A government-funded pilot programme supporting established South Yorkshire tech businesses to overcome barriers to growth has reported strong early indicators of economic impact, with participating companies forecasting increases in turnover, efficiency and visibility following the initiative.
Pathways off the Plateau, delivered by Sheffield Digital and funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, worked with 15 established technology businesses across the region over a three-month period.聽
Designed specifically for companies whose growth had plateaued but perhaps hadn鈥檛 yet scaled to their full potential, the programme focused on helping founders identify operational barriers, strengthen systems and build sustainable growth plans.
Feedback gathered at the end of the pilot suggests the programme could deliver significant longer-term economic value if scaled more widely across the region鈥檚 tech sector.
Among participants, 65% expect increased efficiency; 57% expect increased turnover; 57% expect increased visibility; more than a quarter anticipate introducing new innovation into their business; and more than a quarter expect team growth.
The programme combined structured workshops, peer accountability groups and tailored diagnostics, helping businesses take a more systematic approach to growth across areas including sales, operations and strategy.
Chris Dymond, project manager for Pathways off the Plateau and co-Director of Sheffield Digital, said: 鈥淢ost support in the ecosystem is geared towards startups and spinouts, but the majority of people working in tech are actually employed in established businesses like these. That鈥檚 the core of the ecosystem, and it鈥檚 largely underserved.
鈥淲hat we found through this programme is that many businesses don鈥檛 lack the will or entrepreneurial spirit – they lack the systems, time and space needed to scale effectively. Once founders begin to approach areas like sales, strategy and forecasting more systematically, it becomes much easier to identify where growth is being constrained.鈥�
Alongside practical business support, the programme also highlighted the importance of founder connection and peer learning, with participants regularly citing the value of open conversations with others facing similar challenges.
Tony Buck, director of EyeSiteView, said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e not short on demand or ideas – we needed tighter systems and a more repeatable route to recurring revenue. Being around other founders in the same position has been a huge part of the value.鈥�
The programme also surfaced wider challenges and opportunities facing the region鈥檚 tech economy, including the rapid rise of AI-assisted software development and the growing number of businesses from non-traditional sectors evolving into technology companies.
One of the programme鈥檚 most well-attended public events focused on the realities of 鈥榲ibe coding鈥� and AI-powered development, attracting businesses from across the wider ecosystem to discuss the practical implications of rapidly emerging technologies.
Dymond added: 鈥淭he definition of a tech company is broadening. We鈥檙e seeing businesses from sectors like education and professional services using AI to build digital products and effectively becoming tech companies. That creates huge opportunities for the region, but it also changes the kind of support businesses need.鈥�
With the pilot phase now complete, participating businesses are moving into implementation, supported by tailored action plans developed during the programme.
Partners behind Pathways off the Plateau believe the pilot demonstrates a strong case for continued investment in dedicated support for established tech businesses, with potential for the programme to become a recurring intervention, contributing to regional economic growth.
Pathways off the Plateau is part of the Regional Tech Booster programme and funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, in partnership with the UK Tech Cluster Group.