Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, wants the capital city to also be the ‘tech capital of the world’, he announced today, without spelling out exactly how this would be achieved.
Talking at an event in London’s Shoreditch area, Johnson said:
There is nowhere to rival London for tech firms to thrive and grow – we have the talent, the investors, and the entrepreneurial spirit. Our tech offer now spans the capital in its entirety, from Tottenham to Croydon and from Wembley to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. I want London’s world-class tech sector to be as well known around the globe as our tourism, arts and financial services – it certainly deserves to be. London is where it all comes together. We need to build on this impressive growth and champion London as the global leader for ambitious tech companies.
The main thrust of his presence was to underscore exactly how positive local businesses are about the future – touting specific figures from a recent YouGov survey like “84 per cent believe the outlook is bright for their sector and 71 per cent believe being based in the capital will help them attract the investment they need”.
Johnson also announced the launch of a new London Tech Ambassadors Group comprised of nine individuals, including: Kathryn Parsons, co-CEO Decoded, Gerard Grech, CEO of Tech City UK and well-known entrepreneur and investor Sherry Coutu.
This year, the city will also play host to the first ever ‘London Technology Week’ (like ‘London Fashion Week’) from June 16 to June 20 – it’s comprised of 25 events across the capital and promises to “bring together over 1,000 influential tech advocates”.
➤ Mayor Outlines Vision to Make London the Tech Capital of the World [Press release]
Featured Image Credit – Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
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