THE voice of the region’s tech sector will be shouting louder after an injection of funds and the recruitment of two new members of staff.
Dynamo is an industry-led initiative that aims to build the North East’s enterprise IT clusters to achieve national and international recognition for excellence in delivering IT software and services.
The organisation is investing £330,000 to accelerate growth of innovation and collaboration activity in regional IT businesses over the next two years. This includes funding secured through the Innovation SuperNetwork, the network supporting innovation in regional businesses in conjunction with the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (NELEP) and part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
Anne Macdonald, Head of Engagement at Dynamo, said: “We were delighted to secure funding from Innovation SuperNetwork – it has enabled us to grow our headcount and increase capacity to deliver more cluster development. Ultimately, it will help us to stimulate further innovation and collaboration, and help drive the growth of the region’s IT and tech sector.
“The need for our services, particularly our work around key IT clusters, has been in huge demand and this funding will allow us to give our members what they want and what the IT sector needs.”
The funding has allowed the recruitment of two new Cluster Leader posts. Laura Kemp has joined the team as Cluster Lead for digital leisure and shared services while another Cluster Lead, Dawn Dunn, will start in March with responsibility for professional services, Fintech and data. Laura joined Dynamo from the BE Group, while Dawn will join from the North East Fund.
The rest of the Dynamo team incorporates Sarah Thackray, Director, and Clare Nicholson, Account Manager for Dynamo at BeaconHouse Events. The new members of the team have moved into a new office at Hoults Yard, Byker.
Simon Green, CEO of the Innovation SuperNetwork, said: “Our recent focus has been to build on the first three years of the SuperNetwork by strengthening ties with key regional clusters to enable businesses to excel through innovation. Everything we do is focussed on supporting regional companies to achieve their objectives, whilst helping the local economy to grow and the new Dynamo Cluster Leads will bring with them significant knowledge and expertise in working with organisations at all stages of growth. I wish them every success.”
Dynamo has more than 150 members made up of IT organisations and employers, technology hubs, universities, colleges and local government. It works to grow the region’s IT economy through promoting the region as a hub for the enterprise IT sector and has a mission to increase collaboration, innovation, skills and ‘noise’ to grow the region’s IT economy.
Since being established in 2012, Dynamo has helped create 35,000 jobs, held more than 200 events, played a key role in securing the North East Futures UTC, secured £42m in public investment and, alongside Newcastle University, successfully secured the National Centre for Data, which is due to open this year.
Dynamo is part-funded by the ERDF.
