Sunderland Software City

(l-r) Bernie Callaghan (SSC) Wladimir Baranoff-Rossine (DPIvision no longer taking part in trip) Mahmoud Elsaid (LamasaTech) Arron Gilbraith (Inventive)

Sunderland Software City is taking the North East software sector to the world this autumn as it leads a week-long trade mission to China.

The trip, organised in partnership with UKTI, Sunderland City Council and One North East, gives local companies a chance to explore new markets and meet new customers, as well as opening up opportunities for joint ventures with other international software companies.

Software City is the regional initiative supporting the growth of the software sector in the North East, where the local new media, games and software industry is now worth over £250m a year.

The initiative is also working to make the North East the location of choice for the international software industry.

“Our aim is always to go the extra mile, but on this occasion we’re going almost 14,000 miles in one week,” laughs CEO Bernie Callaghan.

“The software industry truly is a global one – our website has been visited by people in 74 different countries in the last quarter alone – and the nature of the sector means North East software companies can provide their service to businesses in other countries just as easily as they can nationally.

“The key is offering the most effective and innovative products and the quality of the software coming out of the North East means we can compete on such a global level.

“China is a massive market, not just in terms of its sheer size but also in terms of its increasing economic power. This is a country which has been experiencing double digit economic growth while much of the world has been in recession”.

The trip takes in three stops in less than a week: Harbin, with whom the city of Sunderland has a friendship agreement; Nanjing, where the annual China Software Expo will be taking place; and Shanghai, the centre of Chinese trading.

The trip will not just see North Eastern companies selling their products and expertise, but the North East sold to Chinese companies as the perfect place to invest.

“Software is a weightless industry so it doesn’t need major infrastructural investment to locate here. The biggest attraction for any company is a talented, innovative workforce, and that, together with the quality of research coming out of our universities, is increasingly what gives the North East an edge,” says Bernie Callaghan.

“Not only does a joint mission give us a larger and more prominent presence at the events we’ll be attending on the trip, it really demonstrates to the rest of the world the scale and quality of the North East software industry”.

Dr Zhengming Yang, China Business Development Manager for UK Trade & Investment, said: “Market visits are the ideal way to find out more about your target market and to meet and make contacts. 

“The visit coincides with Expo 2010, being held in Shanghai, giving the region’s businesses the chance to take part in this special event which this year focuses on ‘Better City – Better Life’, signifying Shanghai’s new status as a major economic and cultural centre.”

Representatives from six North East companies – Artingence, Teflabs, LamasaTech, The Mustard Corporation, Inventive Technology and Nurvex – are taking part in the trip, armed with specially-produced mp3 players explaining in Mandarin what their company has to offer.

Sunderland-based Inventive Technology provide UK-based helpdesk and IT solutions to international customers building their British and European presence.

“Our aim on this trip is building successful long-term partnerships with Chinese software and technical companies who are looking to move in to the UK and European,” says MD Arron Gilbraith.

“It might sound pretty unusual for foreign companies to be outsourcing their customer services in the UK rather than the other way around, but it’s a testament to the growing software industry in the North East, that we’re one of the few areas with the technical skills to make that such a compelling offer.

“This has been one of the easiest trade missions to be part of and we’ve been very impressed by the innovations Sunderland Software City have offered us”.

LamasaTech MD Mahmoud Elsaid – whose company develops software for interactive touchscreen computing surfaces - shares Arron’s enthusiasm. 

 “We believe both LamasaTech and the wider North East software sector doesn't just produce traditional software, but the north east companies shines in producing substantially unique innovative solutions like nobody else– and we’re really grateful for the opportunity to prove that internationally."

“We think our products are going to get a lot of attention in China. One thing we’re working on is an interactive dining solution which gives restaurant goers a new and unique dining experience, ordering food from an interactive touchscreen menu which can track their habits and filter out food they don’t like or are allergic to, then letting them play games while they wait for their food to arrive – anyone who has seen the size of a menu in China will understand the benefit of that!”

Councillor Paul Watson, Leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “This mission is a good example of how the software industry is growing here and the quality of products and companies that we've got here in Sunderland Software City .
“Sunderland is always pleased to support companies to try and win overseas business that will help them grow their businesses and create new employment in the City.
“I'm looking forward to hearing how these Sunderland companies get on.”