East London’s pull of investors and computer ‘nerds’
As big cooperations and investors engage in a healthy scuffle for the topshot spot at tech city.
When it comes to ranking how innovative and inspiring a technological hub is, Silicon Valley takes the biscuits, no doubt. But slowly and steadily, computer geeks and entrepreneurs in East London (which encompasses Old Street, Stratford, Hoxton and parts of Shoreditch) are carving out, what seems to be Europe’s ‘Geek Village’.
Personally, I regard Tech City as a clog or collection of computer technology based establishments, consisting of entrepreneurs and ‘computer nerds’ working together to come up with new innovations and easier ways of doing things.
Across the pond, England’s daughter, the United states, has four out of the top five companies on the list of the most valuable technological brands in the world. Those companies are Google, Microsoft, apple and IBM.
Camaraderie and bonding helps in team work, a gymnastic or ice-hockey team will fare better if players had good personal relationships. Church choristers are so in sync not just by chance, but by bonding, repetition and mastery.
In jobs that require huge amounts of brain power, some people who share the same passion work better with others involved and in close proximity. It is a conducive environment for the free flow of creativity - but just to sound ‘cool and hip’, just say ”bouncing off ideas”. In contrast to some other type of people who find their personal space to be their greatest muse.
The East London location was picked as the base for Tech City, as a good location for start ups. I believe this is partly because of it’s nearness to central London and the affordable rent rates for big firms. But to normal folks, the only down side to these technological development is the fact that, house prices and rents in these areas are increasing stealthily.
Tech City has demonstrated it’s ability to attract, talent from abroad on various occasions. The most high profile head hunting being the induction of, Baroness Joanna Shields (OBE) into Tech City and also her appointment as UK’s Minister for digital industries.
In 2012, Google campus on Bonhill street was opened. Followed by an unexpected corroboration between tech giants (Dc Thompson, Cisco and UCL) opened in the area. Also, the UK Government injected £50m into the rejuvenation of silicon roundabout, in a bid to attract foreign investors. Most recently, a digital community of office spaces called Hoxton mix, opened on Bonhill street. So technically, you can call them Google’s East London Neighbour.
There is no doubt that tech city will continue to develop and metastasize into a gigantic employer of human resources. According to a report by the Tech city investment organisation at the start of the year, they aimed to create 20,000 new jobs just in 2015, with the aim of increasing on that next year.
So, if you are a budding tech investor, graduate, under-graduate or an undiscovered introverted computer geek, the localities of old street, Stratford, Hoxton and Shoreditch are good areas to spread your network tentacles.
