Over 200 digital specialist trendsetters from around the globe and the Island – including Island Echo – attended a Digital Solent conference in Cowes yesterday (Wednesday).
The ground-breaking event saw a major announcement from WightFibre of a huge £35million investment in Gigabit Island supported by the government; “full fibre, futureproof, ultra-fast.”
The conference also saw the launch of www.techislanduk.com, which celebrates the successful digital entrepreneurs that call the Island ‘home’. Island Echo is a featured case study.
Leader of the Isle of Wight Council, Councillor Dave Stewart, who opened the event said:
“This investment is fantastic news for the Island – it makes the opportunities that are already here, even brighter. This announcement creates new jobs and new opportunities for Islanders, and makes our beautiful Island even more appealing to other international companies to want to invest here.
“The quality of delegates and ideas in the room today was truly mind-blowing; I know that the Island is already an astounding global international digital location, but hearing first-hand about some of the trailblazing ideas and industries that are nurtured right here on the Isle of Wight, today, was awesome”.
A series of ‘innovation challenge’ sessions took place throughout the day, to innovate and shape potential digital opportunity for the Isle of Wight, with delegates teaming up to create an inventive ‘pitch’. From the 16 team entrants, delegates then voted for the idea with the most potential to achieve a tangible success. The winning challenge topic focused upon the creation of a digital university – and was led by a team of Year 10 pupils from the Island, and will now receive specialist consultancy backing, courtesy of conference supporters Accenture and the Solent Growth Hub.
Councillor Michael Murwill, Cabinet member for special projects, said:
“The inaugural Digital Solent Conference will help to shape the future digital strategy of the Isle of Wight and the wider Solent region, alongside informing the council’s ambitious regeneration strategy. So much is already underway; I am very excited to be a part of the Island’s future and would like to thank everyone who got involved in the conference today for their participation in the challenges and for their innovative ideas.”
