East London tech city: ideas without a strategy?

This article examines the Coalition Government's 'Tech City' proposals for East London. The Government wants to support the nascent tech cluster in East London, encourage inward investment, and develop the post-2012 Olympic Park into a high-tech hub. After examining the initiative in more detail, the article moves on to discuss why, and how, policy should support the development of high-tech industries in East London. It draws on location and cluster theory, the experience of initiatives to support high-tech clusters in other countries, and an examination of London's existing strengths in order to suggest a realistic and evidence-based way forward.