The panel discussion entitled ‘Can the UK produce the next Facebook?’ carried The Spectator audience on a stimulating journey from Scotland to Silicon Valley, before dropping them back in London.
Mike Tobin, from Telecity, opened the discussion with a measured speech. He explained that Britain’s technological status has stagnated, and blamed this on a a mixture of things: our culture, government policy and economics. ‘We need to change the way we educate our kids’, was the crux of his message. He suggested we should inject the ‘fun, value and enjoyment’ of computer coding into the school curriculum.
Julie Meyer, founder of Ariadne Capital, gave a fast-paced lecture that focussed on the restructuring of British business models. ‘Nothing happens lineally or hierarchically anymore; it’s all about networks.’ She called for more engagement between venture capitalists and start-up businesses. Meyer’s mantra was: ‘Think big – Start small – Move fast!’
Former Senior Policy Adviser to Number Ten, Rohan Silva, listed the roadblocks to British success in cyberspace but failed to suggest any solutions.
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