In light of the fast-growing Welsh tech scene, Tech Nation’s Chair, Board, and Executive Team visited Tramshed Tech in Cardiff to meet Wales’ scaling tech businesses.
Earlier this month, the Board and the Executive Team of Tech Nation gathered in Tramshed Tech, Cardiff, for its final meeting of the financial year to discuss strategy, planning and purpose.
Attendees also took time out to meet local founders and influencers in the tech ecosystem. Topics discussed at a roundtable and networking lunch included digital skills, digital disruption, talent recruitment and retention. However, the two most prominent topics were low levels of funding and exceptional opportunities for the Welsh tech scene and the need for even more funding so it can reach its full potential.
Left to right: Stephen Kelly, Gareth I Jones, Caroline Thompson, Matthew Turner, Mark John, Gino Brancazio, Gerard Grech, Nichola McNeely, Matt Hyde, Sina Yamani, Emma Thompson, Stephen Holt.
“The tech ecosystem in Wales is rich and vibrant. The conversations and collaborations I’ve had at Recruit121 and Tramshed Tech demonstrated that now truly is the time to leverage tech as a catalyst for long-lasting economic growth. Huge opportunities can be unlocked with even more investment to match the potent combination of tech space and skills we experienced. Many tech dev ops teams are already based in Wales and it’s now time to aspire for all tech business operations to be housed in the country.” – Stephen Kelly, Chair, Tech Nation
“The sheer diversity of the Welsh tech sector is striking and enormously exciting – with companies located across the country and building world-leading businesses in fields such as fintech (Yoello), business intelligence (AMPLYFI) and climate tech (Sero). As the vibrant start-up economy grows, Tech Nation is committed to supporting these trailblazing businesses as they continue their journey to greater scale and global success.” – Sarah Wood, co-founder of Unruly and Tech Nation board member
The Tech Nation Board, Executive Team and Team Members
“It was terrific to be in Cardiff with the Tech Nation Board and exciting to learn about the tech scale ups in Wales and the sustainable businesses they are building that will create the jobs of the future. Ambition, expansion and digital disruption were themes in every conversation I had.” – Annette Wilson, Director Audit & Risk Committee Tech Nation
“Tramshed Tech is delighted to be able to host Tech Nation in Cardiff and to be able to continue our established partnership with them, to help grow the burgeoning Welsh tech startup scene and provide a steady stream of great rapid-growth tech companies ready to scale, to feed into Tech Nation’s range of UK scaling programmes, like Rising Stars, Upscale and Future Fifty. Our own rapid growth in 2022 sees Tramshed Tech opening five new sites in Wales this year, to provide a growth platform for the Welsh tech sector, as we extend our range of partnerships with class-leading brand partners like Google for Startups, Barclays Eagle Labs, Microsoft and Tech Nation, to further increase the opportunities for Welsh companies to grow and scale. We look forward to continuing this flourishing partnership with Tech Nation in Wales and across the UK.” – Mark John, Co-Founder of Tramshed Tech
