Digital Jersey Drives Innovation with Ambitious 2025 Plans

In February 2025, Tony Moretta, chief executive of Digital Jersey, provided insights into the organisation’s progress and future initiatives aimed at fostering innovation and economic growth within the digital sector. The operational plan for the year focuses on three primary objectives: supporting local tech companies, creating a robust innovation ecosystem, and enhancing workforce skills in technology, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI).

Digital Jersey has seen significant engagement from the local tech community, with over 200 corporate members participating in its activities. Moretta highlighted the importance of collaboration among various stakeholders, including government entities and trade associations, to achieve their goals.

Supporting Local Industry and Innovation

This year, Digital Jersey has made strides in its support framework for start-ups and scale-ups. The previous Bootcamp initiative has evolved into the Start and Scale Pathway, tailored to meet the specific needs of innovators. This programme includes well-attended Member Meet Ups and connections between innovators and mentors, providing critical networking opportunities.

The ProMatch platform has been extended to include all sectors of Jersey’s economy, facilitating local procurement and promoting the use of regional digital expertise. This initiative is expected to boost the economy significantly by encouraging local businesses to collaborate and share resources.

In the first half of 2025, Digital Jersey reported a record number of inquiries from tech entrepreneurs looking to relocate to the island. This surge in interest is attributed to the collaborative efforts with government bodies such as Locate Jersey, which aim to attract top-tier digital talent and enhance the island’s economic landscape.

Empowering Innovators and Developing Skills

A key highlight of Digital Jersey’s innovation strategy is the ongoing Impact Jersey programme. This initiative aims to support innovators in delivering digital solutions addressing real challenges in the local community. Recent developments include the announcement of grant recipients for the CareTech Challenge, with companies like Orchid Connect and Good Boost receiving funding to advance their projects.

Additionally, the organisation participated in UK TechWeek in April, facilitating connections with similar organisations across the UK. This collaboration has opened discussions about shared challenges and positions Jersey as a potential digital sandbox for innovation.

In the skills development arena, Digital Jersey has successfully assisted around 200 individuals in enhancing their digital skills through various training courses. A standout achievement was hosting the inaugural F1 in Schools competition, which saw around 100 secondary school students design and race their own small-scale Formula One cars, underscoring the importance of STEM education.

Looking forward, Digital Jersey plans to enhance its digital ecosystem further. The organisation aims to publish an Agritech roadmap to promote technology adoption in agriculture, and an AI Playbook to embed AI into the island’s future projects. They also intend to extend the F1 in Schools programme to include primary school pupils, fostering early interest in technology and engineering.

The anticipated TechAwards in October 2025 will highlight these initiatives and introduce a new AI category, recognizing the growing importance of technology in various sectors.

Through these efforts, Digital Jersey remains committed to cultivating a culture of innovation, believing that the island possesses the necessary talent and ambition to drive progress and improve its digital landscape.