#7: It's Time For A Sussex Digital Strategy

The Sussex And The City Podcast – Episode 7: It's Time For A Sussex Digital Strategy   Host: Richard Freeman Guest: Rose Tighe – Innovation strategist, product leader, and co-lead of Brighton AI This episode is brought to you in partnership with: Magenta Associates – A Sussex-based, B Corp certified and employee-owned PR and communications agency using responsible communications to drive social and environmental change - including athical AI adoption. 👉 magentaassociates.co 🔍 Episode summary In this future-facing episode, Richard Freeman sits down with product innovation heavyweight and grassroots organiser Rose Tighe to ask: is Sussex and Brighton already a tech region – and if so, why isn't anyone coordinating it? From leading product strategy at Amazon and Sky, to co-creating Brighton AI (a 1,800-strong community of digital doers), Rose has spent decades navigating change – and building systems that make it useful. Now, she's at the heart of a regional conversation about what good digital infrastructure actually looks like. This episode explores how devolution could help shape a bold, collaborative, regional tech strategy - if we get it right. Topics include: What Brighton's tech community already knows – and what it's missing The power of low-code and no-code tools for new ideas, careers and equity How to make sense of fragmented innovation – and avoid duplication What a Sussex-wide digital strategy could learn from elsewhere Why coordination trumps chaos: Sussex as a live testbed for civic innovation Making sure digital decisions are data-informed – and community-owned How AI, ethics and public purpose need to grow hand-in-hand The need for a shared voice across local authorities, not competitive silos What tech professionals aren't being told about devolution – and why that matters This is a pragmatic and passionate call to action - for mayors, freelancers, policymakers and product teams alike. 👉 Want to help shape a regional tech strategy? Start by exploring Brighton AI and other tech meetups supported by Silicon Brighton 👉 Stay up to date with the wider project at sussexandthecity.info 📚 Further reading and links Brighton AI: A community exploring the impact of AI, ethics, innovation and skills techUK's Local Digital Capital Index: A framework for understanding tech readiness and digital infrastructure techUK's Mayoral Manifesto: To support vibrant digital economies and better public services Silicon Brighton: Community-led digital events and learning Greater London Authority: London Datastore: An open data platform as referenced in the episode Local Skills Improvement Plan (Sussex): Strategic roadmap for skills planning across the region 🎧 Production credits Host: Richard Freeman Guest: Rose Tighe Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey Production management: Letitia McConalogue Recorded at: Projects: The Lanes, Brighton 📣 Get involved Devolution isn't just a government thing. It's a people thing. 👉 Share your ideas, explore resources and shape what's next at sussexandthecity.info