Sheffield Digital Podcast

How did you get here: Interview with Content Designer - Catherine from the Home Office

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 05:30:00 +0000

In this episode we interview Catherine who is a Content Designer in the Automation Centre at the Home Office. She works within a user-centred design team supporting multiple projects aimed at automating processes to make life easier for Home Office staff.

She describes how her brother, a developer, introduced her to content design and how she applied twice for a role, being rejected the first time and then succeeding after learning more and preparing better for interviews. She outlines transferable skills from earlier jobs including extensive customer service and call-centre experience and discusses career changes driven by lockdown.

Catherine also describes balancing work with caring responsibilities for her children, later returning to full-time work, and being widowed, which prompted a reassessment of her future. She chose digital work due to long-standing interest in computing and learning.

She reflects on being late-diagnosed neurodivergent and how neurodivergence affects her communication needs, and highlights Home Office support including a Workplace Adjustment Passport as a way to formalise needs, and initiatives such as a monthly Women in Tech forum and allyship workshops.

Catherine says she enjoys continual learning in digital, organising information and ideas, and feeling appreciated on her current team. Her advice to women who are neurodivergent and considering tech is to persevere through rejection sensitivity and imposter syndrome, seek coaching/mentoring and feedback, and to keep refining applications and interview skills.

Links

Home Office Careers: https://careers.homeoffice.gov.uk/

References

Home Office Digital

Manchester Digital

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Notes and Links

This interview was recorded online by Sarah Lister, Membership Coordinator at Sheffield Digital, on 30th January 2026.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can email info@sheffield.digital

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

How T-Levels Nurture Local Talent in Sheffield: with Reach Studios and The Sheffield College

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 05:45:00 +0000

This episode of the Sheffield Digital Podcast discusses the benefits and value of hosting work placements as part of The Sheffield College's T-Levels program. The discussions highlight how these placements help bridge the gap between education and the workforce, preparing students for future careers while also benefiting local businesses by nurturing homegrown talent.

Tom King from Reach Studios shares his insights on mentoring T-Level students, the importance of industry placements, and his personal journey in the tech sector. He emphasises the significance of real-world experience for students, stating, “It's a way for us to provide the best opportunity possible for that next generation.”

At the end of the episode, Shani Clifford, Head of Student Employability at The Sheffield College, discusses the importance of T-levels, their difference from A-levels, and the positive impact these placements are making on students. She also highlights the support and opportunities provided to students and employers involved in the program.

Links

T-Levels at The Sheffield College website

Reach Studios website

The Sheffield College website

Tom King on LinkedIn

Shani Clifford on LinkedIn

Contacts

The Sheffield College - Work Related Activity Team

industryplacements@sheffcol.ac.uk

Recording information

The interview with Tom King was recorded on 20th August 2025. The interview with Shani Clifford was recorded on 21st May 2025.

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Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can email info@sheffield.digital

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

How did you get here: Interview with Angel Takooree - Founder of Dot and Dash Consulting

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 05:45:00 +0000

Angel shares her unconventional career path, transitioning from over 20 years in the food industry to the tech world and eventually founding her own consultancy. She discusses the inspiration behind her career change, the importance of continual learning, and her expertise in using playful methodologies like LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and AI Design Sprints™ to help organizations navigate change and develop strategies.

Angel emphasises the value of resilience, curiosity, and a hands-on approach in her journey. She also touches on her experiences in sketching, the challenges and rewards of starting anew in a different industry, and her vision for the future of her consultancy. This episode is a must-listen for anyone considering a major career change.

Angel has a background in Product Development, Project Management, User Experience, User Research, and Service Design, and favours analogue methods for digital problems, creating fun and engaging workshops for remarkable results. Before co-founding Dot & Dash Consulting, she led the development of innovative food products for major brands. With over 20 years as a consultant and a pivot to the digital sector, her vast experience in manufacturing, health, education, mobile gaming, betting, and design fuels her innovative ideas.

Angel holds certifications as an AI Design Sprint™ Facilitator, along with being a LEGO® Serious Play® method and materials facilitator, Scrum Master, and Design Sprint Facilitator. Additionally, she plays leadership and director roles in volunteer organisations.

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Notes and Links

This interview was recorded online by Sarah Lister on 28th May 2025.

Links

Dot & Dash Consulting - website

Dot & Dash Consulting - Sheffield Digital Company Spotlight

Angel Takooree on LinkedIn

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let us know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can email info@sheffield.digital

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

How did you get here: Interview with Kieran from the Home Office

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we interview Kieran, a Senior Product Manager from the Home Office's Police and Public Protection Technology portfolio. Kieran discusses his role in managing the product lifecycle, his career journey from university to the Home Office, and the diverse skill set required for his job.

Kieran also shares his experiences as an LGBTQ+ professional, highlighting the inclusive culture and meaningful support he’s received while working with the Home Office, and describes how being neurodiverse has positively impacted his career.

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Notes and Links

This interview was recorded online by Sarah Lister, Membership Coordinator at Sheffield Digital, on 5th June 2025.

Links

Home Office Careers: https://careers.homeoffice.gov.uk/

References

Home Office Digital

University of East Anglia (UEA)

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let us know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can email info@sheffield.digital

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Front End North Conference 2025 - Interview with Organisers Katie Fenn and Amy Benson

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 08:54:00 +0000

Katie Fenn and Amy Benson, organisers of Front End North, discuss their involvement in the Sheffield tech community and the upcoming Front End North conference. Scheduled for 10th July 2025 at Sheffield Hallam University, the event will feature eight talks covering a range of topics including design, software development, and accessibility.

They emphasise the importance of an accessible, low-cost event to include a diverse range of attendees and speakers. The selection process for talks involved an anonymised system to ensure fairness. They also highlight their motivations for organising the event and why they want to put Sheffield on the map for this type of event.

Amy is part-time Senior Software Engineer at Hive IT, and full-time Social Research student.

Katie is Senior Developer at the Financial Times. She’s a member of The Green Party, LGBTIQA+ Greens, and Greens for HS2. She loves cycling, fiddling with bikes, and also has a collection of synthesisers! She gave a talk at State of the Browser in 2024 about making the music of Daft Punk using a browser and a MIDI controller!

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Links

Front End North website

Front End Sheffield Meetup website

Front End North on LinkedIn

Front End Sheffield on LinkedIn

Front End North on Bluesky

Front End Sheffield on Bluesky

Front End North on Mastodon

Katie Fenn on LinkedIn

Amy Benson on LinkedIn

References

Other Front End North Conference organisers

Ian Parr

Lee Moody

Tom Heaton

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let us know.

Contact Front End North

info@frontendnorth.com

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community or email info@sheffield.digital.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Celebrating Sheffield Digital’s 10th Anniversary - with Mel Kanarek and Chris Dymond

Thu, 22 May 2025 08:29:00 +0000

In this episode you’ll find out why Sheffield Digital was set up ten years ago, what has happened over the years, and what the future holds.

Mel and Chris, two of the Co-founders and Directors, return to the podcast to celebrate ten years of Sheffield Digital. They discuss whether their initial expectations for Sheffield Digital have been met, most memorable moments, biggest achievements and changes, and what is still to be done.

Note: Sorry for the low quality sound at the start of this episode. It improves after the first 10 minutes.

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Links

Sheffield Digital

Chris Dymond

Mel Kanarek

About Sheffield Digital

References

Tech Nation

Sheffield Digital Showcase

Sheffield Digital Slack

GeekBrekky

Newsletter

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to hear your most memorable moments, and the biggest achievements and changes you’ve seen in the community and city over the last ten years. You can share your thoughts with us on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community or email info@sheffield.digital.

How did you get here: Interview with Business Development Manager at Hydra Creative - Richard Kerr

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 06:00:00 +0000

Richard Kerr shares his career path to becoming Business Development Manager at Hydra Creative. His story includes why he changed his degree from Architecture to English Language and Literature, how being a chef got him into Marketing, and what he does in his job now.

Hydra Creative is a full-service digital marketing agency. Services include bespoke website design & development, graphic design & branding, digital marketing (including SEO and PPC), and video & multimedia.

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Notes and Links

Richard was interviewed online by Sarah Lister, Membership Coordinator at Sheffield Digital, on 11th December 2024.

Links

Hydra Creative

Richard Kerr on LinkedIn

References

Sheffield Hallam University: https://www.shu.ac.uk/

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let us know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community or email info@sheffield.digital.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

How did you get here: Interview with Sophie from the Home Office

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 07:00:00 +0000

This episode features an interview with Sophie from the Home Office. Sophie is Head of Data Science for Automation and Innovation at Home Office Digital.

Sophie tells us about what her job involves, her pathway into tech, and what it’s like balancing work and motherhood.

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Notes and Links

This interview was recorded online by Sarah Lister, Membership Coordinator at Sheffield Digital, on 18th December 2024.

Links

Home Office Careers: https://careers.homeoffice.gov.uk/

References

Home Office Digital

Department for Education (DFE)

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let us know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can email info@sheffield.digital

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Everything you need to know about IP at the beginning of your tech journey - with Kerry Russell from Shakespeare Martineau

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 07:29:00 +0000

Just imagine if you could sit down with a solicitor specialising in Intellectual Property (IP) and ask them everything you need to know at the beginning of your tech journey. Well, we did just that with Kerry Russell, an IP Lawyer at Shakespeare Martineau, which is one of our Associate Sponsors.

Kerry gives us an overview of IP and the main IP rights that people need to know about, then she responds to some questions sent in by our community. If you want to go straight to the questions then please skip to 22 minutes into the episode.

Question 1: What’s the best way to protect your side project from being copied?

Question 2: What do you think is currently the most efficient method of commercialising shared IP and how do you see this evolving over the next 5 years?

Question 3: How quickly do you think the law will catch up to advanced technology and its uses in assigning ownership and governance over IP - for instance using NFTs to assign IP ownership is currently possible. Will it stay that way or is it likely to change when the law catches up?

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Notes and Links

This interview was recorded online by Sarah Lister, Membership Coordinator at Sheffield Digital, on 14th November 2024.

References

Sheffield Digital Slack community

Sheffield Technology Parks

Intellectual Property Office

The IPKat

World IP Review

The Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys | CIPA

Licensing Executives Society International

International Trademark Association

Links

Shakespeare Martineau website

Shakespeare Martineau LinkedIn

Contact Kerry

kerry.russell@shma.co.uk

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

How did you get here: Interview with Odette and Hannah from the UK Home Office

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 06:00:00 +0000

This episode features an interview with Odette McHenry and Hannah Turner from the UK Home Office. Odette is Deputy Director for Automation and Innovation in the Home Office Digital Department. Hannah is the Head of Commissioning for Automation and AI.

Odette and Hannah tell us about what their individual jobs involve, the unique pathways they have taken towards working in tech, and what they are most excited about in automation and AI at the moment. At the end they each offer a bit of advice to anyone interested in working in automation.

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Notes and Links

This interview was recorded online by Sarah Lister, Membership Coordinator at Sheffield Digital, on 4th September 2024.

References

Home Office Digital

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let us know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Meet The Meetup: SheffieldR Users Group - Interview with Grace Accad from the University of Sheffield

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 13:29:00 +0000

Grace Accad, co-organiser of the SheffieldR Users Group Meetup, tells us what to expect from the events they hold, the wide range of topics they cover, and who usually attends. She also shares why she put herself forward to join the organising team.

This is your chance to find out about other similar meetups in Sheffield. These include Sheffield Data Analytics User Group and R-Ladies Sheffield.

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Notes and Links

Grace was interviewed online by Sarah Lister, Membership Coordinator at Sheffield Digital, on 11th October 2024.

