I know. “Spatio-what??” Let me explain:
For the second Sheffield Digital Policy Conflab, we’re working with Creative Sheffield to host a public round-table debate on the topic of what digital technology areas, or ‘clusters’, the city is looking to support (the sectoral bit), and where are the best places for that support to be located (the spatial bit).
There are a number of initiatives that are going to shape the digital economy in Sheffield during 2017:
- The new Sheffield Digital Business Incubator in the Castle Gate area.
- The building, research and innovation plans of the city’s two universities.
- The City of Ideas project.
- MakerHub CIC.
- The Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID).
- The Olympic Legacy Park.
As well as several other proposed initiatives to develop digital hubs of various kinds in the city that we’re aware of.
Added to which there are several research efforts under way that will have a bearing on this picture going forward, chief among these is the Sheffield City Region Digital Action Plan which is being conducted by SQW and will be published later this year.
Given these moving pieces, both Creative Sheffield and Sheffield Digital believe that the voices of local creative digital and digital tech businesses should be encouraged and that there should be a more open public debate about the possibilities and opportunities that these initiatives represent.
To this end we are hosting a public round-table debate on the evening of the 28th of February in the Creative Lounge at the Workstation on Paternoster Row, from 6 till 8pm.
The format of the evening will be a round-table discussion group made up of invited guests who who represent the key initiatives, and an open audience who will witness the debate, and have the opportunity to ask questions and participate.
In addition, we will write and publish an explanatory paper in advance of the Conflab to lay out the topic and provide participants and observers with some background information about the initiatives and clarify potential confidentiality issues in advance of the event.
Food and drinks will be provided.
As stated, this is an open meeting, and all are welcome.
All points of view are respected.
The meeting will be conducted under Chatham House rules.
This is an informal event and will not be officially minuted.
The meeting is free to attend, but please register your interest so we have an idea of likely numbers.