Dan Knowles on… Building a Digital Ecosystem in Lancashire

Lancashire — the home of Blackpool tower, Pendle witches and… the greatest digital ecosystem to ever exist?

Or at least, that’s our hope anyway. Scratch that, that’s our plan.

Here at Lancashire Digital Hub, we’re on a mission to forge a thriving digital ecosystem in the heart of our red rose county.

So, what is a digital ecosystem? And how are we supporting digital businesses and careers across Lancashire?

Introducing Dan Knowles

Before we dive into the depths of building digital ecosystems and discussing the future of tech, let’s take a moment to catch up with Dan Knowles — the man behind Lancashire Digital Hub.

Many of you will already be familiar with Dan — community builder, switched-on innovator and strategic business developer.

Dan has been tasked with building a digital ecosystem across Lancashire in partnership with the Lancashire County Council which is where Lancashire Digital Hub comes into action.

“Lancashire has a long history of digital innovation. The focus on creating an eco-system, connecting entrepreneurs and doers across the county will support the whole economy and ensure Lancashire is a great place to do business for generations to come.”

— Dan Knowles

Before the days of Lancashire Digital Hub, Dan has turned his hand to many exceptional projects in Lancashire. From leading the development of Fraser House in Lancaster to organising Array festival, Dan has a knack for bringing communities together.

And so, Lancashire Digital Hub is the logical next step…

It’s time to put everything together and build a booming digital ecosystem across Lancashire.

What is Lancashire Digital Hub?

Lancashire Digital Hub is the driving force behind developing a thriving digital economy across Lancashire.

Through organising events and meetups, we aim to bring digital leaders and enthusiasts together to share their stories, build connections, and all thrive as part of the digital ecosystem.

Our key events include the monthly Lancashire Digital Tech Talks, a tri-annual Lancashire CTO group for tech leaders, and our annual Lancashire Digital Summit.

We held the first Lancashire Digital Summit in June and the response was incredible. We put Diversity and Inclusion at the heart of this summit, empowering digital leaders to balance their workforces and embrace diverse talent. Plus, the schedule was jam-packed with thought-provoking talks, panels, presentations and breakout chats.

Keep an eye on our LinkedIn and join our mailing list to be the first to hear about our upcoming events.

As well as planning some inspiring events, we’re also here to share good new stories across the county and support the wider digital evolution. Working closely with district authorities, we aim to provide everyone with access to digital support, skills, and stories.

What’s a digital ecosystem? And how will Lancashire benefit from it?

A digital ecosystem focusses on uniting a localised network of digital leaders, companies, and enthusiasts in a way that provides value for all.

In short, we want to unite enterprises, people, and things digitally. We believe our entire community can benefit from this digital connection.

“The Future of Tech in Lancashire is bright. The excitement surrounding the National Cyber Force (NCF), alongside a number of projects to develop tech hubs in a number of our towns and cities, the prospect of a Net Zero Data centre at Blackpool and the success of the Digital Skills Bootcamps means there’s plenty to look forward to. And with four World Class Universities on our doorstep, accessible knowledge partnerships have never been easier to find.”

— Dan Knowles

Digital ecosystems bring you closer to peers and partners in your field, potential customers, complementary industries, and even your competitors. Those involved in the digital ecosystem will all gain from the ecosystem in one way or another — be it through increased innovation, access to greater technology, strengthened connections, new business opportunities, or something else entirely.

Building a digital ecosystem opens up the door for greater digital innovation and technology for all of Lancashire. Supporting and strengthening digital ecosystems throughout the UK could allow the digital sector’s annual GVA by £41.5 billion by 2025, and could create up to 678,000 jobs. The North West alone has the potential to grow their GVA by £2.5 billion and increase job opportunities by 42% by 2025.

Here at Lancashire Digital Hub, we’re driving digital transformation. And we want you to be part of the movement.

Before you go — join us at the next event

Want to be part of Lancashire’s thriving digital community? Of course you do!

There’s a few ways you can get involved:

• Submit your story to be featured in our news updates

• Attend one of our upcoming events

We’d love to see you at the next event! Every month, we move to a different part of Lancashire to host an innovative Lancashire Digital Tech Talk. You’ll get to network, meet new people, and listen to some incredible digital talks for industry and academia leaders. We promise free food, refreshments, and some great conversation.

See you at the next event!