Links

References

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let us know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Meet The Meetup: Sheffield StartUp - Interview with Gary Neville

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 06:30:00 +0000

Gary Neville, co-organiser and co-host of the Sheffield Startup Meetup, shares the challenges of running a community startup event, explains the success of the format, and tells us about the common shared realities of the founder's journey.

Gary touches on some of the risks attached to becoming a founder, emphasises the importance of encouraging diversity of thought within teams, and says that it is absolutely critical to have failures if you’re going to run a startup.

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Notes and Links

Gary was interviewed online by Sarah Lister, Membership Coordinator at Sheffield Digital, on 11th June 2024.

Links

Sheffield Startup Meetup

Gary Neville on LinkedIn

Dan Blaney on LinkedIn

References

Sheffield Tech Parks

Cooper Project

Emma Marshall on LinkedIn

Tom Wolfenden on LinkedIn

Barnsley Startup Meetup

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let us know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Meet The Meetup: Sheffield DM - Interview with Giorgio Cassella from Evoluted

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 06:30:00 +0000

Giorgio Cassella, Managing Director at Evoluted, shares the story behind the roots and growth of Sheffield Digital Marketing Meetup - also known as Sheffield DM.

Since launching in 2018, the meetup has evolved and changed – particularly in response to the pandemic – whilst staying true to the principle of giving something back to the marketing community, celebrating talent, and supporting professional development.

Tune in to this 30 minute interview to find out what to expect from the summer event in July 2024 and to receive a 25% discount off tickets.

Sheffield DM Summer ‘24 Discount

Tickets for the conference are available here and the discount code is SHF-DIGITAL for 25% off.

Reach out to Giorgio directly for bulk tickets discounts for 5+ people; or discounted student/charity tickets: giorgio@evoluted.email

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Notes and Links

Giorgio was interviewed online by Sarah Lister, Membership Coordinator at Sheffield Digital, on 16th May 2024.

Links

Sheffield DM

Sheffield DM Summer ‘24

Evoluted

Sheffield DM on LinkedIn

Giorgio Cassella on LinkedIn

Follow Sheffield DM on X

Nottingham DM on LinkedIn

References

Sam Biggins

Sheffield Tap

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let us know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

How did you get here: Interview with Managing Director at Appt China - Joy Quan

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 06:30:00 +0000

Joy Quan shares her journey from starting out as an international student at the University of Sheffield to becoming the Managing Director at Appt China in Kunming. Appt is an international digital agency specialising in bespoke app, web and software development and digital communications in the UK and China.

Joy tells us what it was like arriving in Sheffield as a Postgraduate student, how she found the opportunity to join Appt as an intern, why the company founders decided to open an office in China, and what her role as Managing Director mainly involves doing. She also talks about some of the challenges for international students, including language barriers and knowing where to find opportunities.

She says that she found her dream job after her studies at the University of Sheffield. Hear this and much more in the 30 minute interview between Joy and Sarah Lister.

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Notes and Links

Joy was interviewed online by Sarah Lister, Membership Coordinator at Sheffield Digital, on 26th October 2023.

Links

Appt

Joy Quan on LinkedIn

References

University of Sheffield

Jon Bollinger

Anna Bollinger

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let us know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

How did you get here: Interview with four Software Developer apprentices at Tes

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 12:00:00 +0000

This episode of the Sheffield Digital podcast features a group interview with four apprentices working at Tes Global. In collaboration with Makers, Tes offered the opportunity for those passionate about tech to retrain, learn to code, and launch a new career in software development. Jack Thacker, Noelia Perez Marin, Sonia Taylor and Jose Lopez Guerrero were invited to this interview to share what their experiences have been like so far, and what they are looking forward to next.

Before starting the apprenticeship:

Noelia worked as a graphic designer for many years, specialising in merchandising.
Jack was first a student and then a writer and researcher in English Literature.
Sonia was working in charity.
Jose was working in hospitality as a receptionist and then had a job in finance, in the customer service line for shareholders.

Each guest shares why they decided to make a career change, what skills and knowledge they are bringing from previous roles, and how Tes is supporting them throughout the experience. Other topics they touch on include imposter syndrome, diversity of people, and advice for people considering applying for a similar apprenticeship.

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Notes and Links

The apprentices were interviewed online by Sarah Lister, Membership Coordinator at Sheffield Digital, on 8th August 2023.

Every episode comes with a list of links to the companies we reference:

Links

Tes website

References

Makers Academy: https://makers.tech/become/apprentice/

Code Academy: https://www.codecademy.com/

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let us know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

How did you get here: Interview with Co-Founder & CEO of The Tech Dept - Dan Kirby

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 15:26:00 +0000

How did you get here?

Dan Kirby shares his journey to becoming Co-Founder and CEO of The Tech Dept, specialists in working with early-stage startups, particularly impact startups. Their mission is to help impact founders do good at scale.

Dan tells us about his life as an entrepreneur since 2001, the highs and lows of running a business, and why he started a podcast called “Honey, I blew up the business” which has reached the top 2.5% of global podcasts and is listened to in 44 countries. Guests on the show talk about what it's really like to be a founder; what it's like to face your demons and come out the other side as a better person and a better entrepreneur. In this interview Dan shares some of the themes covered on his show, including fear, ego and intuition.

He says that “...having an idea and having the freedom to pursue it, that is itself a form of success.” Hear this and much more in the 30 minute interview between Dan and Sarah Lister.

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Notes and Links

Dan was interviewed online by Sarah Lister, Membership Coordinator at Sheffield Digital, on 23rd June 2023.

Every episode comes with a list of links to the companies we reference:

The Tech Dept website
Honey, I blew up the business podcast
Dan Kirby on LinkedIn
Richard Grundy on LinkedIn

References

The Tech Off
Tech Off movie pilot
'Extreme Ownership’ by Jocko Willink
The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness & Healing in a Toxic Culture by Gabor Maté
Inner Engineering by Sadhguru

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let us know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

How did you get here: Interview with Founder & CEO of AI machine learning startup TUBR - Dash Tabor

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 07:30:00 +0000

How did you get here?

Dash Tabor shares her journey to becoming the founder of an AI machine learning startup.

Dash Tabor didn’t expect to work in tech, never mind to start her own deep-tech company specialising in the application of AI for small and incomplete datasets.

Growing up, she felt that tech wasn’t her, that it was too complicated and too ‘mathy’. However, after completing a Masters in City Planning and Sustainable Development, Dash needed a job and landed an admin role in a tech company.

From this point, she started to develop an interest and passion for data, and so her journey to tech founder began.

She gathered different skills, learning how to spot opportunities both in tech and in the market, and she watched different people doing things in different ways.

Living and working in London it was the busy and over-crowded tube journeys she had to take every morning that gave Dash the impetus to found her own company, developing technology that could predict the peaks at London tube stations on just small amounts of data.

Since this point in 2020, she has moved to Sheffield setting up her business, Tubr, at Sheffield Technology Parks. She has hired, secured customers, gained funding from Angels and Venture Capitalists, and Tubr has patent pending technology.

Dash says that the point she stopped being scared of failure was the point at which the business started doing well.

Hear about all of this and much more in the 20 minute interview between Dash and Sarah Lister.

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Notes and links

Dash was interviewed online by Sarah Lister, Membership Coordinator at Sheffield Digital, on 9th May 2023.

Every episode comes with a list of links to the companies we reference.

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let us know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 75: Becoming a B Corp - an interview with Mina

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 19:00:00 +0000

Last autumn, Mina announced that it had become B Corporation (B Corp) certified. The global B Corp movement sets a standard for businesses who want to ‘do good’ through their actions towards the environment, their employees and the impact they make in their local community. In this interview with Mina Co-Founder and Managing Director, Chris Dalrymple, he tells us about the process, why it took longer than expected to achieve certification, how its impact is already being felt, and he offers advice to other businesses that are considering becoming a B Corp.

We hope you enjoy it and, if there are other stories you’d like us to explore, please let us know.

Don’t forget, you can always join the Sheffield Digital Slack community or email info@sheffield.digital to get in touch and share your thoughts.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let us know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Sheffield Digital Insight: Building teams and developing people at Tes

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 12:30:00 +0000

‘Sheffield Digital Insight’ focuses on careers in the tech sector. In a series of interviews with people who work in the Sheffield City Region, we are starting a conversation about different roles, the skills you need or can expect to learn, and everything that is exciting and inspiring about working in tech.

This episode features Ryan Temple who is Head of Product Development at Tes. Sarah asks him about the main skills and tasks involved in the job, how his career has progressed, which parts of the job he finds challenging and which aspects he enjoys the most, and what it's like working for the company.

Tes has evolved from a printed newspaper supplement to support schools and teachers with their work, into a leading education business and global digital community. In 2018, Tes opened an office in Sheffield and here the evolution continues, with the announcement of a new Engineering Hub in 2021 and the creation of 20 new roles in the city. You can find out more in our company spotlight.

Watch our series of interviews on the Sheffield Digital YouTube channel and subscribe to the channel for new episodes. Find out more about the campaign on our website.

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Notes and links

Ryan was interviewed online by Sarah Lister, Membership Coordinator at Sheffield Digital, on 4th August 2022.

Every episode comes with a list of links to the companies we reference.

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let us know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 74: Turning a lifestyle business into an award-winning scale-up

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 14:27:00 +0000

Mel follows-up with Dan and Andrew from Airship, delves into some Sheffield history and finds out the highs and lows of reinventing a tech business.

If you listened to Episode 72 of this podcast, you will have heard us chat with two very successful start-ups: Mina and Airship. You will also have discovered that Airship isn’t really a start-up; the company was originally set up in 2003. Since then, it’s grown, shrunk, pivoted and changed from being an agency that “sells hours” to a SaaS technology business.

Mel wanted to find out more – what’s that journey like and what does it take to make the change from being a lifestyle business to a high-growth business with a clear exit strategy? So this is a special follow-up episode, hearing from two of the senior people in the business about their journey.

The guests for this episode are Dan Brookman, CEO, and Andrew Whiteley, Director, from Airship.

As this is a “special” episode, there’s no news or updates, just an in-depth interview. We hope you enjoy it and, if there are other stories you’d like us to explore, please let us know.

Don’t forget, you can always join the Sheffield Digital Slack community or email info@sheffield.digital to get in touch and share your thoughts.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let us know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 73: Creating a Gigabit city and getting to grips with the eSports scene in Sheffield

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 13:23:00 +0000

In episode 73 of the Sheffield Digital podcast we talk to Natalie Ward, City Manager for CityFibre. We’re also joined by Giorgio Cassella, Head of Marketing at Evoluted and founder of Afterwork.gg, and Adam Jessop, founder and CEO of Endpoint Gaming.

First up, we ask Natalie about how she got into working in broadband connectivity, what changes she has seen over time, and getting more young people into tech careers.

Then we speak to Giorgio and Adam about the eSports scene in Sheffield, how people from the community can get involved, which types of people they need in the industry, and what trends they envisage in the near future.

Finally, Mel and Chris share some of their usual updates from the city’s digital sector, including:

Economy.dotSHF meeting
Sheffield City Council’s Business Response Group
Second Digital Inclusion Taskforce meeting
Chris’ involvement with the Digital Meet Manufacturing Commission
Chris is about to join the Skills Accelerator Board
Tutorful raises a further £3m from Northern Venture Capital Trust and NPIF
Lots of local companies winning awards
Razor, Tribepad, Tutorful, Mina and Nimble shortlisted for Prolific North Tech Awards
Tickets for Good launched the ticket fund to fundraise for event tickets to be donated to NHS teams.
Meetups starting to happen in person again
Hybrid GeekBrekky at Tamper Sellers Wheel and on zoom
Mark Pearce’s National Parks app crowdfunder

Don’t forget, you can always join the Sheffield Digital Slack community or email info@sheffield.digital to get in touch and share your thoughts.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let us know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 72: Airship & Mina - two of Sheffield’s most exciting startups talk about their journeys so far

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 14:15:00 +0000

In the first half of episode 72 we discuss product development and scalability, working remotely and hiring during national lockdowns, Sheffield as a tech business location, how to encourage people to enter careers in tech, and diversity in the industry.

