Download the Tech Nation report
Visit our Tech Nation Interactive Guide Powered by 
Norwich
A developing cluster, there is a growing startup scene in Norwich and Great Yarmouth that draws upon the area’s existing creative sector. There have already been a whole host of successful technology startups emerging from the area, with Liftshare (400,000 users) recently launching their iOS application and Servicetick featured in the Deloitte Fast 50 in November.
Rainbird, a cloud-based artificial intelligence platform, was one of 12 companies to pitch at Number 10 Downing Street’s Pitch10 event.
Company success has been aided heavily by the great support network in the area, particularly bodies such as SyncNorwich (over 1000 members), Norfolk Developers and Hot Source (meet-up groups).
Digital employment in Norwich and Norfolk (collectively) has now reached more than 14,000, boosted by the establishment of Whitespace (Norwich co-working space), by Proxama and the great supply of eligible digital workers supplied by the University of East Anglia and Norwich University of the Arts.
Rainbird CEO, James Duez, credits the great supply of workers to the two universities: “Norwich has strong universities and produces talented people. There has been a realisation that there is enough of a quantum mass of bright people to stay here.”
Support:
- Centrum, the Innovation Centre and the UEA Enterprise Centre – based in the Norwich Research Park
- Ideas Factory Incubation Centre – a Digital User Innovation Lab at Norwich University of the Arts
- Norwich City Council website provides a full list of the schemes and information currently available
- Hot Source and Sync Norwich– for creatives, digital people and startups in and around Norfolk. Run monthly meetups
- Whitespace and New Patrick’s Yard– Co-working spaces for tech startups
Funding:
- Eastern Agri-Tech Growth Initiative, a £2.5m programme designed to support improvements in agricultural productivity
- Grants4Growth programme for support. The scheme provides small and medium-sized enterprises with capital grants of up to 28% of the cost of a project
- Growing Business Fund & Small Grant Scheme, offers between £500 and £500,000 to support up to 20% of the cost of projects
- Grants4Growth’s Energy Grant500+ intended to help small and medium-sized businesses purchase and install energy-efficient equipment, such as low-energy lighting. Grants of £500 to £2,500 are available through the initiative
- Low Carbon Innovation Fund supports businesses in the region which contribute to the low carbon economy
- Anglia Capital Group – leading group of business and angel investors providing equity finance for high tech startups
MADE is a digital communications agency, supplying branding, print design, digital services and strategic marketing support to organisations in East Anglia and London.
Naked Element designs and builds made-to-measure enterprise software and cross-platform mobile apps.
Rainbird is a cloud-based artificial intelligence platform for visually structuring knowledge and turning it into smart consultative tools that anyone can use 24 x 7.
Subscribe
Get the latest Tech City UK news and events delivered to your inbox.