Organised by TECH SY, a project to support and scale up South Yorkshire’s tech economy on behalf of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, the Summit places a spotlight on the region’s tech sector, its strengths in manufacturing technologies, deep tech, software development, energy, healthtech, cleantech and the creative industries, and work being done to drive further success, investment and employment opportunities.
Data from Companies House, the register of British companies, indicates there are now around 5,000 active tech companies in South Yorkshire. It is estimated that they employ almost 20,000 people.
The value of South Yorkshire’s tech sector has increased by more than 700% in the last decade, according to a report unveiled at the Summit by data provider Dealroom. Combined, tech startups based in South Yorkshire were worth £3bn in 2024. This is eight times higher than in 2014, when the region’s tech economy was worth just £370m.
Speaking at Tech Summit, Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire, said: “Here in South Yorkshire, we are pioneers. We led the world into the first industrial revolution, and we'll do the same with the tech revolution. We have the world-leading businesses, the agile tech startups and the people to create good growth for our communities.
"The work of TECH SY and others will help us work with our northern partners to drive innovation and build a bigger and better economy in South Yorkshire.”
Opening the Summit, Tracey Johnson, Project Director of organisers TECH SY, said: “South Yorkshire is evolving from its industrial roots to a dynamic hub of tech and digital innovation. Our established industry strengths, skilled workforce, research facilities, place in the UK’s Northern Triangle and proximity to Europe’s largest tech hubs are driving sustained growth in the value of the home-grown startup base and attracting innovators and investors to the region.
"South Yorkshire is one of the most welcoming and collaborative places on the planet for startups, and we are working hard to make it the best possible entry point into the global tech economy.”
Tech leaders highlight South Yorkshire’s startup appeal
James Jackson, CEO and co-founder of Bumper, a payment and insights platform for the automotive industry, said: “Sheffield has strong Universities, good connections to other major cities and a large talent pool. We operate in five European markets now, so we often hire graduates with strong linguistic skills, and our data and analytics teams are now also based in Sheffield.
"We’ve been blown away by the talent here. South Yorkshire is a more affordable place to live than London and has the Peak District on our doorstep, which is very popular with colleagues.”
Chris Iveson, CEO at FourJaw Manufacturing Analytics, a plug-and-play machine monitoring platform that enables manufacturers to maximise their productivity, comments: “Tech is thriving in South Yorkshire. It’s become a melting pot for founders, innovation and talent, and there is political will to support the sector.
"We started life thanks to the AMRC, and since then, like many University spinouts in South Yorkshire, we have had the opportunity to benefit from the vibrant and supportive community of tech founders within the region. People here are generous with their time and support and genuinely want to see each other succeed.”
Thomas Bloomfield, co-founder of Fyous, a startup that has developed flexible tooling technology to enable faster, smarter, and waste-free manufacturing, said: “South Yorkshire is a powerhouse for advanced manufacturing, making it the ideal base for Fyous. With world-class research hubs like the AMRC, access to a highly skilled engineering workforce, and a thriving industrial network, we are perfectly placed to develop and scale our Polymorphic Technology.
"The region’s strong manufacturing heritage and collaborative ecosystem give us everything we need to drive innovation and transform production processes."
Dash Tabor, founder and CEO of TUBR, a data technology startup, comments: “South Yorkshire's blend of affordability, strong university talent pipeline, and supportive business networks made it the perfect launchpad for our growth. The region's heritage brings a unique problem-solving mindset to the tech ecosystem, and the support from local authorities in making connections and accessing funding has been invaluable to our scaling journey.”
Dr Sam Chapman, co-founder and director of The Floow, a global leader in vehicle telematic solutions, said: “The Floow had many options of where to startup, including in London and Silicon Valley. We chose to set up the business and base our headquarters in Sheffield due to the availability of talent and skills and the benefits of being based within a friendly and welcoming ecosystem. This has helped to power our growth and global impact.”
Melissa Chambers, CEO and co-founder of Sitehop, a cybersecurity company providing enterprise-level hardware-based encryption, comments: “Sitehop’s founders moved to Sheffield to join a tech company during the pandemic. When we founded Sitehop, we chose to stay in Sheffield because we really enjoy living here and the proximity to the Peak District. The company is in an ideal position to attract graduates from the local Sheffield, Manchester and Leeds Universities.”