And here are our guests:

Julian Cole, Lead Developer, and Andrew Whiteley, Director, from Airship.
Laurie Nicholas, Principal UX Developer, and Ashley Tate, Co-Founder, from Mina.

It was so nice to hear about these exciting startup journeys, how the companies have adapted since COVID-19, and future plans.

In the second half of episode 72, Mel and Chris share some of their usual updates from the city’s digital sector, including:

Sheffield Digital is still going strong and keeping people connected
Keep up to date by subscribing to the newsletter
New workspaces opening in the city and planning approved
Growth at Nimble Approach
Fountain Precinct becoming a ‘tech hub’
Joi Polloi’s project collaboration with Field for Wentworth Woodhouse in Barnsley
Endpoint Esports looking for a flexible workspace and a studio space
Big announcement at Sumo Digital
Sheffield Digital mentoring scheme
Interviews with people who work in the digital sector on our YouTube channel
UTC Sheffield Multi-Academy Trust
Sheffield Hallam University programmes delivering business support for SMEs
Business networking for Sheffield Digital members

Don’t forget, you can always join the Sheffield Digital Slack community or email info@sheffield.digital to get in touch and share your thoughts.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let us know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 71: The future of The Children's Media Conference & asking what the heck happened with Cryptopunk NFTs

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 12:50:00 +0000

In episode 71 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast we speak to Kathy Loizou, Co-founder and Director of The Children's Media Conference, and we're also joined by Alex Amsel, award-winning game developer and blockchain expert.

In the first part of the episode, Kathy fills us in on the history of The Children’s Media Conference, how it’s adapted during Covid-times and why digital folk should attend this year’s event (tip: there’s a discount for Sheffield Digital members too). Kathy also tells us about Playground at Site Gallery in Sheffield, which is taking place from 1 to 11 July in 2021.

In the second part of the episode, we speak to Alex about NFTs - what they are, why there's been a recent boom, his views on sustainability issues, and how to learn more about bitcoin. Chris also asks him what the heck happened with Cryptopunk NFTs.

Don’t forget, you can always join the Sheffield Digital Slack community or email info@sheffield.digital to get in touch and share your thoughts.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 70: What next for the Sheffield Digital Podcast?

Thu, 28 Jan 2021 22:54:00 +0000

In episode 70 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast, Iain and Mel share the news that the podcast is going on a short pause. But more importantly, we want your feedback on how we can make it much better.

What kind of feedback are we talking? Well, we’ve been recording since 2017 and we’ve had a fairly consistent interview/news format throughout. This last 12 months has seen us record online rather than in person, and that actually gives us more options.

This is a short show. Have a listen, then have a think, and then let us know what might tickle your fancy. Seasons? More panel discussions? Shorter episodes? Dare we say… sponsorships? We are very much all ears and happy to take all thoughts on board.

You can contact us through the Sheffield Digital Slack community or email info@sheffield.digital and we’ll get it there.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 69: Reflecting on a unique year for Sheffield's digital community

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 23:39:00 +0000

In this final episode of 2020, Iain, Mel and Chris look back on what has been a year of unique challenges for Sheffield's digital businesses and community members.

After sharing a few personal reflections, we turn to the kinds of difficulties the community has faced, as well as the different ways people have used their creativity and generosity to help others in need.

Finally, Mel and Chris look ahead to the coming months and what 2021 may have in store for us all. We finish by thinking about Sheffield Digital itself and how it can strengthen its influence and support even more people in the years ahead.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 68: Virtual reality in healthcare and finding the next generation of games developers

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 00:00:00 +0000

In episode 68 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast, we are joined by Ivan Phelan, Senior Research Fellow at Sheffield Hallam University who specialises in using VR for healthcare, and Jake Habgood, Director of Education Partnerships at Sumo Digital.

It was great to have Ivan and Jake with us to discuss using games and VR in various healthcare settings, and Sumo’s new digital academy which aims to get more young people into the industry.

Don’t forget, you can always join the Sheffield Digital Slack community or email info@sheffield.digital to get in touch and share your thoughts.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 67: Virtual events and getting ready for Sheffield Digital Festival

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 23:20:00 +0000

In episode 67 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast we look ahead to the Sheffield Digital Festival with four of our fantastic event organisers. They talk us through what they have planned for their events and and their approach to doing it all virtually.

And here are our guests:

Amanda and Simon Cookson from Northern Value Creators
Tim Latham from Data Trainer
Hannah Byk from Better Points

It was so nice to hear all about their plans for the festival. It’s going to be a fantastic week and we highly recommend you try and go to as many events as possible. Check the show notes below for links.

As usual, in the second half of episode 67, Mel and Chris share some of their usual updates from the city’s digital sector, including:

the new Sumo Digital Academy
ASK4 Data Centre makes the move to renewable energy
our series on career change in the digital sector
a nudge to complete the National Digital Skills Audit
Sheffield Digital Festival news.

Don’t forget, you can always join the Sheffield Digital Slack community or email info@sheffield.digital to get in touch and share your thoughts.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 66: Tracey Johnson and David Akeroyd on Barnsley's Digital Campus and supporting start ups

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 14:03:00 +0000

In episode 66 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast we speak to Tracey Johnson and David Akeroyd from Barnsley DMC and Barnsley College respectively. They tell us all about DMC2, a new space for companies to scale up, co-work and enjoy a thriving community.

It was great to hear all about the digital scene in Barnsley from Tracey and David. Despite COVID, there is a lot going on and plenty for you to get involved with and check out. Please go learn more via the links in the show notes below.

In the second half of the show, Mel and Chris share some of their usual updates from the city’s digital sector, including:

our community’s response to LEP strategic economic plan
a chance to connect with six talented interns on a new part-funded scheme for SMEs from the University of Sheffield and XR Stories
information about the new IR35 rules
Sheffield Digital being now part of the National Digital Skills Audit
Sheffield Digital Festival news.

Don’t forget, you can always join the Sheffield Digital Slack community or email info@sheffield.digital to get in touch and share your thoughts.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 65: Dean Sadler on turning TribePad into a climate-positive company

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 12:24:00 +0000

In episode 65 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast we speak to Dean Sadler, founder and CEO of TribePad about his plans to make the company climate positive. Plus there’s the usual round up of news, events and exciting information.

In the first part of the episode, we speak to Dean about some of the data captured by TribePad recruitment software over the last six months. Having spoken to Commercial Director, Neil Armstrong at the start of the pandemic, it was interesting to hear the state of play now.

We then went on to talk to Dean about what it means in practice to try and make a company climate positive. He shares some of the things he and the TribePad team have done to offset their carbon impact, which includes planting trees (“you can never have enough trees”).

In the second half of the show, Mel and Chris share some of their usual updates from the city’s digital sector, including:

the Sheffield City Region Strategic Economic Plan (SEP)
getting behind the Kickstart Job Creation fund
the Tech Nation Growth programmes
the National Digital Skills Audit
Sheffield Digital Festival news.

Don’t forget, you can always join the Sheffield Digital Slack community or email info@sheffield.digital to get in touch and share your thoughts.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 64: Festival news, policy debates and a great developer offer

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 11:26:00 +0000

In episode 64 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast, Mel and Chris share some updates from the city’s digital sector. It’s one of those shows for you to catch up on all the news and hear what’s coming in the community.

Topics and exciting information covered includes:

the Sheffield Digital Festival re-boot (Nov 16–22)
the Council is asking videos in a bit to help young people get into digital
lots of policy debates happening as things pick up again
the Sheffield City Region strategic economic plan consultation
the Sheffield Local Plan consultation
the recent Meta Meetup event for meetup organisers
a great off from the Developer Academy.

Go and get your muffs and listen up. Don’t forget, you can always join the Sheffield Digital Slack community or email info@sheffield.digital to get in touch and share your thoughts.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 63: Back to the office?

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 10:31:00 +0000

In episode 63 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast, we speak to people from three different companies to hear how they are approaching the return to office working. Or maybe they’re not! A little spoiler there.

The show features:

Dan Kirby, Co-founder of The Tech Dept.
Sarah Mackie, Head of HR at Zoo Digital
Mai Mai Lam, Director of HR Operations and Site Management at WANdisco

And what a fascinating conversation we had. We talked at length about how each company is tackling the next few months. But Dan, Sarah and Mai were also shared the challenges and successes that have come out of operating a tech business through a pandemic.

Please give this one a listen – it’s a good one. Don’t forget, you can always join the Sheffield Digital Slack community or email info@sheffield.digital to get in touch and share your thoughts.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

ZOO Digital | Localization Services for TV and Movies

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 62: Mark Mobbs on a new campaign to support Sheffield businesses and communities

Fri, 24 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

In episode 62, we speak to Mark Mobbs from Marketing Sheffield about the new Make Yourself at Home campaign. It aims to support local businesses and communities by offering a framework that helps us all shout about the city as it moves forward from Covid-19.

Marketing Sheffield is part of Sheffield City Council and it was great to hear Mark talk about this new campaign. The idea is to give people a toolkit that they can use when organising projects and events, which will also help the city speak with a more unified voice. (Mark explains it much better.)

As you might expect, we also asked Mark about his background and had a good chat about how Sheffield could talk itself up better. There’s plenty to shout about!

Go and grab yourself a pair of headphones. Don’t forget, you can always join the Sheffield Digital Slack community or email info@sheffield.digital to get in touch.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 61: Accelerators, EdTech and life out of lockdown

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 12:24:00 +0000

In episode 61, Sheffield Digital’s directors Mel Kanarek and Chris Dymond talk about life in lockdown and how Sheffield’s digital sector has responded to the crisis. This is one of our news and update-type shows, so buckle up and listen in to find out what’s going on and coming up.

You’ll hear about:

Sheffield Startup Summer 2020
the AWRC Accelerator, which is up and running
the Sheffield City Council Covid-19 Business Response Group
Mel’s trip to the UK Tech Cluster Group’s Roadmap to Recovery Summit
Chris on NCET and EdTech under Covid-19
Sheffield City Region’s Digital Infrastructure Strategy consultation
other exciting titbits.

Go and grab yourself a pair of headphones. We hope you are all doing as well as you can be. Don’t forget, you can always join the Sheffield Digital Slack community or email info@sheffield.digital to get in touch.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 60: James Marriott and Stuart Grimshaw on freelancing in the time of Covid-19

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 15:04:00 +0000

In episode 60 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast we talk all things freelancing with software engineer, Stuart Grimshaw, plus audio specialist and organiser of the Sheffield Collective meet-up, James Marriott.

We’ve covered all sorts of Covid-19 related subjects over the last three months, so we thought we’d use this episode to focus on freelancers.

Sheffield has plenty of freelance folk who have had plenty to think (and worry) about during the coronavirus crisis. James and Stuart share their stories, including how their freelance businesses have been affected, as well as some of the things they have learned.

Don’t forget, if you’re a freelancer and want to get in touch with other people in your positions, apart from the excellent Sheffield Collective, we have a dedicated channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Note: this episode was recorded on Friday 19 June 2020, so please do check to see if the information discussed is still up to date when you listen.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 59: Jonny Briggs on adapting during the pandemic and rescheduling Sheffield Digital Festival

Wed, 27 May 2020 12:14:00 +0000

In episode 59 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast we speak to Jonny Briggs, director of Field, Sheffield design studio and co-producers of the Sheffield Digital Festival. We talk about business during the pandemic and plans for a rescheduled festival later in the year.

