TECH FOR GOOD DISCOVERY
Evaluating the strengths, challenges, and opportunities in Manchester's Tech for Good ecosystem to effect positive societal change.
From exploring events in Manchester, to booking doctor’s appointments, or managing our monthly bills, the way we navigate the world has become progressively digitised. Businesses and companies are exploring how new technologies could be leveraged to increase efficiency and enhance impact and creating new solutions to help customers access their services. Technology is an increasingly ubiquitous part of our lives. While these advances have the potential to make a positive impact on the world around us, they can also generate new challenges and amplify existing inequalities.
We believe that championing approaches to technology that centre social benefit could avoid exacerbating social disparities and help to enrich the everyday lives of people and businesses in our city.
Manchester’s digital tech economy is the most advanced in the North of England, and an important source of economic growth. As one of the biggest tech hubs outside of London, Manchester has developed a reputation for innovation while cultivating an ecosystem that values inclusivity and open collaboration.
The Tech for Good community in Manchester has long championed the use of ethical technology to affect positive social change. Within both the profit and non-profit sectors, existing Tech for Good organisations are driving ethical and people-centric approaches to technology in sectors as diverse as health, housing, education, and climate. The influence and drive of the Tech for Good community has been integral to building Manchester’s credibility as a city committed to fostering accessible and equitable approaches to technology that work for the benefit of the majority. In recent years, out city has cultivated a reputation as a tech hub that is mindful of the potential consequences of technological development on wider communities and prioritises responsible growth alongside innovation.
We believe that technology has immense potential to change people’s lives for the better, and create new solutions to societal challenges. To achieve these ambitions, Tech for Good communities with a long-standing commitment to driving ethical, responsible, and inclusive digital technologies must be adequately resourced and championed. By working together with experts in the sector, we want to champion Manchester’s growth as a pioneer in ethical technology development.
“We believe that technology has immense potential to change people’s lives for the better, and create new solutions to societal challenges.”
Over the last few months, we have been working with a partner within the Tech for Good space to research, identify, and document the challenges and strengths of the sector. Through exploring successful initiatives and best practice, alongside opportunities for further growth and barriers to success, we aim to provide insights and actionable recommendations as part of a comprehensive analysis report.
We are incredibly excited to share the findings from our research with the wider tech community and continue to advocate for ethical innovation that prioritises social good. Through enhancing support for the Tech for Good sector, we hope to support the continued development of a socially responsible and truly inclusive digital economy that drives meaningful societal change, and build a future for Manchester where the benefits of digital innovation are equitably accessibly to every one of its residents.
