THE lineup for a tech and digital conference in the North-East has been revealed.

Dynamo, which promotes the North-East technology and digital economy, has revealed the lineup for its annual conference, which is going ahead virtually this year due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

The conference, titled Collaborating for Success and to be held on June 25, will also be free to delegates.

Keynote speakers include Professor Nic Palmarini, the Director of the National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA), which is based at Newcastle University, who is also a researcher, teacher, writer and TEDx speaker.

Sage Technologies CTO Aaron Harris will also take the virtual stage. Mr Harris spent two decades leading Software as a Service (SaaS) technology at Sage Intacct and regularly contributes to the development of best practices for cloud computing, SaaS and accounting and finance technology standards.

As well as talks, there will also be breakout sessions on working from home, innovating through lockdown, cybersecurity and the future of work.

A Dynamo Vice Chair, Andrew Besford, said: “Our programme will show how the North-East tech sector is playing a key role in Covid-19 recovery locally as many of our sessions will explore responses in the region.

“It’s a packed programme of sessions and panel discussions and as it’s free and online, we’re expecting delegates to join us for sessions that will be of help or interest them without them having to commit to a full day.

“These will include a panel session on responses from the health sector and society more generally, and another on how businesses can survive and thrive in an uncertain world.

“We felt it vital for the benefit of the regional tech sector that the conference went ahead – and so did our partners Sage, The Institute of Coding and Innovation SuperNetwork. Sharing information, best practice and common problems – Covid-19 related or not – has never been more important."

The conference's new flexibility and accessibility is set to draw in greater interest across the North-East who may otherwise have been restrained by time and place.

Charlie Hoult, Chair of Dynamo, said: “We’ve had a focus on the region in lockdown, sponsoring several virtual meetings of the Tees Valley Business Club, working with Andy Preston and Ben Houchen, and we hope the greater accessibility of our digital conference, now free and fully online, will help people from the area join us.

“We’re grateful to the many County Durham organisations who support and attend the conference and look forward to seeing them virtually on June 25.”