Like many companies, Field Design saw big changes earlier this year at the start of the coronavirus crisis. However, it was great to hear Jonny about how he and his team have been able to adapt and are now working on a number of new projects and some others by taking a different approach.

As for the Sheffield Digital Festival, we are all sad that it had to be postponed, but fingers crossed there will be an event at some point in 2020. We’ll let you know when we can be more certain about… everything!

Note: this episode was recorded on Friday 22 May 2020, so please do check to see if the information discussed is still up to date when you listen.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 58: Sophie Wendell on managing a community during a global pandemic

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 16:19:00 +0000

After a few interviews, episode 58 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast features a chat with our new community manager, Sophie Wendell, and a catch up on what’s happening in the digital community.

And what a start Sophie has had! The plan was for her to play a key role in organising and meeting people the lead up to the Sheffield Digital Festival. But instead her first task was to write up guidelines for event organisers in a global pandemic!

Since then, Sophie has been working extremely hard and entirely remotely to learn more about the community and provide as much support as possible. It’s great to finally introduce her properly on the show and hear more about what she’s got planned.

Also! Mel and Chris talk a little about what they have been doing, what it’s been like to run Sheffield Digital in the time of coronavirus, plus some of the fantastic work happening in the community. Listen up!

Note: this episode was recorded on Friday 23 April 2020, so please do check to see if the information discussed is still up to date when you listen.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 57: How local makers are helping provide PPE for our healthcare workers

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 11:22:00 +0000

This episode of the Sheffield Digital Podcast features an interview with three Sheffield-based folk who are 3D printing visors that can be used by healthcare professional in the coronavirus crisis.

Tom Tobia is the founder of Makerversity, which provides work space, cutting-edge prototyping facilities, business support and more to 300+ members in Somerset House, Central London. Joe Palmer is Senior Design and Development Engineer and Lecturer in Manufacturing Technology at AMRC, a regional partner of Sheffield Digital. And Mark Wrigley is a physicist, inventor, entrepreneur and all-round 3D printing expert.

We asked all three of our guests about how they are approaching the process of 3D printing visors. From finding materials to getting the finished product into the right hands, it was fascinating to hear about the different challenges faced and the brilliant work they are doing.

Enjoy the episode and do make sure you check out the links in the show notes below. You can learn more about the process of 3D printing masks and show your support by donating to help keep production going.

Note: this episode was recorded on Friday 17 April 2020, so please do check to see if the information discussed is still up to date when you listen.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 56: Neil Armstrong from TribePad on the impact of COVID-19 on recruitment data

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:48:00 +0000

Episode 56 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast features an interview with Neil Armstrong from recruitment software provider, TribePad. Neil talks us through some of the incredible data that has passed through their systems as a result of the coronavirus outbreak and its economic impact.

Note: this episode was recorded on Friday 27 March 2020, so please do check to see if the information discussed is still up to date when you listen.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 55: Mark Gannon on the Council’s response to COVID-19

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 14:59:00 +0000

Episode 55 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast features an interview with Mark Gannon, Director of Business Change and Information Solutions at Sheffield City Council. We ask Mark about how the Council is taking on the challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak and its effect on the city.

In our previous episode, we spoke to team members from Keebles and Shorts, who explain some of the measures taken by Government to support businesses, employees and the self-employed.

Listen to episode 54 of the podcast

Note: this episode was recorded on Friday 27 March 2020, so please do check to see if the information discussed is still up to date when you listen.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 54: Making sense of the Government's COVID-19 support measures

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 11:45:00 +0000

Episode 54 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast features two interviews that will hopefully help you understand the COVID-19 measures put in place to support businesses, employees and people who are self-employed.

First, we spoke to Carys Thompson, Catherine Wilson and Matt Ainsworth from legal firm and Sheffield Digital associate sponsor, Keebles. They answered some of the common legal questions that came up in our recent survey to find out how the digital community is being affected.

Our second interview was with Martin Dean, Dave Robinson and Tom Whitworth from another associate sponsor, Shorts, who approached the measures from a more financial point of view. Again, our questions were informed by the things we know the city’s digital community are looking for clarity on.

You can find the latest help and support update from Shorts over on the company’s website.

We plan to publish show notes and a transcript of this episode as soon as possible.

Note: the episode was recorded on Friday 27 March, so please do check to see if the information discussed is still up to date when you listen.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 53: Phil from Help Sheffield on running a DIY digital service for the city

Fri, 13 Mar 2020 13:16:00 +0000

Episode 53 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast features an interview with the man behind the ever-popular and really rather handy @HelpSheffield Twitter account.

The premise behind the account is pretty simple. Got a question or need information about Sheffield? Ask away, get a retweet from the @HelpSheffield account and be amazed at all the lovely people who come to your aid.

In our conversation, we learn how the account got started and what it takes to maintain. We also explore the idea of it being a great example of a fairly low-tech digital service, all run by one man and his phone.

We really enjoyed talking to Phil and his commitment to using @HelpSheffield as a force for good. There is also a HelpSheffield podcast now too. Imagine! Grab your headphones and enjoy.

Thanks to Rebel Base Media

This episode was recorded at Rebel Base Media in their new podcasting studio based at Sheffield Technology Parks . The studio is fantastic and has all the gear you need to produce a properly professional podcast. They also offer podcasting advice and you can even rent a mobile studio for recording in the field.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 52: Opportunities, new workspaces and mapping Sheffield's digital ecosystem

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Episode 52 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is sees Iain, Mel and Chris cover all the latest news and events happening in the city’s digital sector.

Topics covered include:

Sheffield Digital Showcase #6
an update on Sheffield Digital Festival
3Squared’s event on opportunities in the rail sector
our new Community Manager role
new workspaces opening in Sheffield
our updated map of Sheffield’s digital sector
Slanted Theory appearing on Look North

As always, we run through upcoming events and meet-ups in the city and say a huge thank you to our latest members.

Thanks to Rebel Base Media

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 51: Sheffield Digital Winter Showcase 2019

Sun, 16 Feb 2020 16:00:00 +0000

Episode 51 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast features the interviews from the Sheffield Digital Winter Showcase, which took place on Thursday 12th December 2019 at The Workstation. Our own Chris Dymond interviews the people behind five impressive digital projects recently developed here in the city.

The purpose of the Showcase events is to get together to celebrate digital products, services, campaigns and experiences that are made in Sheffield and to introduce audiences both online and off to the people who made them.

In this episode you will hear from the following fine folk.

Adiam Amanuel, Founder of 721
Dan Dukeson, Director of Engineering at Pendo
Martin Benson, Head of AI Consulting at Jaywing and Tim Latham, Owner of Datatrainer
James Jefferies from Shedcode
VEX Robotics Team 47618C from UTC Sheffield

As with previous Showcases, their are video versions of the interviews that you can watch and enjoy too. Watch those videos here and learn lots more about the event.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 50: Partners, sponsors and a call for festival speakers

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 13:45:00 +0000

Episode 50 is here – hooray! Iain is joined by Mel to talk through some of the comings and going at Sheffield Digital and the city’s marvellous tech scene. Topics discussed in this news, events and exciting updates-style episode include:

Barnsley College becoming a regional partner
Tecy.digital becoming an associate sponsor
an update on the Sheffield Digital Festival
a call for speakers and fringe events for the festival
our recent planning session for Sheffield Digital
the devolution deal – it’s back on folks!

Anything else? Oh just Iain attempting to and then regretting reading out every event that’s taking place February. Plus new member shout outs! Al the usual stuff. Press play and enjoy our half century episode.

Thanks to Rebel Base Media

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 49: Phil Parkin from Content OD on creating a more sustainable, climate-friendly agency

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 05:15:00 +0000

Episode 49 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast features an interview with Phil Parkin, co-director of Content OD, a content agency that’s making changes they hope will benefit the environment and be good for business.

Content OD produce videos, social campaigns and all manner of content. We speak to Phil about how the company got started and his own journey from learning his craft in the US to leading the team at Content OD alongside wife and business partner, Anna Parkin.

We also ask Phil about the company’s decision to spend 2020 taking steps to reduce its carbon footprint. They are putting measures in place that will be good for the environment, improve sustainability and hopefully have a positive effect on the team too.

Finally, we speak to Phil about what it’s like to be a digital business based at Park Hill, as well as its ongoing redevelopment. Content OD are one of a number of digital companies that do business from Park Hill, but do we talk about that fact enough?

This is a great episode for anyone who wants to try and fight the climate crisis by making small changes in the workplace. Go and get your headphones and enjoy yourself silly.

Thanks to Rebel Base Media

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 48: Erin, Mercedes and Martyn Eggleton on ‘proper coding’ and competing in global robotics championships

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 11:38:00 +0000

Episode 48 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast features an interview with Martyn Eggleton from UTC Sheffield and two fantastic computing students, Erin and Mercedes, who are fresh back from a successful World Educational Robot (WER) Contest.

Sheffield’s young robotics students continue to reach and perform brilliantly at international competitions. It’s a fantastic advert for the city’s computing programmes and it is great to hear Martyn talk about the UTC’s approach and philosophy.

Even better, hearing about the impact the course and competition has had on Erin and Mercedes is so inspiring. Dividing the engineering and programming duties, the pair just got second prize at the WER Contest in Shanghai. They are the first students from the UK to do so!

Grab your headphones and enjoy listening to their experience first hand. And if you’d like to sponsor or find a way to support Sheffield’s robotics students in 2020, just email info@sheffield.digital and we’ll point you in the right direction.

Thanks to Rebel Base Media

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 47: Last show of the decade

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 23:40:00 +0000

Episode 47 is fresh from the kiln and contains a marvellous round up of all the latest tech goings-on in Sheffield from directors, Mel Kanarek and Chris Dymond.

Here’s just some of what they covered:

Sheffield Digital Christmas Showcase
The ”Keep a Seat Free” initiative
Mel reports back from the UK Tech Cluster Group meeting in Cardiff
Ben Atha’s excellent skills roundtable held at Kollider

This is the last episode of the show in 2019, so the conversation inevitably involves looking back at the year just gone too. Go and get your soundmuffs, sit back and enjoy. See you next year.

Thanks to Rebel Base Media

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 46: James Taylor on StartupScale and helping Sheffield’s digital businesses grow

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 05:45:00 +0000

Episode 46 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast sees Mel and Chris talk to James Taylor from Roaring Mouse PR about their fantastic new initiative called Startupscale.

What the heck is Startupscale? It’s a “pioneering two-year business experiment designed to accelerate the development of tech startups in Sheffield and across the North of England.” Essentially, it’s a chance to get access to expert mentors, exclusive networking opportunities, and valuable media exposure – completely free-of-charge.

It was great to hear James talk about why he and Roaring Mouse decided to run Startupscale as a way to give back to the community. And the project itself sounds absolutely brilliant and a great opportunity.

You don’t have long to submit! The deadline for entries is 20 December, so if you think you’d like to be involved, get your submission in sharpish. Check out the links in the show notes below.

Thanks to Rebel Base Media

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 45: Sheffield Digital Autumn Showcase 2019

Wed, 27 Nov 2019 16:28:03 +0000

This is a very special episode of the Sheffield Digital Podcast, as it includes all of the interviews from the autumn Sheffield Digital Showcase. Chris Dymond spoke to a collection of Sheffield’s excellent tech folk to present and celebrate some of the digital work produced in the city.

