CodeBase, Edinburgh Futures Institute, and Barclays Eagle Labs have played a leading role in organising a UK-wide conference, the Ecosystem Exchange, taking place at the Futures Institute in Edinburgh today.

The event marks the first time a conference dedicated to the UK’s technology ecosystem growth has taken place, with Jon Hope, SVP ecosystems at CodeBase, saying “The overall aim of the event is to bring together ecosystem builders from across the UK to share perspectives, learning, and find ways to do things better.”

Over 200 people have registered to attend, including regional and city ecosystem managers from across the UK, and representatives from national and local government, universities, investors, and banks.

Participating organisations include the University of Edinburgh, Glasgow City Innovation District, Opportunity North-East, University of Strathclyde, Conception X, Sustainable Ventures, and Techscaler, the Scottish Government’s startup support programme run by CodeBase.

Speakers and panellists include Mark Logan, former Skyscanner COO and chief entrepreneurial adviser to the Scottish government; Barclays Eagle Labs managing director Abdul Qureshi; Andrew Wordsworth, CEO of Sustainable Ventures, which recently opened a hub in Glasgow; Edinburgh Futures Institute’s director of innovation, Alessandro Rosiello; and Sarah Hardy, director and head of new investment at investment firm Archangel.

The agenda includes panel sessions on topics including “competition versus collaboration: fostering synergies within the ecosystem”; “unicorn chasing or sustainable growth?”; and “the role of universities in the UK tech ecosystem.”

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“It’s right that the UK continues to look towards international tech ecosystems, such as in North America and Asia, so we can plug into and learn about developing trends, experience, and playbooks,” Hope said.

“But across the UK we have some world class capabilities and programmes, and the Ecosystem Exchange is about better sharing insights from across the UK, and by increasing meaningful collaboration and improved connectivity. This process will help our regional and national ecosystems to evolve to the benefit of everyone.”