Tramshed Tech and Newport City Council have joined forces to deliver Welsh Government funded international Soft-Landing Programme.
The Welsh Government funded Soft-Landing programme managed by Tramshed Tech and Newport City Council provides an opportunity for international tech businesses to ‘soft-land’ in Wales. This programme is designed for tech businesses based outside of the UK looking to expand or relocate to Wales.
Programme participants benefit from a tailored 12-week business support programme, coupled with six months of complimentary office space at Tramshed Tech’s new ‘Innovation Station’, located in Newport.
The programme is currently in its second phase of recruitment with space for 10 international businesses to join before March 2024. Companies currently on the programme include:
Founder: Bosman Adedokun, Nigeria
Holl (Welsh word for Whole) connects individuals with self-help therapies for mental & emotional well-being helping them to improve productivity.
- OjirehPrime Financial Services Ltd
Founder: Edoka Idoko, Nigeria
OjirehPrime is a global mobile banking platform for Africa’s Gen Z.
Founder: Gisselle Z. A. Montenegro, Paraguay
Entrepreneurs Kinase is a human potential empowerment platform offering signature programmes and executive training, aimed to improve the decision-making process across organisations during innovative changes, culture shifts and pivots. Supporting leaders and professionals to improve their performance through wellbeing balance, resilience and mindset versatility by leveraging frameworks grounded in life-sciences.
- Maruthi Quality Management Services (MQMS)
Founders: Sandhya and Radharamanan Hariharan, India
After successfully providing quality and regulatory consultancy for 14 years based in India, MQMS expanded to the Netherlands and has now established their operations in Wales. Their mission is to enable MedTech and allied HiTech firms to lighten their quality and compliance obligations, by leveraging MQMS's proprietary SaaS driven by a digital technology platform.
Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething said “The Tech sector plays a major role in the Welsh economy, boosting innovation, creating well-paid jobs, and contributing to our vision for a fairer, greener, and more prosperous Wales.
“The Welsh Government is supporting the continued growth of the sector by investing in our vibrant Tech ecosystem and working in partnership to foster entrepreneurial environments across the country.
“This International Soft-Landing Programme will help to attract high potential companies to invest and scale their business in Newport, a city with an incredible industrial heritage and a bright future as the gateway to south Wales.”
Programme benefits include:
- 12-week intensive business support programme: A structured programme offering invaluable guidance, mentorship, and resources tailored to the needs of each participating business.
- Six months of free office space at Tramshed Tech Innovation Station, Newport: A conducive working environment in a thriving tech hub, fostering collaboration and innovation.
- One-on-one sessions with the Programme Manager: Access to dedicated support from an experienced Programme Manager to address specific challenges and provide personalised guidance.
- One-on-few sessions with support organisations: Opportunities to engage with support organisations to include Fintech Wales and Cyber Innovation Hub who will be offering support to fintech and cyber businesses that come through the programme
- Introductions and support in building relationships: Assistance in forging connections with key industry players and stakeholders in the Welsh tech ecosystem, paving the way for potential collaborations and business opportunities.
- Invitations to networking events and stakeholder meetings: Access to exclusive networking events and meetings with influential stakeholders, enhancing visibility and growth prospects.
Businesses based in Newport gain access to a large pool of potential talent, with nearly half a million economically active people living within a 30 minutes drive of the city, including Cardiff and areas of Bristol, and over 1.6 million people live within an hour's drive.
In addition, the annual output of first-degree graduates from universities within 30 miles of Newport is over 17,000, which is why businesses have stated the quality and availability of the workforce are key factors in their decision to locate in Newport.
Councillor Jane Mudd, Leader of Newport City Council, said: “Newport has developed a strong reputation as a destination for technical-excellence and innovation. We support some of the UK’s established, world-leading clusters and sectoral strengths, including those in compound semi-conductors, advanced manufacturing and fintech.
“The soft-landing programme presents a remarkable opportunity for businesses in this field to come to Newport and experience first-hand the many benefits offered by the area in the way of infrastructure, skilled workforce and quality of life, while also benefitting from tailored support to help plans for longer-term commitment and development.”
Gino Brancazio, Programme and Engagement Manager at Tramshed Tech added; “If you are an international tech business looking to expand or relocate, we invite you to take advantage of this one-of-a-kind opportunity. Apply today, and we will get in touch discuss the next steps, ensuring that the Soft-Landing programme aligns with your aspirations. In addition, if you are an incubator/accelerator/hub for tech talent and you’d be interested in hosting a familiarisation event, we’d love to hear from you.”
Learn more about the programme and apply here.