North is on digital map, thanks to conference

May 27 2010 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

The third annual North East Thinking Digital conference which began yesterday is the biggest yet. Peter McCusker reports.

AT the first Thinking Digital conference three years ago, 300 delegates attended with just a handful from overseas; this year the number of attendees has risen to 750 with 19 countries represented.

The conference at The Sage Gateshead is unique in the UK and a major coup for the North East, as many yesterday were only too willing to emphasise.

Steve Clayton, professional blogger for Microsoft and former head of its cloud-computing division, headed a team of six which attended the three-day conference from its London and Reading UK bases.

“The perception of the digital industry in the North East is shaped by this conference. Before it started, if anyone had asked me where the creative digital hubs in the UK are based, I would have said somewhere like Manchester.

“But not now – the North East is pretty high on the list. We are now co-sponsors of this event but we also come because it is a great event. There is nothing like it in the UK and the list of speakers they get to appear is second to none.

“Thinking Digital is helping to cultivate a great digital community in the North East. Thirty per cent of the delegates are from the region and this is providing great business opportunities for them.

“The success of Thinking Digital is a real testament to Herb Kim and his Codeworks team.” The conference is run by Codeworks, a not-for-profit organisation set up to support, develop and help grow the digital industries in North East England with support from One North East.

Mr Kim, chief executive of Codeworks, explained that it has grown rapidly since its launch in 2008.

“It was built to be a world-class digital conference that happened to be in the North East,” he said.

“Our aim is to bring in people from outside the region and from across the world and show them what we have got to offer in the North East.”

In 2009 550 delegates attended, an increase of 200 from the first year and there will have been 750 attendees by the time this year’s event finishes tonight.

The North East digital industry has continued to grow despite the tough economic climate with an additional 50 companies joining Codeworks Connect in the last six months bringing the total number to 350.

Mr Kim added: “Thinking Digital is an annual conference where the world's greatest thinkers and innovators gather to inspire, to entertain, and to discuss the latest ideas and technologies.

“Defining exactly what to expect at Thinking Digital isn't easy. We pride ourselves on the eclectic nature of our schedule.

“One moment you'll be experiencing a first UK appearance of Live Mesh (as attendees where treated to in 2008) and the next you'll be hearing about the science behind creating a million- dollar perfume from a world-class expert.

“But what you can always count on is getting the chance to hear talks by, and build relationships with, some though-provoking, influential and inspirational figures.”

Thinking Digital, which continues today, marks the start of a series of events which have been branded under the banner of Gateshead’s Digital Summer.

It includes GameHorizon, Europe’s only international conference dedicated to the games development community.