What does "innovation" mean in the Tees Valley?

March 5th 2024

Led by Tees Valley Business Club member Embeddable, a group of business owners, serial entrepreneurs and tech founders are working together to ask what innovation means to our region and to understand the support that people and businesses would like to see to make that innovation happen.

Spearheaded by Peter Calvert and his Middlesbrough-based tech consultancy Embeddable, the Tees Valley Digital Innovation Survey is open to all job roles and all businesses in the area, with Calvert outlining;

“Innovation isn’t exclusive to the tech titans of Teesside, it’s happening all around us at various scales across the Tees Valley and our aim is to make innovation even more talked about and accessible. For that to work, we need to understand how we collectively define innovation, and what support are people in need of to make that innovation happen? The TVDIS is your chance to have your voice heard.”

Having launched in January, the survey closes on March 31st. Calvert continued;

“At the halfway point in mid-February, 81% of respondents believed we’re an innovative region, with 26% planning to innovate in some way during 2024. Common barriers to innovation so far that have been mentioned are around skills gaps, access to funding and knowing what external support is available. We want to gain as many responses, as many ‘innovation’ definitions and as many paint points as possible before the survey closes to bring a single report that speaks for our region, one that authorities, educators and decision makers cannot overlook.”

The Tees Valley Digital Innovation Survey is supported by David Dixon (Digital City, Fireside), Sharon Starkey (Resolution.), James Lees (Blend), Bev Goodall (AbacusBean) and Tim Ward (Opportuni, serial entrepreneur) as commentators, with their extensive range of experience and multi-industry knowledge giving the post-survey report in-depth analysis and guidance for businesses.

The TVDIS has partnered with Independent Teesside, Flok Coworking and Middlesbrough Frontend amongst others to make prizes available for those who share their thoughts.

To take the survey, click here (should link to embeddable.co.uk/survey/).