Technology conference Digital 2015, which has attracted more than 2,000 people from the digital sector to the Celtic Manoer Resort this week, will provide the platform for the Wales launch of EdTech UK, a new organisation aimed at helping accelerate the growth of the education technology sector in Britain and globally.

Made possible by The Education Foundation, the UK’s first cross sector education think tank, it will be a voice for the entire learning technology sector, including educators, start-ups, scale up and high growth companies, large corporations, investors, regulators and policy makers.

The brainchild of Ian Fordham, co-founder of the Education Foundation, EdTech UK’s work in Wales will focus on harnessing and growing digital skills within the education sector by focusing on upskilling teaching staff and encourage their own entrepreneurialism and supporting them to start their own projects or businesses that improving the delivery of learning using technology.

They will also help support innovative start-ups across Wales and help create an ecosystem of support, access to investment and to their networks internationally to help companies scale their work across Britain and globally.

The initiative has already provided practical support for successful education technology start-ups including Cardiff based Schoop, and running events with Innovate UK and other partners, providing access to seed funding and guiding them in their journey to becoming successful, self-sustainable businesses and creating jobs and growth that benefits the Welsh economy.

Ian Fordham UK said: “We are excited to be launching and previewing Edtech UK’s work at the Digital 2015 event, where digital innovation and the best of Wales and the UK’s technology scene come together to bring about change. We know that there is a digital skills gap, with too many young people still leaving school and college without the skills needed to thrive in the new digital economy. Schools and educators are also facing major intractable challenges in their institutions that we know new technology may help solve.

“It is this perfect storm of factors which leads us to the view that Wales has a great opportunity to be radical in its use of education technology, in the classroom and beyond - as a tool for change and positive reform.

"And that’s why Edtech UK is launching today to harness the potential of these start-ups, innovators in schools, colleges and universities and the drive forward the rapid growth of the sector across Wales and take that to the world.”

Edtech UK’s work in Wales will be led by Ian Fordham and Stuart Arthur.

Stuart is a highly-respected digital leader and entrepreneur in Wales and was CTO of Monmouthshire County Council, head of operations at Box UK and co-chair of the Welsh Government’s ICT in Education steering group.

Ian Fordham and Stuart Arthur will speak at Digital 2015 about Edtech UK’s plans for Wales and also take part in a session that sees the TeachMeet community come to Digital 2015 for the first time, where teachers and businesses debate the future of digital skills and technology in the classroom.

To follow the event live, follow @Digital_2015 #D15 or download the app at: http://www.digital2015.co.uk/.