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#LDNTechWeek: The year of the unicorn

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In its first year, London Technology Week was an experiment. As a founding partner of the event, I attended many planning meetings and there was always one big question: will this work? If London Technology Week 2014 proved that the capital’s technology community can seize upon an opportunity to come together and showcase the very best of what it is producing, this year has gone even further. This year London’s tech companies have coalesced to provide a clear message to the rest of the country and the global digital ecosystem: London tech is thriving and here to stay.

Amidst the 220 events that have taken place over the past five days it is difficult to select individual highlights. However, specific moments have defined my experience. Martha Lane Fox welcoming an impassioned discussion about diversity in tech in the House of Lords, Reid Hoffman discussing the intricacies of scaling a digital business, Jimmy Wales declaring his love of London over Silicon Valley, seeing the British Consul General of San Francisco in the audience of numerous events throughout the week and hearing Blippar’s Ambarish Mitra’s infectious enthusiasm for tech at Monday’s launch event to name but a few. It has been a tiring, exhausting but exhilarating ride!

Some clear themes have emerged during the week. Interestingly, whilst some of the hot topics have been familiar, others seem to have risen rapidly, consuming the community’s conscious and inspiring unprecedented debate....