London Becomes A Tech Hub
London is fast approaching the technical significance of Silicon Valley, New York and San Francisco.
When you think of tech, you think of Silicon Valley. It’s where most of the major innovations in hardware, software, social media and online platforms have come out of for the past three decades. But as the tech economy has taken off, other cities have tried to get in on the action and the economic opportunity that the sector offers a city and its economy.
Welcome to Tech City
Some cities have fared better than others in this endeavor, and one such example is London. London has managed to stake out a reputation for itself as leader in the tech space and even has its own moniker and landmark: “East London Tech City” and its “Silicon Roundabout”. But this isn’t just an empty branding slogan. This area is the third largest tech startup cluster after New York and San Francisco and has served as the birthplace of game-changing startups such as Deliveroo, TransferWise, and many others.
Far from being a competitor to “The Valley”, London’s tech scene has managed to create a “Silicon sister cities” phenomenon with America’s west coast leader. Perhaps owing to the US and UK’s storied “special relationship”, coined by none other than Winston Churchill in 1946, the two cities seem to help each other more than present opposition to one another.
All Boarding
This connection was further cemented recently with the announcement of a direct flight from San Jose, CA, to London, operated by British Airways. In a press statement after the announcement, the airline said “Silicon Valley and London’s Silicon Roundabout have long served as hubs of start-up culture. Now British Airways’ newest ‘start-up’ is connecting these two tech cities. Officially launched on May 4, British Airways now offers direct flights between London, UK and San Jose, CA.” This will only make it easier for techies to shuttle between the two hubs, without having to do the more common Los Angeles to San Jose connection. The route will use an aircraft known as the 787-9 Dreamliner, of which Stephen Humphreys, BA’s head of global sales, was quoted as saying: “There’s no better place to fly the world’s most advanced passenger aircraft than to the world’s home of hi-tech and innovation, San Jose.”
This direct London to San Jose connection is adding to the fact that Mineta San José International Airport has seen its passenger traffic expand tremendously in the past five years. Thanks to the hosting of 6,600 technology firms within an 18-mile radius of the airport, this should come as no surprise.
Entrepreneurs Wanted
But when it comes to London and The Valley, why is it that these two cities have managed to stake a connection so strong it warrants its own direct—and luxurious—flight? The first, perhaps, is that startups in each operate in different markets so they might not have the same competitive spirit that a New York versus Palo Alto rivalry might inspire. Secondly, the UK’s reverence for the American entrepreneurial spirit perhaps lends a sense of deference for what has been accomplished in Silicon Valley, rather than the usual British sense of superiority to its American counterpart. Startups looking to expand into the American or European markets might also see an easy entry point in either city, as similar language and cultural norms makes the transition easier than other European countries.
But mostly, the two cities perhaps recognize that they have a lot to learn from each other and can continue to inspire new innovation and ideas without presenting any competition. Now that they can hop on a dreamliner and be there in 10 hours, that bond is only likely to grow stronger.