Project title: Supporting regional ecosystems and entrepreneurship

Descriptions

Description of the Procurement: If there is significant interest, we may hold a short presentation for prospective suppliers w/c 14 April 2025. Please flag your interest via email to stuart.smith@dsit.gov.uk The purpose of this PIN is to provide advance notice that the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is considering undertaking a tender exercise to fund a provider or consortium of providers to deliver a project to support regional tech entrepreneurship and strengthen regional digital ecosystems. We particularly welcome consortiums of providers to apply. Background The UK remains Europe’s top tech ecosystem and the third most valuable globally, valued at $1.2 trillion in 2024. While we have been pleased to see growth in the tech sector in certain regions outside of London and the Southeast, regional disparities remain. Strengthening regional digital ecosystems is critical to our growth mission, and DSIT is committed to ensuring that the UK is one of the best places in the world for tech businesses to start, scale and stay – regardless of where in the UK a company or founder is based. DSIT is driving regional growth across its Science and Tech policy portfolio – whether through Project Gigabit, R&D funding such as the Innovate UK Launchpads, AI Growth Zones, digital skills, and digital inclusion policy. Growing regional digital ecosystems cannot be achieved by government alone, and we recognise the significant work being done by tech cluster groups, industry, academic and research institutions, and other local tech leaders to drive regional growth. To complement these efforts, w e are exploring what more could be done to strengthen regional tech entrepreneurship and grow regional digital ecosystems to ensure the whole of the UK benefits from this growth. This new fund is intended as seed funding to inject momentum and stimulate activity in the commercial market to support regional tech entrepreneurship. There is an no expectation of a continuation of funding after the contract. Objectives DSIT invites suggestions and feedback on the scope of a project to support regional entrepreneurship and regional digital ecosystems. We are looking for innovative ideas that could support the following objectives: 1. Deliver projects to support regional tech entrepreneurship and strengthen regional digital ecosystems – this may include harnessing community-building effects of in-person, local programmes to develop strong regional networks of tech founders and innovators, driving further innovation through collaboration and knowledge sharing and signposting further available support for founders 2. Promote and raise awareness of the strength and competitiveness of all regional tech companies - with the aim of boosting investor confidence and inspiring future entrepreneurs 3. Promote best practice and ensure commercial sustainability of efforts to support regional tech - facilitate the sharing of insights and best practice across different regional digital ecosystems to encourage peer learning and ecosystem-wide benefits and develop advice to inform future DSIT policy development. Demonstrate how activities will contribute to stimulating future efforts in the market without future government funding. We anticipate a successful provider will be able to demonstrate: • That it is embedded in regional ecosystems, or are working closely with local tech stakeholders to deliver tailored support. We anticipate funding benefits across the UK/more than a single region . • Commercial sustainability to ensure efforts/activities continue beyond the contract. This could be through match funding or private partnerships. • Effective monitoring and evaluation via KPIs or other impact measurements. We do not expect to see: • Bids that fund existing activity that providers are already delivering. Estimated timescale for any publication of a subsequent ITT is mid-end March 2025.