Twin tracks, that’s always been my approach.
Don’t just build an agency, forge a community.
In times of change, the true strength of your network is tested.
Program Agency works with innovation. That means we actually have a stake in achieving positive change through the work we do with tech brands, science parks and innovation-focused organisations across business, education and Government.
And that means not just providing solutions to their problems as a service provider. It means not just being an agency amongst many competing for business. It means crafting and shaping an ecosystem where innovation can thrive.
Program built Tech South West – now the fastest growing tech cluster in the UK. We have 3000 companies involved. In March, this year’s Tech South West Growth Forge launched, with AI, CleanTech and MarineTech accelerator programmes running. That’s 80 companies, working alongside our agency, and partners like Microsoft, Barclays Eagle Labs, Satellite Catapult, UWE Future Space and others. It’s high-paced, data-driven and impact-led.
In March, we held our third SW of England Investment Summit in Bristol, packed with founders, fund managers, angels, and more partners. Once again, it sold out. In the coming days we launch the first in an ongoing series of Investment Briefing Reports for the region.
Then there are the annual awards about to launch, the June tech conference and first London Showcase of the year at Microsoft HQ.
Maybe this feels extreme? Tech South West is now spun out as our sister organisation, with an advisory board, leadership forum and many more elements incorporating founders, universities, government, science parks, innovation hubs, British Business Bank, Innovate UK and many others. We talk at national conferences, get asked for advice from national associations, report into Government on the regional growth agenda, feed into the Industrial Strategy and Pension Reform consultations, brief MPs and attend Party Conferences.
But by meaningfully helping your core market, you can move well beyond the taxonomy of ‘trusted partner’ to active player, working alongside people, and knowing your market better than any other agency in your ‘lane’.
Do it for the right reasons, make it meaningful, open and democratic, and you never know what might happen.
And at a time of tremendous change, that matters.
I have never been more excited about running an agency than today. Working with tech entrepreneurs means we’ve been exploring the AI opportunity for a while now. We have more technical capabilities, a tech founder who is a key part of the team, an AI for Marketing Academy about to launch, and new online insight tools progressing well.
I’ve always said every company is a tech company. And that includes every agency, like never before.
Change rips through our sector; rips through every service industry, every part of business and society touched by technology. That’s how big this is.
But we know great brand and marketing fundamentals and foundations remain key to achieving outstanding results for clients.
Nothing stays the same. Everything changes. Again and again.