Innovate Suffolk appoints new chair and announces November hackathon

Why it matters: The appointments signal what the organisation describes as a renewed push to retain the county's brightest young minds and harness Suffolk's £21 billion economy to keep talent locally.

The big picture: Innovate Suffolk says it aims to unearth the county's "vast, often untapped, talent" by providing platforms for grassroots ideas and fostering collaboration across diverse skills.

The details: According to the organisation, its strategy focuses on three key areas:

• Creating networking opportunities for talent development across all generations
• Offering informal meetups and larger networking events to break down silos between isolated entrepreneurs
• Building economic resilience by encouraging local spending to keep wealth circulating within Suffolk

What they're saying: "As a lifelong resident and parent in Suffolk, I've long pondered how we can truly unleash our county's full potential and retain our brightest young minds," said Geeson. "While Suffolk boasts a strong employment rate and an excellent local university, many young people still seek opportunities elsewhere."

"This is precisely why I am so dedicated to Innovate Suffolk," Geeson added. "It's about empowering Suffolk people, fostering new ideas, connecting our diverse talents, and ultimately, building a more prosperous and resilient future for our county."

What's next: The hackathon will run from 7-9 November 2025 at SuffolkOne in Ipswich, with organisers saying it will focus on "solving local challenges with homegrown technological solutions". Organisers say individuals and teams are encouraged to participate, with full details available on the organisation's website.

The bottom line: The organisation believes the answer to keeping young people in Suffolk "lies in our collective ingenuity and in harnessing technology to solve our own problems, right here."

Visit Innovate Suffolk's website