A digital social enterprise, invited by the Department for International Trade North West to represent the North West social tech sector, has taken part in a Northern Powerhouse trade delegation to India.
The trade mission visited Bangalore and Mumbai, two leading IT and tech hubs in India and was organised by the Department for International Trade North West, the Department for International Trade India and NASSCOM, to explore opportunities to establish new business networks for North West tech companies.
Matt Haworth and Ed Cox, the co-founders of Reason Digital, a digital social enterprise and Impact Reporting, a social monitoring tool, were invited to discuss strategic collaboration, partnership opportunities and the importance of CSR.
The overseas mission was developed to share best practice and see how British and Indian companies could work better together.
Matt Haworth, co-founder of Reason Digital and Impact, said:
“As a young entrepreneur in the North West running two companies focused on using technology to improve lives, I was honoured to be invited to represent the region and gain insight into India’s innovative approach to CSR and digital.
“Since CSR is mandatory in India companies are keen to evaluate the social value they’ve made, so there was a lot we could learn and later apply to the work we do at Impact Reporting. It was amazing to see first-hand the great innovations coming out of India that are addressing social challenges. We’re excited to bring some of this inspiration back to the work we do with charities and CSR teams in the UK.”
Karl Susol, international trade team leader at the Department for International Trade, said:
“India was selected for our North West trade mission as it’s an emerging tech powerhouse and Bangalore specifically, is becoming one of the world’s most influential tech cities. As one of the world’s largest smartphone markets, it is on course to become a leading global market for IT.
“The region has historically been a key partner for the North West as we have regular delegation attendance at NASSCOM and work alongside MIDAS, which developed the Manchester India Partnership last year to strengthen trade, investment, cultural, and educational ties.
“The tech synergy between India and the North West is exciting and now is a good time to invest in Manchester, as it has the largest tech hub in the UK outside of London* and a reputation for attracting the UK’s best tech talent
