Cisco has provided £300,000 in funding to Sunderland City Council in order to increase the delivery of Cisco’s National Virtual Incubator, a public technology network designed to provide businesses with one connecting infrastructure.

The Virtual Incubator would link the council with the cities tech centre and other research centres throughout the UK.

Tom Baker, head of ICT at Sunderland City Counci, said: “This investment really will ensure that our businesses are more plugged into the technology network than ever before. It's a great boost for the city and its growing technology community".