Our approach

Ensuring inclusive economic growth through tech.

David Dunn of Sunderland Software City

We believe in the potential digital-technology has to transform the prosperity of our region. At Sunderland Software City we work hard to unlock that potential to ensure we’re nurturing positive economic change in the North East of England.

Keeping pace with technological change is challenging but it’s our ambition to consistently be ahead of the curve. While our teams and programmes deliver support to address challenges facing individuals and organisations today, it’s important that we’re anticipating industry’s needs for tomorrow too.

There isn’t a secret sauce or silver bullet to addressing ever-shifting market failure, that would be too easy, wouldn’t it? However, by being uniquely placed at the heart of the North East tech ecosystem, connecting with and learning from a variety of stakeholders, we continually process the insights we gather to ensure our services are fit for purpose, up to date and ready to respond to change.

Our process

Insight-led experts delivering positive impact

Insight

01
01

Stakeholder engagement and insight development

Our organisation and the support we provide is guided by a myriad of ever changing data points and intelligence we consistently collect from the ecosystem we’re here to serve. 

Engaging with a variety of stakeholders, from budding founders to growing teams, from apprentices to industry leaders, the relationships we build begin with listening.

Listening to the needs and challenges faced by the private sector, education and local government, while constantly reviewing and iterating the channels through which we interact, enables us to build a diverse array of relationships needed to develop highly relevant and actionable research.

Service Design

02
02

Designing and optimising our services

Person at an event

Extensive research and listening to sector needs allows us to understand supply, demand and failures existing in the market; this enables us to design, iterate and optimise our services.

Our experienced in-house teams work together to share knowledge and pursue coordinated courses of action to the benefit of the individuals and organisations we’re looking to help. We back up our suggestions with regular testing and feedback from the ecosystem, which is never without an appreciation of the importance in nurturing grassroots and tackling digital poverty. We’re proud to put inclusivity at the heart of our work to help engineer an economy that works for all. 

Inclusive support

03
03

Wide-reaching and inclusive support

School pupil using VR headset

We turn our ideas into a series of wide-ranging programmes which are delivered through a variety of mediums, based on the audience we’re looking to help.

From one off events to sustained one to one workshops, we base our approach on simply what has the best chance of providing value to those in need. To view our ever-growing programme support and event opportunities, click on Our Services in the link at the top of the page for more details. 

Impact

04
04

Measuring our impact

We never rest on our laurels at SSC. We know first hand how fast technology evolves and how quickly the needs of ecosystems change. It’s vital that the support we provide generates positive, measurable impact to make a difference to the local economy we’re so passionate about.

The successes and failures (sometimes we try things that don’t quite work and we hold our hands up to that!) of the impact we create plays a significant role in how we develop. As we continue to serve and drive digital technology growth across North East England we always record, share and learn from our results.

Stage five
Measuring our impact

We never rest on our laurels at SSC. We know first hand how fast technology evolves and how quickly the needs of ecosystems change. It’s vital that the support we provide generates positive, measurable impact to make a difference to the local economy we’re so passionate about.

The successes and failures (sometimes we try things that don’t quite work and we hold our hands up to that!) of the impact we create plays a significant role in how we develop. As we continue to serve and drive digital technology growth across North East England we always record, share and learn from our results.

5
Stage four
Importance of expertise, collaboration and partnerships

While we take great pride in the experience of our inhouse teams and technical specialists,  it would be impossible to achieve the impact we do without the extensive collaboration we’re awarded from industry partners.

From regional to national level, we share knowledge and best practise both within and outside of the region. We’re constantly learning ourselves and value the time and trust others put in our team.  

We work hard at Sunderland Software City to bring people together for the better. Whatever we learn we share! You’ll often see us publishing frameworks for startups innovating with corporates or revealing our approach to the bespoke skills bootcamps we design.

4
Stage three
Wide-reaching and inclusive support

We turn our ideas into a series of wide-ranging programmes which are delivered through a variety of mediums, based on the audience we’re looking to help.

From one off events to sustained one to one workshops, we base our approach on simply what has the best chance of providing value to those in need. To view our ever-growing programme support and event opportunities, click on Our Services in the link at the top of the page for more details. 

3
Stage two
Designing and optimising our services

Extensive research and listening to sector needs allows us to understand supply, demand and failures existing in the market; this enables us to design, iterate and optimise our services.

Our experienced in-house teams work together to share knowledge and pursue coordinated courses of action to the benefit of the individuals and organisations we’re looking to help. We back up our suggestions with regular testing and feedback from the ecosystem, which is never without an appreciation of the importance in nurturing grassroots and tackling digital poverty. We’re proud to put inclusivity at the heart of our work to help engineer an economy that works for all. 

2
1
Stage one
Stakeholder engagement and insight development

Our organisation and the support we provide is guided by a myriad of ever changing data points and intelligence we consistently collect from the ecosystem we’re here to serve. 

Engaging with a variety of stakeholders, from budding founders to growing teams, from apprentices to industry leaders, the relationships we build begin with listening.

Listening to the needs and challenges faced by the private sector, education and local government, while constantly reviewing and iterating the channels through which we interact, enables us to build a diverse array of relationships needed to develop highly relevant and actionable research.

Our Approach:
Stakeholder engagement and insight development

Our organisation and the support we provide is guided by a myriad of ever changing data points and intelligence we consistently collect from the ecosystem we’re here to serve. 

Engaging with a variety of stakeholders, from budding founders to growing teams, from apprentices to industry leaders, the relationships we build begin with listening.

Listening to the needs and challenges faced by the private sector, education and local government, while constantly reviewing and iterating the channels through which we interact, enables us to build a diverse array of relationships needed to develop highly relevant and actionable research.

Step 2
Designing and optimising our services

Extensive research and listening to sector needs allows us to understand supply, demand and failures existing in the market; this enables us to design, iterate and optimise our services.

Our experienced in-house teams work together to share knowledge and pursue coordinated courses of action to the benefit of the individuals and organisations we’re looking to help. We back up our suggestions with regular testing and feedback from the ecosystem, which is never without an appreciation of the importance in nurturing grassroots and tackling digital poverty. We’re proud to put inclusivity at the heart of our work to help engineer an economy that works for all. 

Step 3
Wide-reaching and inclusive support

We turn our ideas into a series of wide-ranging programmes which are delivered through a variety of mediums, based on the audience we’re looking to help. 

From one off events to sustained one to one workshops, we base our approach on simply what has the best chance of providing value to those in need. 

To view our ever-growing programme support and event opportunities, click on Our Services in the link at the top of the page for more details.

Step 4
Importance of expertise, collaboration and partnerships

While we take great pride in the experience of our inhouse teams and technical specialists,  it would be impossible to achieve the impact we do without the extensive collaboration we’re awarded from industry partners.

From regional to national level, we share knowledge and best practise both within and outside of the region. We’re constantly learning ourselves and value the time and trust others put in our team.  

We work hard at Sunderland Software City to bring people together for the better. Whatever we learn we share! You’ll often see us publishing frameworks for startups innovating with corporates or revealing our approach to the bespoke skills bootcamps we design.

Step 5
Measuring our impact

We never rest on our laurels at SSC. We know first hand how fast technology evolves and how quickly the needs of ecosystems change. It’s vital that the support we provide generates positive, measurable impact to make a difference to the local economy we’re so passionate about.

The successes and failures (sometimes we try things that don’t quite work and we hold our hands up to that!) of the impact we create plays a significant role in how we develop. As we continue to serve and drive digital technology growth across North East England we always record, share and learn from our results.

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