Don't forget, you can also watch the talks as well as listen to them.

Joe Handsaker, the Founder and CEO of Elements Technology, introduces the Elements Platform which provides a simple plug-and-play system for automating manufacturing processes.
Paul Hilton, Technical Director at Can Studios, explains how an overhaul of their technology stack has made their e-learning platform accessible even to small companies, entrepreneurs and start-ups – in contrast to most learning management systems.
Laura Smith, CEO of Slanted Theory, demonstrates how their ALAIRA platform delivers engaging interactive experiences in virtual and augmented reality that enable non-specialists to explore their data like never before.
Dom Barter, founder of Hexos, introduces his new digital service which visualises public transport data across the whole of the UK to generate accurate travel time “heatmaps” for any location.
John and Ib from Qubic Aerial explain how technologies like volumetric scanning, LIDAR, drones and high performance computing are transforming the surveying industry.

A big thank you to all our speakers and do bag a ticket for the upcoming winter/Christmas showcase, which takes place on 12th December.

Thanks to our partners

This Showcase event was once again in collaboration with The Platform and held at The Workstation, so huge thanks to them for the continued support.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 44: Katie Fenn and Amy Benson on organising the upcoming Front End North conference

Tue, 26 Nov 2019 14:08:04 +0000

Episode 44 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is up on the airwaves and features a great interview with Katie Fenn and Amy Benson, co-founders of Front End Sheffield, and organisers of the upcoming Front End Sheffield 2020 conference.

Katie and Amy are both established developers and members of Sheffield’s digital community. When they and the Front End Sheffield team launched the meet up last year, it quickly became one of the city’s most popular events.

Earlier this year, they took over the reins of the also very popular Front End Sheffield conference, which takes place on 7th February 2020 at the marvellous Crucible Theatre.

In this episode, you get to hear all about their journey as meetup organisers, as well as their plans for Front End North. Fancy getting involved? They are on the lookout now for volunteers, lightning talk speakers and, of course, people to buy tickets!

Thanks to Rebel Base Media

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 43: Growth, migrations and more good news

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 22:42:57 +0000

Episode 43 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is available now and features all the city’s digital sector news and updates from directors, Mel Kanarek and Chris Dymond.

We kick off the episode with a series of good news items, from new Arts Council funding for Museum Sheffield to the good folk at Spaces Acero signing up for another year of sponsorship.

Later on in the show Chris shares some information on the upcoming second quarterly briefing document, as well as the next Meta Meetup. There is also the Christmas Sheffield Digital Showcase in the works too, which you can bag a ticket for soon.

What else did we cover? Well there was an update on the Open Tech Calendar migration, Mel and Neill Birchenall (also a director of Sheffield Digital) attending the City Growth Board, the ‘Keep a Seat Free’ initiative and some news on the Sheffield Digital Festival 2020.

All in all, a pretty packed episode. Go and get your very best headphones, plonk them on your bonce and get stuck in.

Thanks to Rebel Base Media

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Ben Carlin on alternate realities, immersive theatre and Frankenstein

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 22:32:32 +0000

Episode 42 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is out and this time we’re joined by Ben Carlin, founder of Megaverse and Immerse Sheffield, a meetup for people who work in immersive technologies.

We absolutely loved this conversation with Ben. He shared his early experience in Cornwall and taking part in the BBC’s Robot Wars, before moving into the world of theatre and virtual reality (VR).

Ben has recently worked on a VR version of Frankenstein with the National Youth Theatre. He describes the process of putting on a VR performance (300 headsets!) and how he and his co-founder John travelled to the Arctic to film some of the footage.

More than anything, Ben’s work just shows what can be done when you combine the creative arts and technology. Go and get your headphones, find a comfortable chair and listen in – it’s a good one.

Thanks to Rebel Base Media

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Taking on the Open Tech Calendar

Tue, 05 Nov 2019 10:14:29 +0000

Episode 41 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is out in the wild and contains an announcement – that we’re taking on ownership of the Open Tech Calendar. This is a chance for you to hear Chris explain how this all came about and why we think Sheffield Digital can take the project forward.

Since Sheffield Digital started, the Open Tech Calendar, which was created by James Baster of JMB Technologies, has been the glue that’s held our own events calendar together. It’s open source, open data and shall remain so as we look to build on the platform and encourage more and more people to use it.

As I say, best thing to do is listen to the episode and hear the hows, whys and wherefores directly from Chris. After that, we discuss other exciting topics, including:

the Sheffield Digital Quarterly Briefing publication
Mel’s experience judging the Top Tech: Yorkshire competition
the careers fair at University of Sheffield
Mel meeting the new Head of Digital at Barnsley College.

Feel free to send feedback to info@sheffield.digital if you have any thoughts or suggestions. We’re all ears!

Thanks to Rebel Base Media

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 38.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Rohit Chakraborty on the Urban Flows Observatory and collecting Sheffield’s physical data

Wed, 23 Oct 2019 11:17:11 +0000

Episode 40 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast features a fascinating interview with Rohit Chakraborty from the Urban Flows Observatory at the University of Sheffield.

The Urban Flows Observatory is a brilliant project that collects and analyses the city’s physical data. Rohit has played a big role in the project’s development with a particular focus on air pollution.

In our chat, we asked Rohit all about the project, including how it got started, what kind of impact it has had and crucially, how Sheffield’s digital community (that’s you!) can get involved.

The first step is to attend the upcoming Data Hack that the Observatory is running on Saturday 23 November. It’s a great opportunity to find out more about the project, share your ideas and get hands on with some of the data already collected.

This is the first episode of the podcast where we’ve just shared the interview. If you want to hear all the latest news and updates, you can listen to episode 39 where Mel and Chris go behind the scenes of Sheffield Digital.

Feel free to send feedback to info@sheffield.digital if you have any thoughts or suggestions. We’re all ears!

Thanks to Rebel Base Media

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference.

Did we miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Sheffield Digital behind the scenes

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 10:03:56 +0000

Episode 39 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is available now and we’re shaking things up a bit. This is our first show where we separate our usual interview from the news and updates. And this show is the latter!

In the first part of the show you can hear Mel and Chris talk about how things are going with Sheffield Digital (really well!) as well as some of the challenges that we face (time! resources!).

More than anything, I think the chat is a call to action for more people to take advantage of the platform that Sheffield Digital has become. Write for the blog, go to a meetup, start a channel on Slack – it’s all there for you to use however you see fit.

After that, we discuss other exciting topics, including:

the autumn showcase event and plans for the future
reaction to the recent ‘no-deal Brexit’ event
the range of tech growth programmes available from Tech Nation
an update on the National Centre for Ed Tech.

We hope you think that making these updates an episode of their one is a good idea. We want to make sure it’s as easy as possible for people to listen to them and hear what’s going on in the city’s digital sector.

Feel free to send feedback to info@sheffield.digital if you have any thoughts or suggestions. We’re all ears!

Thanks to Rebel Base Media

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 38.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 38: Scott Burkinshaw on helping tech companies benefit from innovation funding

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 08:00:27 +0000

Episode 39 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is available now and features an interview with Scott Burkinshaw, Tax Partner at Shorts and Head of Radius, the company’s new service set up to help tech businesses with R&D tax credits and innovation funding.

It was great to speak to Scott about all manner of things, including the innovation landscape in Sheffield, the city’s strengths and weaknesses, and how things are looking given the current situation with Brexit.

Most of all though, we asked Scott about Radius. Shorts are working with Sheffield companies to help them make the most of the government’s R&D tax credits, so we wanted know how it works and who is eligible. Basically, if you’re doing something interesting with tech, you need to find out more.

In part two, Mel and Chris share their updates from the last few weeks, which includes:

a look back at the Sheffield Digital AGM
information about the Top Tech Yorkshire competition
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellowships
the upcoming ‘No-Deal Brexit’ preparations event
the latest on Kurious Arts, a new arts incubator at Castle House.

And that’s it! Go and get yourself stuck in to episode 38!

Thanks to Rebel Base Media and Spaces

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 38.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 37: Katie Taylor on exciting times and opportunities at Kollider Projects

Sun, 01 Sep 2019 21:40:47 +0000

We’re back after a brief summer hiatus with a brand new episode of the Sheffield Digital Podcast. We were delighted to have Katie Taylor, Sales and Marketing Lead at Kollider Projects, join us to share all sorts of exciting updates on the progress being made at Castle House.

She gave us a fantastic overview of what’s happening on each floor of the building, from Kommune down at the bottom to the top-floor- tech incubator that’s now full of interesting people and companies. Katie also told us about Kurious Arts, a new arts incubator in development that will focus on all things writing, photography, film and the like.

Perhaps most importantly, there are still many opportunities for Sheffield’s digital folk to get involved with what’s going on at Kollider. That starts with a series of upcoming events that we heartily recommend you check out and consider going to.

In the second half of the show, Mel and Chris do their usual thing of talking through some of the significant happenings and comings up in the city, including:

the Sheffield Digital AGM and why it’s a members event
the next Sheffield Digital Showcase event
Sheffield City Council’s new speciality support team.

Okay doke. Off you pop to fetch your headphones and listen up to episode 37 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast.

Thanks to Rebel Base Media

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 34.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 36: Sheffield Digital Summer Showcase 2019

Sun, 28 Jul 2019 12:00:30 +0000

This is a very special episode of the Sheffield Digital Podcast, as it includes all of the interviews from last month’s Sheffield Digital Showcase. Our very own Chris Dymond spoke to a collection of Sheffield’s finest tech folk to present and celebrate some of the excellent digital work produced in our fine city.

Kisha Bradley, the founder of Bright Box Makerspace , talk about kids in digital and how her team gets everyone playing with tech.
Jamie Hinton, CEO of Razor , and Head of Build, Andy Gunn introduce Market of Mums and explain how they built one of the fastest-growing online marketplaces in the country.
Gemma Barnes and Nigel Jones from HM Prison and Probation Service Digital Studio cover their efforts to build a media and information platform for prisoners, allowing them to better navigate their lives inside.
Ed Hardie and Richard Groves from Impelling Solutions present their brand new Studysafe internet filtering product for primary schools, explain how it safely empowers teachers to manage internet access, and talk about their experience starting an EdTech company in the Sheffield city region.
David Forrester, CEO and Jamie Tyler, Marketing Co-ordinator of Lightwork Design in the UK, talk about how Slipstream can automatically process 3D data ready for stunning VR design review experiences.

A big thank you needs to go to all our speakers and a big pat on the back for Chris, who has fast-established these Showcase events as staples in the city’s tech scene. Look out for the next event on 26th September.

Thanks to our partners

This Showcase event was once again in collaboration with The Platform and held at The Workstation, so huge thanks to them for the continued support.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 35: Bella Abrams on IT in a large organisation and digital transformation at scale

Mon, 22 Jul 2019 21:10:36 +0000

The Sheffield Digital Podcast is back and this time features a cracking interview with Bella Abrams, Director of IT at The University of Sheffield. This is the second time Bella has been on the show, so it’s fantastic to hear her talk about the work she’s doing since moving from Sheffield College.

And that work is plentiful! Bella talks about how the challenges of leading a large team at such a huge organisation, as well as the process of digital transformation that the University is embarking on. She also talks about the types of skills they are currently looking to find and companies they would like to work with.

In our first interview with Bella, we asked her about diversity in the tech sector, especially in Sheffield. This time we see if she thinks much has changed in the two years or so since and what can be done to improve representation across the industry.

It was so fantastic to hear all about the exciting work going on at the University and learn just how many digital and IT services it provides. Hopefully, we’ll get Bella on again soon for another update!

