Jonathan Webber: Geeks equal loads of cash
Mar 19 2010 By Jonathan Webber
Jonathan Webber reports from Texas, where he has joined 25 West Midlands companies at the South by South West digital, music and screen festival, and discovered serious money among their geekiness.
South by South West is based in the downtown Austin Convention Center and then in a huge variety of venues right across the city. Austin has turned into the geek capital of the world for a digitally and musically dynamic 10 days.
But awesome technology melded to awesome talent is a major economic driver; don’t be fooled by the geekiness, there is some very serious money at play. Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry, working with Advantage West Midlands and UK Trade and Investment, has brought 25 leading businesses to the exhibition.
Our dedicated stand showcases our very best digital talent with a view to increasing their international trade opportunities as well as promoting to a highly receptive US audience the opportunities Birmingham and the region hold for those looking to invest in the UK.
The full UK delegation at SXSWi numbers about 55 – and so the Birmingham delegation makes up about half of our presence and it would be understatement to say that the UK delegation as a whole and Birmingham and the West Midlands in particular are regarded with considerable respect here.
Earlier this week I met senior officials from the city of Austin, the Austin Chamber of Commerce and from the State Department.
They are as interested as the Birmingham Chamber is in furthering contacts in international trade and investment as well as academic. No small ambition if one considers that the Texan economy is about the 17th largest in the world and the digital content industry is fast growing element.
Our participants have done well – and the proof will be not only in the contracts signed but in the ideas generated. To get a real time flavour of what we have been up to visit www.heartofaustin.com
Birmingham Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with AWM and UKTI are looking at replicating the mission next year as well as looking at possible digital scoping missions to Canada and India later this year.
* Jonathan Webber is the head of international trade at Birmingham Chamber of Commerce
