Established in 2002, the University of Teesside-led DigitalCity initiative is working to realise the Tees Valley's potential to generate and sustain a fast-growing, high-level economic base in the digital technologies sector - an ambition which is already reaping rewards in terms of student retention, job creation and inward investment.

With funding totalling over £10m from partners and stakeholders in the public and private sectors, the initiative will, by 2010, have created 130 new businesses and more than 300 new jobs, as well as enabling DigitalCity fellowships, festivals, a new £11 million Institute of Digital Innovation [IDI] and the renovation of Victorian buildings to accommodate the growing digital cluster.

One company that has been attracted to the pipeline of initiatives developed by DigitalCity is Nisai Learning Ltd, part of the Nisai Group, which allows excluded pupils from mainstream schooling to keep up to date with class work through an internet-based 'virtual academy'. By relocating its 40 software developers from Hyderabad to Middlesbrough, the company accessed unprecedented levels of business support, together with graduate skills and R&D facilities.

For more information contact:
Janice Webster, Project Director, janice@thedigitalcity.org
Claire Arbon, University of Teesside, claire.arbon@tees.ac.uk