South: Thames Valley Berkshire LEP funds ConnectTVT

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TBM Team

The Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has agreed to inject £145,000 into Connect Thames Valley Tech (ConnectTVT) in order to ensure its continued growth and reach among the Thames Valley Berkshire tech community and to support the development of new technology businesses in the region.

The two-year deal will see vital pump-priming monies delivered to the organisation from as early as December this year and will allow ConnectTVT to continue to help promote and connect the Thames Valley’s blossoming technology scene.

Launched in June, ConnectTVT has already:

supported over 20 tech start-up businessess
built a meetup community of over 180 members
established an active network of high-calibre mentors, entrepreneurs in residence and angel investors
built strong connections with major technology and business organisations and academic networks including an active involvement with the University of Reading student community
created an eco-system of developers and creatives to support the local startup community
enabled collaboration between four active technology projects
established effective international tie ins with Startup Grind based in California, USA.

As a next step ConnectTVT is developing a lab space which will connect the technology hobbyist with the commercial world, as well as establishing an 'App Lab' which will offer cost-effective development services here in Berkshire.

Steve Lamb, chairman of Thames Valley Berkshire LEP, said: “The energy and impact ConnectTVT brings to Thames Valley Berkshire is both refreshing and much needed. ConnectTVT aims to have 100 start-up companies identified by the end of 2015 and the impressive achievements it has reached in just over two months since it launched shows how much there is a need to connect the wider tech community in the region.”

Louize Clarke, co-founder of ConnectTVT, added: “We are grateful to the Thames Valley Berkshire LEP for its continued support and recognition that there has never been a more important nor exciting time to start or join a tech business in the Thames Valley.”

TBM Team