Flagship Welsh tech event to return for fourth year amid Tech Nation report release

Wales’s flagship technology event is returning to Newport for a fourth year and comes as a report released yesterday revealed the economic impact, opportunities and challenges of Wales’s digital industry.

Digital 2016 will take place at Celtic Manor Resort on June 6th and 7th, and is expected to connect over 1,500 developers, entrepreneurs, tech businesses. It’ll consist of keynote talks, interactive sessions, collaborative panels and practical workshops.

The announcement of the event follows the release of the 2016 Tech Nation Report, which claims that the technology sector is worth £600 million to Welsh economy and employs over 43,000 people.

While these statistics are promising, the report outlines a number of challenges faced by Welsh tech companies as they look to rival locations of the UK such as London, Bristol and Bath. These include a limited talented supply (which is an issue for 59 per cent of digital businesses) and access to funding (48 per cent).

Innovation Point, the new digital innovation company for Wales, looks to solve these problems by bringing together entrepreneurs, investors and innovative businesses and helping them attract investment into Wales and improve access to funding.

The company is also behind Digital 2016, which will facilitate a host of world-leading innovators and entrepreneurs, as well as local start-ups and talent, to tackle issues including funding, digital skills and security.

David Warrender, CEO of Innovation Point, said: “The Tech Nation report has highlighted lots of good things about Wales, but also the very challenges that Innovation Point and Digital 2016 have been created to solve.

“Wales’ position as a key player on the UK’s technology map is growing and the event aims to put everyone in the same room to inform and inspire to even greater things.

“We know it’s vital for any company hoping to compete in today’s tech-literate market to harness the power of technology and integrate a digital strategy.

“Digital 2016 will show people just how digital tech could enhance their business, no matter their core sector or audience. We can guarantee that the offerings on this year’s programme will make the industry sit up and take notice.”