East London – Creative Hub and Future of the UK’s Tech Scene12/01/12

Welcoming in 2012, there’s no rest for the companies around ‘Silicon Roundabout’, a technological hub bubbling around Old Street roundabout. The area has developed at increasing speed over the past few years, feeding on cutting-edge technology and creativity, leading to an industry and area which is now seen as a major economic influence, attracting interest from investors, entrepreneurs, global giants and the UK government.

This thriving cluster of businesses is what led Matt Biddulph to coin the term ‘Silicon Roundabout’ as he believed it had the potential of mirroring the Silicon Valley from over the pond. Biddulph created a Google map snapshot of companies in the area and watched it grow from 15 start-ups to now encompass 600 digital companies.

Seeing this clear visual representation amidst the hubbub, Matt Webb, MD of Shoreditch-based design consultancy BERG, wanted to draw on the growth and strive to bring more people into the area. Webb wanted to “create a virtuous cycle of start-ups, talent, money and kick-start more events” and so sprouted the Tech City map which Taylor James is proud to be a part of, connecting all the businesses in the area to form the powerful network displayed to the left.

Shoreditch is fast becoming the major hub for media agencies, creative production studios and tech firms with a digital edge – and Taylor James Creative Production studio if situated right in the heart of it on Curtain road. Taylor James has its roots firmly grounded in Shoreditch having been here over 12 years, and is one of the long-standing companies in the area. We are proud to be surrounded by a wealth of innovative creative and technological companies, it is a collaborative community and everyone appears eager to form creative partnerships still maintaining the boutique and niche ethos of many of the establishments. This is one thing Shoreditch is known for; its uniqueness and dynamism.

The welcoming support of the government to accelerate the growth of the Tech City for the Olympics in July 2012 will surely attract more business to the area between Shoreditch and Stratford; big companies as well as small start-ups. “The bigger the network, the bigger collision of ideas can occur,” said Carlos Espinal, manager and partner of Seedcamp. Shoreditch is a fertile mixing ground and as Richard Heap comments; “Where Tech City comes in is helping to attract more attention and bring the eyes of the world onto the area. I think it will help, and the two elements will work well side-by-side.”  Careful not to confuse the creative innovation of Shoreditch with the push for global technological corporations, Heap states “Shoreditch and Tech City Stratford will not become one. They will spark off each other’s strengths. Tech City is about big organisations, and some people would say that is totally unlike Shoreditch, which is about small companies, start-ups sparking conversations in cafes and bars. There’s dynamism about Shoreditch that is unique.”

And it’s that creativity Taylor James loves and thrives from! We always knew there was something stirring in East London……