The all new Croydon Digital tech directory
A bird's eye view of the flourishing tech scene in the CRONX.
Ever since the concept and launch of Croydon Digital, it was always our vision to publish an interactive directory of tech businesses in Croydon.
Our idea was to build a digital Yellow Pages (does that even exist any more?) of tech specialists in Croydon. From freelancers and small startups like MeasureGrow, to the well established big players like Dotdigital, anything and anyone tech related would be welcome.
We visualised an all-seeing eye looking over one of the the fastest-growing tech hubs in the UK. We want to shout about the digital pioneers that make up the Silicon Flyover, and promote the diverse choice of vibrant co-working spaces and tech opportunities we have in the borough.
That time has now come: you can see our business and workspaces directories here. If you would like your business to be listed, visit our contribute form or send us a message at digital@croydon.gov.uk.
The new directory with map and list views
The new directories offer
- A separate tech businesses directory and workspaces directory
- Interactive map and list views, to help you browse in the way you want to
- Live search: filtering the results as you type
- Categories and tags to help you find businesses in the right tech niche, or a workspace with the facilities you need
Croydon Digital: the journey so far
Croydon Digital’s first release in 2018 began as a community blog with a few extras like free job and event listings. A small squad (8 people) was brought together to work on the project. We had a mission, to design, develop and publish the blog in just 6 weeks. It was 8 weeks in the end, but that’s still no mean feat.
In those early days, the idea of building a fully functioning tech directory was just too big an ask. First we focused on publishing posts, events and jobs, and we organised some of our own meet ups, bringing local tech heads together to network over some food or a beer.
Since launch day, the idea of a local tech directory had been sitting in the project backlog as an ‘epic’ feature. Most of the new developments to Croydon Digital are tackled in downtime between other projects, with many of the team and contributors volunteering time out-of-hours.
We undertook a couple of rounds of research and had an ongoing discussion on the directory, trying to decide the best way to implement it. A key goal was to make it a useful resource not only to the community itself, but for those who may want to join or hire the local talent. Alongside this we had plenty of other work to keep us busy, running skills workshops, tech events and even setting up a shop, to name a few.
Some of our activities 2019 – present
If you’ve browsed the Croydon Digital site you may have already visited a basic first iteration of the directory. Or perhaps you were listed there. In 2019, we began building and publishing an A-Z of tech businesses and co-working spaces in Croydon. But it really was just that, an A-Z list that grew harder and harder to navigate and maintain. On the upside, we built a solid foundation of contacts and friends.
The old A-Z style directory
Get involved in Croydon Digital
To reiterate, if you would like your business to be a part of the directory, please use our contribute form to submit your listing or send us a message at digital@croydon.gov.uk. Everyone and anything tech is welcome. If there’s someone we’ve missed that deserves a place in the directory, let us know in a comment below.
If you would like to contribute to Croydon Digital in other ways, we’re on the look out for volunteers. Do you have a skill that could help us improve the site? Perhaps you have your own idea for an online event, or just want to give some of your time to help grow the community, please get in touch by sending us a message at digital@croydon.gov.uk.