In the second part of the show, we go through some of the latest news from Sheffield’s digital sector, including:

Mel representing Sheffield as part of a UK tech cluster visit to DCMS and Downing Street
a reminder for employers to get involved with Tech, Set Go
the recent Galvanise Sheffield event Mel and Chris attended
the AMRC’s new ‘digital meets manufacturing’ area of its website.

That’s more than enough reading. Go and get your headphones and listen in to episode 35 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast.

Thanks to Rebel Base Media and Spaces

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 34.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 34: Jonathan Bray and Jamie Hinton on how exciting things happen when digital meets manufacturing

Sat, 29 Jun 2019 21:20:56 +0000

In the latest episode of the Sheffield Digital Podcast we interview Jonathan Bray, Deputy Head of Digital at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), and Jamie Hinton, CEO of Sheffield digital technology company, Razor.

Jonathan and Jamie tell the story of how Razor came to collaborate with the AMRC following an introductory event ran by Sheffield Digital, which came shortly after the former became one of our regional partners. They have gone on to create great things together and it’s so brilliant to hear about this success story first hand.

Razor are currently working on a groundbreaking project for the AMRC (which they can’t really talk about) and are a great example of a company that has taken advantage of having the AMRC on our doorstep to explore new partnerships and sectors.

In the second part of the show, we all go through some of the latest news from Sheffield’s digital sector, inducing

follow up from the third Sheffield Digital Showcase
Mel’s panel at the Tech Nation Round Table
Tech, Set, Go – a new project to attract different people into tech
AR’ City – Sheffield’s 1st Playable City Festival
The return of SmartSheffield and Sheffield Content Club

Enough of this chit chat. Off you go to get your headphones and listen in to what is a smashing show.

Thanks to Rebel Base Media and Spaces

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 34.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 33: Sam Chapman on mobilty, data and where Sheffield excels

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 22:40:48 +0000

Episode 33 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast has landed and it features a great interview with Sam Chapman, CIO and founder of The Floow, the Sheffield company using tech to make mobility safer and smarter for everyone.

It’s a fascinating conversation as Sam explains the way data is used to improve road safety, among other things, and the way it’s changing industries. We also hear about Sam’s role in economy.shf, where he is helping find ways to help Sheffield move forward as a city, as well as recognise where it could do better (selling itself!).

Huge thanks to Sam for joining us – you’re going to love the chat.

In the second part of the show, Mel and Chris go through some of the latest news from Sheffield’s digital sector. It’s a packed show, so off you pop and get stuck in. Enjoy!

Thanks to Rebel Base Media and Spaces

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 31.

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 31.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 32: Hannah Chaplin on building and selling a successful startup

Mon, 03 Jun 2019 10:09:00 +0000

Episode 32 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast was recorded in front of a live audience at Spaces Acero, as part of the first Sheffield Digital Festival. We interviewed Hannah Chaplin, founder of Receptive, the Sheffield startup that has just been acquired by Pendo.

We were so pleased to have Hannah on the show to talk about her journey. From project management to founding her own companies, with Receptive she has created one of the city’s real success stories over the last few years.

That’s not to say that there hasn’t been challenges along the way. In the interview, Hannah very generously shares both the highs and the lows of running a startup. It’s brilliant to hear exactly what it takes to turn a great idea into something used by companies and people around the world.

In the second part of the show, me and Chris go through some of the latest news from Sheffield’s digital sector. Topics include:

reflections on the Sheffield Digital Awards
a look at the Tech Nation 2019 report
Sheffield College’s new Data Academy featuring WANdisco
Emerging ‘core pillars’ of Sheffield tech industry
Sheffield on the Thriving Places Index.

It’s a packed show, so off you pop and get stuck in. Don’t forget, if you listen via an app that supports chapters, you can quickly move between sections of the show to get to what you want.

Thanks to Rebel Base Media and Spaces

This live episode was made possible by Rebel Base Media who supplied the mobile recording gear . They of course have their new podcasting studio based at Sheffield Technology Parks too. The studio is fantastic and has all the gear you need to produce a properly professional podcast. You should head over and give it a try.

We also need to thank Heidi and the Spaces team who kindly gave up a meeting room for us to record in front of an audience. As one of our regional sponsors, we highly recommend you check out Spaces’ fantastic co-working and office spaces.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 31.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 31: Ben Atha on The Developer Academy and teaching Sheffield to code

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 11:27:00 +0000

Episode 31 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is here and features an interview with Ben Atha, Director of MilkLab Media and founder of The Developer Academy. We talk to Ben about how the Academy offers Sheffield folk a new way to learn how to code and make a change in their career.

From pricing to the importance of face-to-face learning, Ben shares his approach to testing up The Developer Academy so far. He also covers the organisations aims and how the first crop of learners have taken to this new programme in Sheffield.

In part two of the podcast, Mel provides a marvellously concise overview of the recently announced Sheffield Digital Festival. If you don’t know what that is, put that right by reading the Festival’s launch post .

Thanks to Rebel Base Media

This episode was recorded in the brand new podcasting studio at Rebel Base Media, based at Sheffield Technology Parks. The studio is free to use until June and it’s got all the gear you need to produce a properly professional podcast. You should head over and give it a try.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 31.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the #-podcast channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 30: Red McKay on robotics, retail and Sheffield as a great place for business

Sun, 24 Mar 2019 22:01:00 +0000

Episode 30 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is now available and features an interview with Red McKay, CEO of Bossa Nova Robotics in Europe. The company set up shop in Sheffield in 2018 and we loved hearing Red’s enthusiasm and passion for his home city.

From transport links and house prices to general quality of life, Red talked about why Bossa Nova chose to have its first Europe office in Sheffield. He also covered his own story and how he grew up in the city before establishing a successful career in retail.

Bossa Nova is doing some pretty impressive things with its robotics technology, which navigates autonomously and uses AI to determine product inventory data. The company is a brilliant addition to the tech sector in Sheffield – huge thanks to Red for joining us.

As always, in the second half of the show, we cover a range of news and events-based topics, including:

a look back at the second Sheffield Digital Showcase
an update on the Sheffield Digital Festival
upcoming meet-ups and events in Sheffield.

Don’t forget, if your podcast app of choice supports chapters, you can skip between sections!

Thanks to Rebel Base Media

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 30.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the #-podcast channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 29: Sharna Jackson on Site Gallery and Sheffield’s contribution to digital arts and culture

Sun, 03 Mar 2019 22:08:00 +0000

It’s time for episode 29 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast! We were delighted to welcome Sharna Jackson, Artistic Director at Site Gallery and soon-to-be-published children’s author.

Sharna has an action-packed background in arts, culture and all things digital. We spoke to her about her career so far, how she ended up in Sheffield and some of the ways that digital technology may influence the team’s work at Site Gallery.

We also asked Sharna about her role in establishing Playground, an exhibition for kids run as part of the Children’s Media Conference, as well as Sheffield’s reputation for digital arts and culture.

Honestly, we had such fun chatting and covered so much ground, it’s hard to be specific on what we did talk about! But needless to say, if you have any interest at all in how digital and the arts come together, you’re going to enjoy this very much.

In the second half of the show, we cover a range of news and events-based topics, including:

the upcoming second Sheffield Digital Showcase
the city’s Digital Awards as launched by Sheffield Star
various meetings and conferences attended by Mel and Chris.

Don’t forget, if your podcast app of choice supports chapters, you can skip merrily between sections with the tap of a finger or tip of your nose. Seriously, it works very well if you have your hands full. Enjoy the show!

Thanks to Rebel Base Media!

As you’ll quickly be able to tell when you hit play, this episode was recorded in the brand new podcasting studio at Rebel Base Media, based at Sheffield Technology Parks. The studio is free to use until June and it’s got all the gear you need to produce a properly professional podcast. You should absolutely head over and give it a whirl.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 29.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 28: Tim Brazier on career paths, service design and Sheffield Design School

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 23:15:00 +0000

The podcast is back with a smashing episode that features our interview with Tim Brazier, who is Head of Service Design at Good Things Foundation and founder of Sheffield Design School.

We talk to Tim about his career so far and how where we end up might not always be where we thought we’d go. It’s great to hear to Tim share the journey from project management to service design and how he’s helped make design thinking a part of daily practice at Good Things Foundation.

We also ask Tim about his new venture – Sheffield Design School. The aim is to help people ‘think like designers’ and learn to apply the principles of design thinking to a wide range of problems. Tim has already run a number of workshops and events and it’s great to hear how he’s turned an idea into reality over the last six months.

Of course, in the second half the show, Mel and Chris report back with a whole load of ace updates from around the city’s digital sector. They include Mel’s tour of Castle house from Kollider, two new team members for Sheffield Digital, new companies arriving in the city and a chockablock jobs board.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 25.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 27: Sheffield to Shanghai kids return to share their Chinese adventure

Wed, 16 Jan 2019 22:21:00 +0000

In November 2018, our very own Chris Dymond interviewed a group of talented Sheffield kids and their parents, as they were preparing to head off to the World Educational Robot Contest in Shanghai. They were the UK’s first entrants and it had been quite a journey before they even boarded the plane.

Well, now they are back from Shanghai with even more of a story to tell in Episode 27 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast. Chris met up with the team again to find out what happened on their Chinese adventure. Needless to say, they did us all very proud indeed!

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 25.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 26: End-of-year highlights and hopes for 2019

Fri, 21 Dec 2018 16:02:00 +0000

Episode 26 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is here just in time for Christmas and what better way to sit back, relax and enjoy a nice break. This is something of a special episode, as me, Mel and Chris share some of our highlights from the last 12 months, before going on to look at what 2019 might
bring.

In the show, we take it in turns to answer the following four questions:

What is your city/community highlight of the year?
What is your personal highlight of the year?
What are you looking forward to most in 2019?
What do you wish to happen in 2019?

Once we've been through all that, as usual we go through a list of events that are coming up in January and offer our sincerest thanks to Sheffield Digital's marvellous members. Pop your headphones on and... enjoy!

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 25: Sheffield Digital Showcase Spring 2019

Tue, 04 Dec 2018 22:59:00 +0000

We have a podcast special for you with episode 25 – it’s all the talks from the first Sheffield Digital Showcase event. If you couldn’t make it on the night or you just want to relive it all again, this one’s for you.

What is the Sheffield Digital Showcase?

We’ve long wanted to create a space for Sheffield’s companies and freelancers to present a significant piece of work they’ve recently produced. On 22 November, we did just that by taking over The Platform and handing over the stage to five fantastic speakers from across Sheffield.

First up, we had Nick Crossland from Joi Polloi, who shared the story behind the company’s fantastic work on Channel 4’s The Circle this summer. Then we had the Boneloaf team who talked through their hugely popular game, Gangbeasts, followed by Ben Carlin from Megaverse, creators of stunning Extended Reality experiences.

Joe Dreimann of WANdisco went on to tell us about what the company does, including a brand new product called Multicloud, which launches soon. And finally, we had Red McKay, managing director of Bossa Nova, who covered the company’s recent move to Sheffield and exciting plans for the future.

Red also very kindly donated £500 to the Sheffield to Shangai kids cause, which we know they hugely appreciated. The kids came along to the showcase too, so hopefully picked up some tips from the professionals!

Note on the audio

As I say at the beginning of the show, the talks were recorded using a simple recording device placed on the podium in front of the speakers. It did a pretty good job, but the quality dips when a speaker moves elsewhere on the stage. It doesn’t happen often. Mostly it’s as clear as can be.

Subscribe to the show

If you’d like to have new episodes of the show appear right in your podcast player, you can subscribe via our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 25.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 24: Iain Simons on bringing the National Videogame Museum to Sheffield

Tue, 27 Nov 2018 11:41:00 +0000

Episode 24 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast features an interview with Iain Simons, director of the National Videogame Museum (NVM) which has just opened in our fair city.

