Tech City leader welcomes global policy makers to London

THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE of London's Tech City has invited policy makers from across the globe to the start-up hub to learn from technology entrepreneurs, formulate more sensitive policy and help drive growth.

Speaking at the London Conference on Cyberspace today, Eric Van der Kleij urged the audience of policy makers to engage more with internet innovators. "Speak to your innovators because the exciting thing about entrepreneurs is that they know what they can't do, so they just try it," he said. "This is why you end up with things like Twitter and Facebook which really fuel growth."

Van der Kleij explained that entrepreneurs could also help lawmakers by sharing their views on key subjects such as net neutrality.

"Please come to Tech City and I'll convene a group of entrepreneurs to help you think as policy makers," he said.

Van der Kleij explained that Tech City, which was announced in November 2010 by UK Prime Minister David Cameron, is looking to connect with other growth and innovation centres around the world.

Cameron has already stated his ambitious aim to make the area, which stretches from Old Street near the City to the Olympic Park near Stratford, into a tech hub as successful as Silicon Valley in the US.

Since then Tech City has managed to attract Google, as well as smaller UK-based start-ups including Huddle, Moo and Soundcloud. µ