Home News Tech innovators to tackle major Covid-related challenges at KCOM Wholesale sponsored Tech Week Humber
Community By KCOM | 23 October 2020 - 2 min read

Tech innovators to tackle major Covid-related challenges at KCOM Wholesale sponsored Tech Week Humber

A hackathon-style competition devising ground-breaking solutions to some of the UK’s most pressing problems is to take centre stage at Tech Week Humber next month.
KCOM hackathon participants on laptops

Described as an ‘Innovation Hothouse’, teams of tech experts will take part in the virtual event which aims to create workable, tech driven answers to real world issues facing the education and healthcare sectors brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

KCOM Wholesale is the headline sponsor for Tech Week Humber which is returning for a second year after a successful launch event in 2019. The event will run from Monday, 9 November, to Friday, 13 November, and feature a wide range of online networking events, workshops and keynote speakers. The overarching theme of this year's event is a Connected Humber.

Tim Shaw, managing director of KCOM wholesale and networks, said: “We’re delighted to be a part of this year’s Tech Week Humber.

“Although it has to be a little different this year, the event continues to go from strength to strength and this year’s programme continues to be packed full of great events that will showcase the very best of the region’s business community.

“KCOM has been part of the fabric of this region since 1904 and continues to be dedicated to supporting its success, its flourishing digital economy and its evolving business landscape.”

Antonio Tombanane, Founder of Tech Week Humber, said: “It’s excellent news that KCOM Wholesale have come onboard as headline partners for Tech Week Humber 2020. This year, we’re working closely with their wholesale and networks team to uncover and showcase the exceptional technology talent we have in our region.”

Mr Shaw said he was particularly keen to hear from more “tech savvy teams, industry disruptors and student blue sky thinkers” interested in taking part in the Innovation Hothouse, which is being run in conjunction with tech transformation and delivery experts nordstar.

Mr Shaw said: “Having been at the heart of connecting people for decades, we’re delighted to be hosting the virtual KCOM Innovation Hothouse. I’m excited to see what the exceptional talent in this region can do to bring some innovative new ideas to the very real challenges facing our education and healthcare institutions.”

Registration for the Innovation Hothouse is free and now open for teams who are currently in further education or industry and want to showcase their skills. Teams from Wilberforce Sixth Form College, Hull College and the University of Hull are among those already signed up to take part.

As an added incentive to get involved, the team presenting the best tech solutions to the various challenges will be able to pitch their ideas to real life investors with the potential to take them to the next stage of development.

Dan Wilkinson, managing partner of nordstar, said: “We’re are thrilled to be involved in this year’s Humber Tech Week. Living and working in the region means we know first-hand about our thriving digital economy right here on our doorstep, and this event will help us showcase that to a wider audience.

“At nordstar we’ve been using our wealth of experience and expertise to transform and stimulate innovation within some of the world’s top brands, and we’re delighted to be supporting KCOM to do the same with local talent in the region.”

Last year’s inaugural Tech Expo Humber event attracted 2,000 attendees over a two-day period and reached an audience of 1.5 million through PR and social media, showcasing the best of region’s thriving tech and digital sector to the world.