As the tech sector in Canterbury continues to grow, it’s important for local businesses to come together and collaborate in order to truly reach their full potential. While there are certainly some great tech companies operating in Canterbury, it’s clear that many of them are working in silos, focused on their own individual success rather than the success of the community as a whole.
This tendency towards isolation can have negative consequences for the tech sector in Canterbury. For one, it can create a competitive atmosphere where businesses are more focused on outdoing one another rather than working together to achieve common goals. This can lead to a fragmented industry where resources are wasted and opportunities are missed. A lack of collaboration can limit the growth and innovation of the tech sector in Canterbury. By working together, businesses can share ideas, knowledge, and resources, leading to the development of new and improved products and services. Collaboration can also help businesses access new markets and customers, as well as identify and solve problems more efficiently.
While it is a good start for businesses to come together and participate in industry events and networking opportunities, such as trade shows, conferences, and meetups. These events provide an opportunity for businesses to connect with one another and explore potential partnerships and collaborations but often there is little follow-on after these events in terms of hands-on collaborations.
A good example of collaborations is the student placement programs that come out of the tertiary educators, these collaborations often involve placements allowing students to be involved in projects with companies, often towards the end of their education, to get some hands-on experience in the real world.
Despite the benefits of collaboration, many tech businesses in Canterbury remain hesitant to work with their peers. Some may be concerned about sharing their ideas or resources, or may simply prefer to go it alone. However, it’s important for these businesses to recognize that collaboration is essential for the success of the tech sector in Canterbury as a whole.
Another way to encourage collaboration is through the use of coworking spaces and shared offices. These spaces provide a flexible and affordable alternative to traditional office space and can facilitate collaboration and networking among tech businesses. The tech sector in Canterbury has the potential to thrive and grow, but this can only be achieved through collaboration. By coming together and sharing ideas, resources, and knowledge, tech businesses in Canterbury can drive innovation, solve problems more efficiently, and access new markets and customers. It’s time for the tech sector in Canterbury to embrace collaboration and work towards the success of the community as a whole. If these businesses don’t get out of their own bubbles they are going to miss out on the newer emerging tech, and new opportunities and always be reactive vs proactive to market trends.
Businesses in Canterbury can also collaborate more effectively by participating in mentorship and internship programs. These programs provide an opportunity for businesses to mentor and support the next generation of tech professionals, while also gaining access to fresh perspectives and ideas. These people don’t have to be students, in fact, the talent you can bring in from somebody who has experience in another industry can be a real game changer to your business. By participating in these programs, businesses can help build a strong and diverse tech community in Canterbury and contribute to the long-term success of the sector.
I would love to see a “support a startup” program where a larger more established business can give a few resources to a small startup and help the founder build out their strategies, but this is for a future blog article.
In conclusion, the tech sector in Canterbury has the potential to thrive and grow, but this can only be achieved through collaboration. It’s time for the tech sector in Canterbury to embrace collaboration and work towards the success of the community as a whole. If these businesses don’t get out of their own bubbles they are going to miss out on the newer emerging tech, and new opportunities and always be reactive vs proactive to market trends. The tech sector in Canterbury has the potential to thrive and grow, but this can only be achieved through collaboration. By embracing open-source software, data sharing and collaboration platforms, R&D projects, and mentorship and internship programs, tech businesses in Canterbury can drive innovation, solve problems more efficiently, and access new markets and customers. It’s time for the tech sector in Canterbury to come together and work towards the success of the community as a whole.