We spoke to Iain from the NVM itself on the day of the launch. It’s a fascinating insight into the process of opening such a brilliant new addition to Sheffield’s tech and cultural landscape. Iain covers a range of topics, including his previous work at the National Videogame Arcade in Nottingham, young people and gaming, and of course, why and how the NVM came to Sheffield. Listen up – you’ll love it!

As always, in part two of the show you can hear Mel and Chris talk about what they’ve been up to on behalf of Sheffield’s digital community. We also run through all the upcoming events and meetups in the city.

Don’t forget you can subscribe to the show if you haven’t already. Just head to our page on Apple Podcasts or search for us in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 24.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 23: From Sheffield to Shanghai with the UK's first World Educational Robot Contest finalists

Fri, 16 Nov 2018 16:34:00 +0000

This is a very special episode of the Sheffield Digital podcast because Chris sat down with the Sheffield children (and their parents) who have won a place in the finals of the World Educational Robot Contest, which takes place in Shanghai next month.

It’s an incredible achievement for these kids who are the first to represent the UK in the world finals. It’s amazing to hear them talk to so passionately about their work and the project too.

Having won their spot at the finals, they have been busy trying to crowdfund the financial support they need to Shanghai. Thankfully, enough people have given generously and the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) helped get them over the crowdfunding line.

However, a second crowdfunding campaign to get the parents to Shanghai also needed some help. We think it’s such a fantastic achievement and so important to support Sheffield’s talented tech kids that Sheffield Digital contributed to tip that crowdfunding over its threshold.

There is one more thing the children need help with and that’s some design work on a banner and presentation that they can use in Shanghai. We’d love someone from the Sheffield digital community to step in, if possible.

If you’d like to offer your services (for free) then please get in touch. You can email info@sheffield.digital and we’ll put you in touch.

The finalists (and their parents)

As you’ll hear on the podcast, the kids and their parents introduce themselves, but here is a full list of this talented team of young tech stars, including their parents.

Alexander (Alex) O’Carroll (7) and parents Liz and Nick O’Carroll
Allen Yung (7) and mum Wenn Lin
Kirin Harrington (11) and mum Kully Gill
Jacob Sibanda (12) and dad Lunghani Sibanda
Ruby Barrett (12) and dad Paul Barrett
Sophia Houton, (7) part of the team but not travelling to Shanghai

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 23.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 22: Richard Motley on place-making, economic policy and the role of digital

Mon, 05 Nov 2018 23:22:00 +0000

In episode 22 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast, Mel and Chris interview Richard Motley, former head of the Cultural Industries Quarter Agency and now director of Integreat Plus, a not-for-profit social enterprise consultancy.

Richard has been involved in place-making for the creative and cultural industry for a long time. He provides a fascinating insight into the history of the CIQ Agency and then how that has since morphed into Integreat Plus, a place-making, economic inclusion and social enterprise agency.

We also learn about Richard's involvement in leading many initiatives over the years, including Sheffield Community Networks, the Digital Media Exchange, and more recently the Sheffield Social Enterprise Exchange.

In part two of the show, Mel and Chris take you through all the usual gubbins, including the latest news and events in Sheffield’s digital sector. That covers our recent partnership with Spaces, Channel 4 heading to Leeds, Startup Weekend, Y Accelerator and KPMG's tech businesses competition.

So what on earth are you waiting for? Find some quiet time and get stuck in. Plus don't forget to subscribe in your podcast app of choice!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 22.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 21: Rachel Boyce on new ways of using tickets and tech

Thu, 18 Oct 2018 17:39:00 +0000

In episode 21 of the Sheffield Digital podcast, we talk to Rachel Boyce, part of the team behind Tickets for Good and Ticket Bank Programme. If you've ever thought about how you can create a digital platform that has a social impact, then you'll get plenty from this conversation.

In part two, we do our usual roundup of Sheffield-based, digital-related news and events. That includes a host of new meetups on the scene, the recent launch of government.shf, Meta Meetup 3, Tech Nation's Rising Stars competition and a whole lot more.

Pop your headphones on and listen away…

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 21.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 20: Jonny Briggs on the Field Design story and a digital design festival for Sheffield

Thu, 27 Sep 2018 11:32:00 +0000

In episode 20 of the Sheffield Digital podcast, we interview the ace Jonny Briggs from Sheffield design agency, Field Design. We cover all sorts of topics, including how Field Design got started and has grown, as well as the company's recent work on augmented reality projects. Jonny also shares his plans for a digital design festival in Sheffield, which is something we would wholeheartedly get behind!

In the second half of the show, and sadly without Mel this time around, me and Chris go through a long list of exciting things that are happening in Sheffield at the moment. From the Tech Parks new co-working offer to the upcoming Meta Meetup 3, there is lots going on that we think you should know about. Oh, and there are loads of events to tell you about too!

So, what in the name of all things blimey are you waiting for? Go and get your headphones and get stuck in. And if you're not subscribed already, make sure you do that too so all future episodes land right in your podcast app of choice. What a world we live in.

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 20.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 19: Helen Milner on the Good Things Foundation story and being one of Sheffield’s best kept tech secrets

Wed, 15 Aug 2018 09:15:00 +0000

Episode 19 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is ready for you and features an interview with Helen Milner, chief executive of Good Things Foundation.

We start be asking Helen to share a potted history of the organisation, including its recent expansion into Australia and Kenya. She then talk about tackling digital inclusion and the challenges it brings, before moving on to Sheffield’s local digital skills partnership.

We also cover the problem of finding qualified and willing developers in Sheffield, something Helen has written about previously. It’s part of a conversation we all really enjoyed and I’m sure you will too! Big thank you to Helen for giving up her time to speak to us.

As always, in part two of the show (from around 40 minutes) we move on to cover some of the recent news and info from the city’s digital sector, including:

Rowan Hall’s research and survey on Sheffield’s emerging co-working scene
Mel and Chris reporting back from a DCMS Brexit meeting
the second Sheffield Women in Tech event
a visit and tour around Kollider for Mel and Chris
an appeal for employer engagement around the College’s software developer apprenticeship.

Go and grab your headphones. And don’t forget to subscribe if you want to get these episodes right in your podcast app of choice.

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 19.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 18: Chris Roberts on Nimble Approach and growing a collective with strong values

Tue, 24 Jul 2018 10:39:00 +0000

Time for episode 18 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast in which we interview Chris Roberts, founder of Nimble Approach, a collective of Lean-Agile specialists.

We loved hearing Chris talk about how he is doing things a little bit differently. From pop-up squads and culture change to focusing (and sticking to) strong values, Nimble Approach has grown quickly and is doing really rather well. If you are thinking of or just starting a business, you will find the conversation really useful.

From about the 14-minute mark, Chris talks about the way Nimble Approach gives its team opportunity to talk about mental health or any other issues they might have. It’s refreshing to hear and again, valuable insight if you are a business owner.

As always, the second half of the show is where we cover recent news and info from the city’s digital sector. That includes:

a look back at the first Sheffield Digital Annual General Meetup
the food feast that’s coming to Kollider later this year
an update on Sheffield College’s Software Developer apprenticeship
the first get together for dotSHF’s people domain.

Go and grab your headphones. And don’t forget to subscribe if you want to get these episodes right in your podcast app of choice.

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 18.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 17: Robin Wood on SteelCon and running a successful event

Tue, 03 Jul 2018 22:26:00 +0000

Episode 17 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is ready for you and features an interview with Robin Wood, security consultant, researcher and co-founder of the ever-popular SteelCon.

Mel and Chris spoke to Robin about how SteelCon started, why it’s so successful, and online security in general. It’s a great insight into organising an event at that kind of scale and I think you’ll enjoy it.

As usual, the second half of the show is an update on various news and events from around the city. There seems to be a bit of a buzz in the air at the moment, what with everything that’s going on. We talked about the the British Games Institute coming to Sheffield, the first shfWIT event and plenty more besides.

Go and grab your headphones. And don’t forget to subscribe if you want to get these episodes right in your podcast app of choice.

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 17.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 16: Emma Cooper on Playgrounds, young people and digital, and diversity in tech

Mon, 11 Jun 2018 13:19:00 +0000

Episode 16 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is out and features a conversation with Emma Cooper, co-curator of Playgrounds, a week-long free exhibition of interactive art for children and families.

Emma has worked in Sheffield’s digital sector for many years, so we also talk to her about all sorts of other topics too. That includes finding a way to describe what we do, the new Sheffield Women in Tech group/meetup, and how children and young people interact with all things digital.

Sadly, Mel was away for the recording, but me and Chris really enjoyed talking to Emma. If you’re part of or have an interest in Sheffield’s digital community, I think you will find plenty to think about and chew over.

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 16.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 15: Louisa Harrison-Walker and Chris Hill on skills and recruitment in the digital sector

Mon, 21 May 2018 22:26:00 +0000

In this episode of the Sheffield Digital Podcast, we interview two people who both live and breathe skills and recruitment. Louisa Harrison-Walker is the CEO of Benchmark Recruitment and Chris Hill is the founder of Northcoders, the ‘coding bootcamp for the North’.

This is a substantial and wide-ranging conversation that covers a lot of ground. Louisa shares some of Benchmark’s findings from their ‘hard-to-fill vacancies’ survey, which makes for fascinating listening. And Chris talks about the type of people who develop digital skills through Northcoders.

We also cover the skill shortage in Sheffield, some of the mistakes that employers frequently make, and reasons for us to be optimistic about the future of skills in the city.

Whatever you do in Sheffield’s digital community, I think you’ll find something interesting in this episode. It’s essential listening for employers and anyone else who cares about the city’s digital reputation and economy.

So what are you waiting for? Off you pop to get your headphones.

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 15.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 14: Mayoral candidates on the region’s future and how digital fits in

Wed, 02 May 2018 09:23:00 +0000

Episode 14 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is ready for you. It’s a good one, as we interviewed two of the candidates in the upcoming Sheffield City Region mayoral election: Hannah Kitching of the Liberal Democrats and Rob Murphy from The Green Party.

We asked them about their plans for the region and, in particular, what they saw for the digital sector in the future. I think you’ll find it an interesting listen and thank you to those of you who sent us questions beforehand. I hope we covered most of your suggestions.

It’s worth mentioning that we did ask all four candidates from the major parties. Conservative, Ian Walker, couldn’t make the show, but did record a short response to one of our key questions separately. That follows the conversation with Hannah and Rob.

And Labour’s Dan Jarvis declines to come on the podcast, but did take part in a roundtable earlier in the week. Both Chris and Mel were at that meeting and offer their thoughts on what he said in this episode too.

After all that, we go through the usual new and events from around Sheffield’s digital community. In particular, Chris offers more detail on the Urban Connected Communities 5G bid following the interview I did with Mark Gannon.

I hope you enjoy this rather unique episode and, as always, do get in touch to let us know what you think.

Now with chapters!

Our episodes are typically split into at least two sections, which include an interview and then the latest news updates. You can now easily skip between these sections if you use an app that supports chapters!

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 13.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 13: Mark Gannon on dotSHF progress and Sheffield’s Urban 5G Test Bed bid

Thu, 26 Apr 2018 10:35:00 +0000

We first spoke to Mark Gannon, Director of Business Change and Information Solutions at Sheffield City Council, back in September 2017 on episode 2 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast. Since then, dotSHF has been formed, work is being done and it seems a good time to have Mark back on the show for an update.

