Leeds-based chip designer secures £21M investment for ground-breaking tech

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A British semiconductor designer, whose innovative light-powered technology holds the potential to address a major data security challenge, has secured substantial funding from investors, including Italy’s affluent Agnelli family. Optalysys, headquartered in Leeds, recently concluded a Series A funding round of £21 million this month, to facilitate job creation and further advance its journey towards production. Optalysys has been […]

Sheffield tech group ZOO Digital celebrates 28% revenue growth for FY23

Image credit: ZOO Digital

Sheffield-based ZOO Digital has achieved its fourth consecutive year of robust growth after the company’s revenue surged by 28%, reaching £70.9 million) up from £55.3 million last financial year and a four fold growth in operating profit to £6.2 million. Sales across its subtitling services business grew 15% while dubbing grew 73%. Reporting bumper growth in […]

Leeds’ Axiologik to present UK tech plan at political party conferences

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Pivotal technology trade association, techUK, is poised to seize the spotlight at the forthcoming major political party conferences slated for September and October. Their focal point will be the UK Tech Plan, an ambitious initiative aimed at revolutionising the nation’s tech landscape. Bolstered by invaluable collaboration from Leeds’ digital delivery consultancy Axiologik – a key […]

Plans underway for February 2024’s Leicestershire Innovation Festival

Aerial photo of the city centre of Leicester in the UK showing houses and apartment building on a sunny summers day

Plans for the sixth annual Leicestershire Innovation Festival are already in motion, with the event scheduled for February 2024. Over the course of a fortnight, the festival will have a series of events celebrating the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit that flourishes throughout Leicester and the wider county. Past events have encompassed support sessions catering to startups, insightful […]

Scottish VC firm Par Equity confirms strategic expansion into Leeds and Sheffield

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Edinburgh-based venture capital firm, Par Equity, is establishing offices in both Leeds and Sheffield, utilising the Yorkshire hub as a secondary base to support its investment endeavors across Northern UK. This move comes on the heels of Par Equity’s recent investments in the North of England, providing backing to rapidly growing enterprises such as AEM, […]

Leonardo data science partnership launched with Newcastle University

The National Innovation Centre for Data at The Catalyst Building on Newcastle Helix

Defence and security firm Leonardo, which recently disclosed plans to establish 200 new job opportunities in Newcastle city centre, has unveiled a research partnership with the National Innovation Centre for Data, situated at Newcastle University. Coinciding with the launch of its eighth UK site to enable digital transformation across its UK operations, this collaborative venture arises from a £30 million […]

New £8M hydrogen transport funding set to boost North East economy

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Revolutionising the landscape of hydrogen-powered transport, an £8 million government competition is set to enhance the efficiency and environmental sustainability of journeys involving hydrogen-fueled airport vehicles and supermarket delivery trucks. This strategic initiative, aimed at propelling the North East’s economy and generating job opportunities, is poised to introduce groundbreaking advancements. The Transport Secretary recently unveiled […]

Leeds-based telecom firm acquires two South East IT support companies

L-R: Rob Edwards, Andy Higgins, Ayrton Silveston and Adam Silveston – members of the Soda IT team.

Northern Telecom, which is headquartered in Leeds, has successfully acquired two Kent-based IT support enterprises, Allteks and Absols, fortifying its managed services division. The strategic aquisition has not only preserved several job positions but also integrated them into Northern Telecom’s Soda IT group. The Soda IT group itself became a part of Northern Telecom’s portfolio in […]

£4.5 Million boost for northcoders in government contract triumph

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Northcoders, a leading software coding training provider, has succeeded in securing a £4.5 million contract from the Government’s Department for Education Skills Bootcamps Wave 4 bid. The latest funding injection bolsters Northcoders’ mission to equip individuals with high level coding skills through its successful bootcamp programme. With this financial boost, the group will now be […]

University of York migrates data to EcoDataCenter, Sweden as part of green IT push

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The University of York is set to migrate its high-performance computing (HPC) workloads to EcoDataCenter in an effort to reach net-zero. With the University of York using its HPC capabilities for climate research, it decided it was time to shift its IT infrastructure to a greener colo site in support of its ambition to reach […]

Lancaster University cyber team lends support to nuclear decommissioning body

Lancaster University’s cyber team has joined with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) to help support and protect its 300-year mission, while enhancing its own capabilities in the process. Key players in nuclear decommissioning and cyber security have signed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU) with Lancaster University. Working alongside cyber services consultancy Templar Executives – which already supports many […]

NHS patient data compromised in Manchester University cyber attack

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Over one million NHS patient records have been accessed by the cybercriminals who attacked the University of Manchester on 09 June. The data had been gathered by the university for the purposes of medical research from more than 200 hospitals. The data includes reports of major-trauma patients across the country and treatment for victims of terrorist attacks. Among the leaked […]

Newcastle tech company gives staff three volunteer days a year to help North East charities

Accenture staff taking part in a guide dogs hike up Scafell Pike (Image: Dominic Taylor)

Newcastle-based technology and IT consultancy Accenture is giving every member of its team three days a year to take whenever they want to volunteer at charities across the North East. Solution Architect Dominic Taylor, who works at Accenture in Cobalt and is the company’s charity lead, has encouraged other businesses to do the same: “It is […]

Bristol cyber security firm, Stripe OLT, launches new Manchester office

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Bristol-headquartered cyber security firm Stripe OLT has launched a Manchester office, in a milestone move that represents a “significant leap forward” on its mission to expand into new areas across the UK. Situated in the heart of Manchester, the Spinningfields location is a tactical expansion, allowing Stripe OLT to “establish stronger connections with existing clients, as […]

Cisco joins growing Manchester cyber security hub

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Networking technology giant Cisco has become the latest supporter of Manchester’s growing Digital Security Hub (DiSH) cyber security accelerator, launching a series of initiatives to support the centre’s ambitions to be at the forefront of security innovation in North West England. Manchester already hosts a growing cyber security ecosystem and the city is just a short drive from the […]