that make our city SMART?
In a series of blogs, we discuss how innovating companies across all sectors are developing products and services, which make the city smart, innovative, safe and efficient.
Before we delve into companies and products or services in this blog, we discuss the collaboration and nature of an organisation helping businesses in the city who combine forces internally and externally to help companies innovate, compete, grow and internationalise.
Collaborating Locally
RTC North is an organisation working on many different grant-funded programmes with Supply Chain North East promoting North East Companies outwards. It is a partnership programme from the North East Growth Hub and is delivered by partners across the region: RTC North, Generator, North East Automotive Alliance and the North East Process Industry Cluster.
Scale Up North East taking growing companies and support them to scale these. RTC North is delivering Scaleup North East in conjunction with the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). The programme is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). It is designed to support companies and create jobs and economic growth for the region.
Then there are various local and national government support for innovative businesses that drive economic growth, which complements Innovate UK project funding with intensive, specialist-led support for such ambitious businesses.
RTC also hosts two cluster groups, firstly Northern Orbit a space cluster designed to make awareness of the opportunities in the space sector for both traditional and non-traditional space companies, many smart city initiatives, products and services rely on communications and sensors so ‘Space’ is a sector all smart tech companies should be aware of.
Secondly FemTech North aiming to inform, educate and share information on the fast-growing FemTech sector, whilst promoting FemTech activity in the UK. The group has a focus on the North, but links with FemTech Organisations, Companies, Stakeholders and Investors Nationwide and Internationally. Covering topics and issues that impact women and determine what – and how – entrepreneurs, innovators and researchers of every gender are using tech to help women live their lives the way they want to, free from discomfort, pain, stigma and ignorance of issues that often are barriers to living a full and happy life.
And last but not least and perhaps most importantly we have STEMHub North East which aims to promote STEM-related opportunities and careers by being a bridge between businesses and education but essentially ensuring the region is aspiring to attract talent to, but equally keep homegrown talent in the region.
By collaborating with businesses, they learn what skills are needed and work to make sure that schools and children are aware that there are opportunities outside of Manufacturing, Retail or Care which include Gaming, Data Analysing, Situational Awareness and App development amongst many others.
As an employee of RTC North supporting many of these business support initiatives I have the great pleasure of meeting (and often working with) companies developing technology to create services and products for the city’s businesses, visitors and citizens, join us we lift a lid and take a peek at the Innovation in Our City
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