News
5th November 2025
Since its launch in April 2024, Sunderland’s TechHub has established itself as a key driver in shaping a smart, connected Sunderland, through championing innovation, driving inclusive collaboration, and delivering measurable impact for communities and businesses.
The TechHub has hosted 241 events, welcomed 4,130 attendees, and brought together 14 partner organisations – a testament to its success as a dynamic and vibrant space for digital engagement.
Located currently within The Beam in the heart of Riverside Sunderland, the TechHub is a modern, accessible space designed to support Sunderland’s smart city ambitions. The space has supported a wide range of activity: from helping people build digital confidence, to enabling start-ups and tech companies to collaborate and grow. While technology underpins the space, the focus remains on people, by supporting their ambitions, and opening future opportunities.
Equipped with high-speed connectivity and digital tools, it brings together partners from across the public, private and voluntary sectors to create opportunities for residents and businesses alike.
With an estimated one in three people in Sunderland experiencing digital exclusion, the TechHub plays a vital role in bridging the gap. A recent report from FutureDotNow has highlighted that 59% of working-age adults are missing essential digital skills related to safety and productivity, underscoring the importance of accessible community spaces like the TechHub that support digital confidence, inclusion and opportunity.
The TechHub has supported a wide range of outreach activity, reflecting its role as a space for inclusive digital engagement. Education outreach programmes have helped residents build digital confidence and develop essential skills. Employment outreach has supported long-term unemployed individuals and young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs), helping them access training, guidance and new opportunities.
The space has also been used for business outreach, including support for start-ups and delivery of Sunderland Software City’s Tech Seeds programme – a six-week, fully-funded programme backed by Sunderland City Council, designed to help business-ready entrepreneurs take their ideas to the next stage. Alongside this, digital enablement activity has provided hands-on access to technology and support to help people engage with digital tools in everyday life.
One of the TechHub’s key partners, Microsoft, has ran a series of Copilot workshops for 150 Sunderland City Council staff, helping embed AI knowledge across the organisation.
Meanwhile, Phoenix Software, supported by Microsoft, is championing AI accessibility, with the region’s first Accessibility in AI event drawing diverse sectors together. The efforts to work collaboratively in driving the region’s digital progress will continue their momentum, with the upcoming Practical Steps to Digital Accessibility event, taking place in Sunderland City Hall. Additionally, Phoenix Software has delivered a wide-reaching programme of support across Sunderland:
The TechHub has also supported enabled grassroots innovation and supported organisations that are making a difference in their communities, such as Gen D, a local digital arts community interest company. Co-founder Jamal Begg said:
“The Tech Hub space offered to us by the Council’s Smart City Team has been an instrumental springboard for Gen D and all its progress.”
Through inclusive partnerships and purposeful innovation, the TechHub has supported our smart city vision to leave no one and nowhere behind and ensure that Sunderland can be a connected and future-ready city with opportunities for all.
The success of the TechHub reflects the dedication of our partners and the strength of collaborative working across Sunderland. We’re grateful to the following organisations whose contributions have helped make the TechHub a success:
Back on the Map, Enterprise Made Simple, Gen D, Groundworks, Media Savvy, Microsoft, Middlesborough Collect, National Career Service, Phoenix Software, Sunderland Care and Support, Sunderland Software City, Text Next, Together for Children, Training in Care, Wear Shining the Light, and Wise Group.
Learn more about Sunderland’s Smart City programme here.