With the aim of arming the region's creative digital, tech and music creatives with the skills, insight and guidance they need to grow and succeed, Generator has made great strides in 2018 and continues on its mission to position the North East as a digital powerhouse on a national scale.
Here, Generator’s CEO, Jim Mawdsley, looks back at some of the business support agency’s highlights over the last 12 months. It’s been an interesting year for us at Generator as we adapt and grow as a business in our own right, whilst also providing first-class support to businesses and creatives in the digital, tech and music industries. We’re lucky to have such a diverse pool of talent in the North East the creative digital and tech sectors and music scene here are second to none. And this remains at the heart of everything we do at Generator, both through Digital Union, our business network, and our music development arm, Tipping Point.
Through Digital Union, which is the largest business network in the North East of England for creative digital and tech companies, we have built up strong relationships with all of our members and maintained regular, meaningful contact which has enabled us to develop an understanding of the challenges and opportunities that they face within their sectors.
This played a pivotal role in the creation and launch of the Digital Union Manifesto earlier in the year. The 12-point manifesto was developed for the North East’s creative sector in a bid to tackle some of the biggest challenges currently facing tech businesses. During the year, we’ve moved forward with a number of the key pledges identified in the manifesto, including the development of a Diversity Charter which is about to be launched, further partnership working with other organisations that is leading to a one sector, one region, one statement piece coming from those of us who represent the creative Digital and Tech businesses in the region and we’ve set up a series of skills exchange meetups and initiatives for members.
Bridging the digital and tech skills gap has also been high on our agenda and we’ve continued to strengthen links with the region’s universities as well as supporting the development of Evolve Jobs, a regionally-focused, sector-specific recruitment site. The manifesto is a long-term commitment for us and we are planning a refresh of the pledges early in 2019 to ensure we’re continually addressing the changing needs of the sector for the benefit of all our members.
As 2018 came to a close, Digital Union membership was within touching distance of 200 and we’ve added to our impressive roster of sponsors which now includes Sage, Northumbria University, Blu Sky, Ward Hadaway, NBS and the University of Sunderland.
Delivery of programmes, workshops, events and specialist seminars are Generator’s bread and butter. In the last year we have worked both independently and with partners to launch a number of initiatives aimed at digital and tech companies.
Supply Chain North East, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, is a key partnership programme that we’re currently supporting, which has been developed to help hundreds of businesses within key sectors diversify, broaden their customer base and unlock opportunities in new markets. This year has also seen Generator move towards delivering more commercially-focused ventures. A large portion of our work supporting the development and growth of the creative digital and tech sectors in the region has been possible thanks to European Regional Development Funding, but with the country’s imminent departure from the European Union, it was vital that we took steps to prepare for the very real possibility that alternative funding won’t be an option.
With this in mind we recently launched a new commercial venture – #DUSocial. Delivered by Digital Union, the #DUSocial series consists of monthly half-day masterclasses offering expert guidance and insight into the fast-paced world of social media.
In addition to this, we’re also currently curating fullday masterclasses aimed at new starters working within the digital, design and tech sectors in the region, which will provide them with the skills they need to kick-start their careers. Not forgetting our music industry roots, Tipping Point, Generator’s dedicated artist development programme and record label, has also had a busy year. We have signed three artists, with more on the horizon, including Leeds-based synth pop trio Polo, A Festival, A Parade – who supported fellow North East singer, Sam Fender, on his UK tour – and the label’s most recent signing, Vandebilt.
Generator’s annual music event Evo Emerging continues to act as the go-to platform for emerging musicians and attracts music-lovers from across the region and beyond. Next year, there will be some big changes as we plan to build upon the event’s continued success by adapting the format to cater for wider audiences, so stay tuned for exciting news there.
Despite the obvious uncertainty around Brexit, we’re confident that the creative, digital and tech industry in the North East, which is one of the fastest growing outside London, is strong enough and dynamic enough to forge ahead in 2019.