Introducing Tech Seeds, our super successful 6-week programme covering all the main topics to startup your own tech business here in Sunderland. With 6 weeks of talks from advisors and professionals in their field, these sessions have been designed to guide and give those entrepreneurs out there the best start for them and their startups.
Join us every Thursday for the next 6 weeks as Tech Startup Sunderland presents a series of expert sessions from our partners, delivering invaluable advice tailored to key startup essentials, propelling you and your venture to new heights.
These sessions will be held alongside our partners in the Sunderland Software Centre Community Hub, a great space within the Sunderland Software Centre. You will have access to our mentors for the 6-week programme and the chance to engage and network with some of the best people in the tech sector here in the North East. Throughout this time, you will also have access to weekly 1:1’s with the Tech Startup Sunderland team, guiding and advising you on the best route and steps to take with your startup idea.
To take part in the 6 weeks of talks, we don’t expect you to attend every single session as it’s often not possible, but we expect at least a minimum of 3 to be applicable for the programme.
Week 1 – Functional Specification with Jon Leighton, Director of Land Digital.
This session will cover:
• Functional specification, what it is and why you need one
• Tech trends – AI, VR, Blockchain
• Customer Journey
• The No-Code route
• Branding, such as company name, logo, etc
• The importance of testing and feedback
Week 2: Legal Advice for Startups with Matthew Cormack, Partner of Ward Hadaway.
This session will cover:
• Guidance to the most important legal aspects of starting up
• Intellectual Property
• Copyright
• Trademark and Licensing
Week 3: Business Planning & Research with Startup and Growth Manager, Mark Gardner.
This session will cover:
• Guidance on how to get to where you want to be with your startup
• How to research and plan ahead
• Business Barriers
• Going through a business plan from ideation to planning
Week 4: Financial Advice for Startups with Dave Gibson Co-Founder & Chairman of Blu Sky & Josh Sanghera Client Relationship Director of Blu Sky Chartered Accountants.
This session will cover:
• The best financial advice for your business in its early stages
• Funding and grants
• Business and revenue models
• What it means to be investment-ready
Week 5: Content Creation & Marketing with Megan Jaram, Digital Content Manager.
The session will cover:
• Identifying the most important content for your business
• Content creation tips Developing a content strategy
• Building an online brand
• Understanding your audience
Week 6: Online Presence & Networking with our Engagement Specialist, Róisín Coull.
This session will cover:
• The importance of digital storytelling & your online presence
• Online & in-person networking
• Audience Engagement
• Your company code of conduct online
After the 6 weeks, there will be a final residential stay at a local hotel for those who are at the point of registering their business and want to take it forward for investment. This will be a brilliant opportunity to have a 2-day workshop with guest speakers and a pitching workshop with the opportunity to then pitch your startup to potential investors. The residential is a great way to connect with other professionals and for the chance for you to make some noise about your business. All meals will be included and your stay will be on us.
Further Details:
These sessions take place every Thursday evening for 6 weeks. Please only register if you know you will be able to make at least 3 of the sessions. Food and drink will be provided at each session for attendees so please let us know any dietary requirements.
Referrals:
We also have an exciting new offer for this Tech Seeds series, we now have a referral scheme, if you have previously attended a Tech Seeds programme and recommend someone for this intake and they attend x3 sessions, you will be rewarded with a £50 Amazon Gift Card – for more information and to put someone forward (they will still need to register through this Eventbrite link) please get in touch. Likewise, if you have any questions or accessibility requirements, send us an email at:
Mark Gardner at: [email protected]
Róisín Coull at: [email protected]
Thank you, and we look forward to having you as part of our latest Tech Seeds cohort!