The conversation is just 20 minutes long, but we manage to cover a lot of ground. Mark starts by going over what dotSHF is and how it came to be. He then describes the various work currently taking place in the city and how the digital community can get involved to help shape its future.

dotSHF has been nominated for ‘best cross-sector collaboration’ in the Digital Leaders 100 List. It’s great news and will help raise awareness about dotSHF, not just in Sheffield, but across the country too. Mark talks briefly about the nomination and what it means for the initiative.

And finally, I ask Mark about Sheffield’s Urban 5G Test Bed. He explains what the project is and the benefits it can bring to the city and its citizens. Mark also shares the process he and the wider bid team are going through, including how dotSHF itself has made the collaboration easier.

And that’s it!

Enjoy this special episode and let us know what you think.

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 13.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the #-podcast channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 12: Tom Wolfenden on the Cooper Project and regional support for startups

Wed, 11 Apr 2018 11:44:00 +0000

Episode 12 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is now available for your listening pleasure. It features a conversation with Tom Wolfenden, Centre Manager of Sheffield Technology Parks, who talks about the new Cooper Project. It’s both a workspace and practical support for new startups and tech companies who want to get off on the right foot.

In part two, I’m joined by Mel and Chris to go through all the latest news and updates from Sheffield’s digital sector. This time round, that includes the new software developer apprenticeship at The Sheffield College, the Sheffield City Region mayoral election, Smart City hackathons and lots of stuff from the recent meeting of the economy branch of dot.shf – the digital coalition.

Then it’s on to the usual upcoming meetups and events, but not before a rather unexpected diversion into innovation theory. Go and grab your headphones. Enjoy your listening.

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 12.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the #-podcast channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 11: Katie Attwood and Tom Hoyland on organising and attending meetups

Wed, 28 Mar 2018 11:06:00 +0000

Episode 11 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is now ready for your listening pleasure. In part one, I’m joined by Tom Hoyland and Katie Attwood, co-organisers of Agile Sheffield, one of the city’s excellent regular meetups.

If you’ve ever thought about starting your own event, this is essential listening. Tom and Katie talk through how Agile Sheffield got started and offer plenty of sensible advice on running a meetup, from finding sponsorship to providing a safe space for everyone to attend.

In the second half of the show, I’m joined by Chris and Mel, who couldn’t make it to the interview. We met in the lovely (but a little noisy) Roco cafe to go over some of the latest goings on in Sheffield’s Digital sector.

That includes an update on Sheffield’s Channel 4 bid, an ‘Internet of Food’ opportunity with the Urban Institute and new workspace available at Sheffield Technology Parks. Plus much more!

SDP 10: Mike Faulks on cybersecurity, IoT and being part of a GCHQ accelerator

Tue, 27 Feb 2018 09:34:00 +0000

In episode10 of the Sheffield Digital podcast, we’re joined by Mike Faulks, co-founder and director of Ioetec, a Sheffield company that provide a cloud service solution to connect Internet of Things (IoT) devices with end-to-end authenticated, encrypted security.

It was great to talk to Mike about all things cybersecurity and IoT. Ioetec are in the middle of a GCHQ accelerator programme too, which they were selected to be a part of last year. Mike was able to share the company’s experience and the impact it’s had on the business.

The second half of the show, as per usual, is spent going over some of the latest goings on in Sheffield’s Digital sector. That includes a great opportunity to get your company on a new directory, some news from Kollider, city centre wifi and an update from dotSHF.

Oh, and we also go through some upcoming events related to tech and digital. Go grab your headphones! And don’t forget to subscribe in your app of choosing.

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 10.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the #-podcast channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 09: Leila Johnston on digital art, artificial intelligence and robot crows

Mon, 12 Feb 2018 07:00:00 +0000

In episode 9 of the Sheffield Digital podcast, we are joined by the fantastic Leila Johnston. Leila is an artist, technologist, curator, consultant, journalist and plenty of other things too. It was great to speak to her about what she’s currently working on, including her role as digital curator at Site Gallery.

What else did we cover? Well, there was a potted history of Leila’s career so far, her thoughts on artificial intelligence and crowdfunding, mermaids, robot crows, and a look at Sheffield’s digital art scene. There was something for everyone and I think you’ll really enjoy listening.

As per usual, we followed the interview with a look at what’s going on in Sheffield’s digital sector at the moment. That includes the launch of the new Sheffield Digital Skills Action Plan website, Chris’ visit from a Chinese delegation of senior economists, and a run through some upcoming events in the city.

Go grab your headphones and don’t forget to subscribe in your app of choice.

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode nine.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the #-podcast channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 08: David Richards on WANdisco and his new tech skills foundation

Tue, 16 Jan 2018 14:10:00 +0000

We kick off 2018 with a fantastic guest on episode 8 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast. David Richards is the CEO of the hugely successful WANdisco, which specialises in big data and has offices in Silicon Valley and Sheffield.

It was absolutely fascinating to hear David talk through his own and WANdisco’s journey so far, from starting out to successfully floating the company on the stock market. I think there is lots to learn here for anyone who owns a business or is in the process of starting up.

The second half of our conversation with David is all about his new foundation, which aims to improve the way computer skills are taught in schools. He wants to change the education system and it’s great to get a first-hand account of how the foundation plans to do it.

Of course, this episode also contains some general updates. Mel provides a brief overview on the work Sheffield companies are doing to help The Sheffield College build a new software development apprenticeship. We also go through a range of events that are coming up in the city.

Finally, me, Mel and Chris all share some goals for 2018, most of which feature Sheffield, digital, technology and that type of thing. No surprises there. Go grab your headphones. This is a good one.

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode eight.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

Upcoming events

We also go through a list of upcoming events and meetups in Sheffield. Here is that list too, including links for more information and to book your place.

And don’t forget, you can check out the full calendar of upcoming events in Sheffield.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the #-podcast channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 07: Kathleen O’Donnell and Nathan Woodcock on immigration law and the digital sector

Fri, 15 Dec 2017 11:29:00 +0000

Episode 7 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast features a really interesting interview with Kathleen O’Donnell and Nathan Woodcock, both from Fragomen LLP. They are experts in immigration law and provide a fantastic overview of the system and how it affects both companies and individuals.

In the second half of the show, Mel and Chris go through some of the city’s digital sector highlights from the last month or so. That includes info on the Channel 4 bid, IoT Tribe North’s accelerator programme, the Urban Flows Observatory competition, and a whole host of news and success stories from Sheffield companies.

Finally, I need to say something about the sound quality. It’s not quite as it should be for some irritating technical reasons, but once you get used to it, you should be all right. Hopefully, the content makes up for it.

Notes and links

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the #-podcast channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

SDP 06: Bella Abrams on educating the digital stars of the future at The Sheffield College

Mon, 06 Nov 2017 10:00:00 +0000

This episode of the Sheffield Digital Podcast was recorded in two parts. In part one, you’ll hear me interview Bella Abrams, Chief Information Officer at The Sheffield College. We talked about how the College recently became an associate sponsor of Sheffield Digital, as well as ways that the College can feed into and work more closely with digital sector companies.

The second half of the show is almost back to normal as Chris and Mel take you through the latest going on in the city’s digital sphere. They announce speakers for the first Digital Conference, our new associate sponsor, Benchmark Recruitment, a whole load of new jobs going in the city, Sheffield’s winners at Tech North’s Northern Stars, and a whole lot more too.

Go grab a cup of tea and have yourself a relaxing listen. And in case you’re wondering, I was away on my holibobs.

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode six.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the #-podcast channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Check out the AlgoMech Festival 2017, which takes place 8–12 November.

SDP 05: Mark Goddard from Paper on designing a startup

Wed, 18 Oct 2017 09:41:00 +0000

Episode 5: Designing a startup with Paper’s Mark Goddard

We’re on to episode five of the Sheffield Digital Podcast. This time, we’re joined by Mark Goddard from user research and design studio, Paper. We talk a lot about the decisions Mark and his co-founders made when starting the company. I think it makes for a really interesting look at the process and how there is no one way of doing things. We also cover legup.social, the bi-monthly event that Paper organises, and how that fits in with their business.

In other topics, we briefly talk about Sheffield’s first digital conference, which comes on the back of the digital confab last month. Mel talks about the Women in Tech event she recently attended at Google Digital Garage, before calling on people to help set up a regular meetup. There’s mention of Sky Betting & Gaming, which is up to a couple of things – first a CoLab programme as well as a recruitment drive to fill 30 open vacancies in Sheffield. Finally, we run through the digital-based nominees for the Sheffield Chamber Business Awards.

There’s plenty to chew on, so go find your headphones and get stuck in. If you enjoy listening to the show, please tell someone else about it. We’d love for it to reach as many people as possible.

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode four.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the #-podcast channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Check out the AlgoMech Festival 2017, which takes place 8–12 November.

SDP 04: Rachel Ferla on Google Digital Garage and meetups in Sheffield

Wed, 04 Oct 2017 19:48:00 +0000

In episode four of the Sheffield Digital podcast, we speak to Rachel Ferla, who is currently part of the team running Google Digital Garage. She tells us about how the Garage came to be in Sheffield and how she came to work there helping people develop their digital skills. We also ask Rachel about Google’s decision to keep the Garage open until April and look at the impact of the Google Garage bus.

Our second topics is the Meta Meetup. We look back at the first meetup for meetup organisers earlier this year and then go on to talk about plans for the next event, which is coming up later in October. Chris then reflects on the third Digital Conflab and goes over what comes next, now that the notion of a ‘digital coalition’ is out in the wild.

Next, Mel tells us all about some interesting associate lecturer positions that are coming up at Sheffield Hallam University. Then finally, we talk about Sheffield’s Channel 4 bid before going through a list of upcoming events that you might very well like to attend.

I’m completely biased, of course, but I think that should you decide to pop on your headphones and give the show a listen, you’ll really rather enjoy yourself.

Notes and links

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode four.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the #-podcast channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thank you for the music

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Check out the AlgoMech Festival 2017, which takes place 8–12 November.

SDP 03: Sheffield maker spaces and a visit to the AMRC

Fri, 15 Sep 2017 10:16:00 +0000

In this episode, Mel covers a recent visit to AMRC's Factory 2050 facility by a number of digital businesses. We go through some upcoming events and Chris (Dymond) explains maker spaces and where to find them in Sheffield.

Notes and links

SDP 02: Mark Gannon on Sheffield City Council and building a Digital Coalition in Sheffield

Mon, 04 Sep 2017 13:46:00 +0000

The second episode of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is here and this time we're joined by a very special guest in Mark Gannon, Sheffield City Council's new CIO.

Having recently announced our partnership with the Council, this is a great opportunity for you to hear all about how it happened, what it means and what we hope it will bring. The episode also includes a brief update on the city's various tech-hubs-in-progress and the release of our new Slack guide and code of conduct.

There’s also time to look ahead to a few events for your calendar. Make a brew, grab your headphones and settle in.

New intro music

A big thank you to Alex Mclean, aka Yaxu, for kindly letting us use part of one of his live algorave performances as the intro to the show, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Notes and links

With every episode, we provide a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is the list of links for episode two.

Join the conversation

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or better still, on the #-podcast channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

SDP 01: The story so far and Neil Birchenall on Appt's adventures in China

Thu, 17 Aug 2017 10:22:00 +0000

This first episode of the Sheffield Digital podcast includes an intro to Sheffield Digital itself, Appt's experience in China, our partnership with the AMRC and a list of upcoming events you might like to attend. There's also the story behind the Google Digital Garage Bus. Hosted this week by Iain Broome, Mel Kanarek, Chris Dymond, with our guest, Neill

Links and notes

Here is a list of links to the various people, companies and topics that we mentioned in this episode.