The South Yorkshire Action plan
Intro
Welcome to the South Yorkshire Action Plan. It's been co-developed by key stakeholders from South Yorkshire’s tech ecosystem through TECH SY. It aims to leverage public and private resources to build a thriving regional tech ecosystem.
The plan is underpinned by the following underlying principles:
Build on Strong Foundations
This plan does not start from scratch. It adds value to the progress, infrastructure, and learning developed through TEAM SY, TECH SY, local accelerators, innovation hubs, and public investment to date. It strengthens what works and addresses the gaps that remain.
Align and Integrate with Wider Plans
The Action Plan is designed to align with South Yorkshire’s broader strategic priorities, including the Growth Plan, UKSPF investment, Investment Zone development, and the Net Zero Strategy. It seeks to complement and amplify existing programmes across business, skills, infrastructure, and inclusion.
Commit to a Long-Term, Systemic Approach
This is not a short-term intervention. It is a phased roadmap for building an innovation-ready region. The plan prioritises foundational enablers such as leadership, data, investment access, talent pipelines and stakeholder coordination, recognising that sustained impact takes time.
Champion Inclusion and Participation
An inclusive tech ecosystem is not only a matter of fairness, it is essential to unlocking untapped talent, fostering innovation, and building social legitimacy. The Action Plan aims to embed equity throughout, supporting underrepresented founders, overlooked communities, and diverse pathways into high-value tech careers.
Drive the Creation of High-Value, Future-Ready Jobs
The plan is geared toward generating good, future-facing jobs that improve productivity, raise regional living standards, and retain talent. From AI to Defence to HealthTech to CleanTech, the focus is on growth sectors where South Yorkshire can lead and compete nationally and internationally.
Support Resilience Through Ecosystem Thinking
The Action Plan views the tech sector not in isolation, but as part of a resilient regional economy. By supporting cross-sector collaboration, diversifying funding sources, and embedding digital capacity in other industries, it strengthens South Yorkshire’s ability to adapt and thrive in a fast-changing world.
Embed Sustainability and Climate Responsibility
Digital innovation must support, not undermine, the region’s climate goals. The Plan promotes responsible tech development, low-carbon business models, and CleanTech innovation, ensuring the ecosystem grows in alignment with South Yorkshire’s Net Zero ambitions.
Meet the stakeholders
Selected for decision making and leadership ability at regional and national level, this Action Plan has been intentionally co-created with a core group of stakeholders from across South Yorkshire’s tech ecosystem. Their insights have shaped not only the priorities, but the practical design of proposed delivery. This collective approach reflects the reality that no single organisation can grow an ecosystem. TECH SY is a shared effort, and the strength of this plan lies in its roots as a collaboration between those who build, fund, support, and govern innovation in the region. Co-creation ensures the plan is grounded, credible and actionable, anchored in lived experience and regional ambition, with the relationships and momentum in place to deliver lasting change.
South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority
Enterprising Barnsley
Business Doncaster
Business Sheffield
Rotherham Investment & Development Office
University of Sheffield
Sheffield Hallam University
Sheffield Innovation Spine
British Business Bank
Innovate UK
Sheffield Technology Parks
Sheffield Digital
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
various regional businesses
What is TECH SY?
TECH SY was implemented to create change and stimulate a healthier environment for tech startups to succeed. Since Autumn 2024, we've aimed to establish South Yorkshire's position as a region on the rise for tech.
We've tested and developed products to support ideation and scale.
We've committed to data, to develop our understanding of the ecosystem, allowing us to measure, benchmark, and spot the gaps of the future. We've built new and stronger connections with regional, national, and international partners to strengthen the community and collaboration for the region.
