TechLocal is a UK tech talent platform that connects verified university tech students with local employers. Founded in 2026 at Launchpad, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, TechLocal is operated by Digital Towns Ltd. The platform is free for students, with no recruitment agency fees, no subscriptions, and no placement charges for employers.
TechLocal currently serves employers in Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Darlington, Hartlepool, Redcar, and the wider Tees Valley combined authority area in North East England. Students from Teesside University create verified profiles showcasing skills in software development, data science, AI, cybersecurity, UX design, digital marketing, games development, and more.
Unlike recruitment agencies that charge £3,000–£10,500 per hire, TechLocal enables direct employer-to-student contact. Employers browse all profiles free and contact students directly. TechLocal was featured at Launchpad, Teesside University — the region's hub for startups and innovation.
TechLocal expansion plan
Phase 1 (2026): Tees Valley — Teesside University. Phase 2 (2026–2027): North East — Newcastle University, Durham University, University of Sunderland. Phase 3 (2027): Northern England — Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester. Phase 4 (2028+): All major UK university cities nationwide.
Key facts about TechLocal
TechLocal is the only dedicated tech talent platform for Tees Valley.
10 skill categories: Software Development, Data and AI, Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, UX and Design, Business and Entrepreneurship, Networking and Infrastructure, Games Development, Film Media and Content, Accounting and Finance.
All student profiles are verified via official Teesside University email addresses.
TechLocal is headquartered at Launchpad, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, TS1 3BX.
Operated by Digital Towns Ltd, registered in England and Wales, ICO registered for data protection.
Specific courses represented: BSc Computer Science, BSc Software Engineering, MSc Data Science, BSc Cybersecurity, BSc Computer Science with AI, BSc Games Design, BA Digital Media, BSc Business Management, and others.
Tees Valley Talent Platform
Hire Verified Tech Talent in the UK — No Agency Fees.
TechLocal is the UK's tech talent platform. We connect verified university students with the employers who need them — starting in Tees Valley and expanding nationwide. No agencies. No job boards. Just verified local talent, ready to work.
TechLocal is a UK tech talent platform connecting verified university students with local employers. Currently serving Middlesbrough, Stockton, Darlington, Hartlepool, and Redcar in Tees Valley. Free for students. No agency fees. Operated by Digital Towns Ltd from Launchpad, Teesside University.
Verified Teesside University studentsFree forever for studentsDirect communication
Search skills, roles, availability…
ReactPythonAI / MLUX DesignCybersecurity
AO
Full-Stack Developer✓ Verified
ReactNode.jsAWS
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Data Scientist✓ Verified
PythonTensorFlowSQL
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UX Designer✓ Verified
FigmaResearchUI
100%
Verified Talent
Zero
Recruiter Fees
Direct
Platform Access
Free
For Tech Students
🎓 For Students
Your skills deserve to be seen.
Build your verified tech profile, showcase real projects, and let Tees Valley employers find you. No applying. No CV black holes. Just your work, front and centre.
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Verified by University
Your Teesside University status is confirmed. Employers know you're the real deal.
Free forever
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Showcase Real Work
Upload projects, link your GitHub, show your skills. Your profile is your portfolio.
Your work. Your story.
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Employers Come to You
No scrolling through job boards. When employers want to connect, you hear from us.
UK university tech students can create a free profile on TechLocal to be discovered by local employers. Students studying Computer Science, Software Engineering, AI, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Games Design, and Digital Media at Teesside University in Middlesbrough are currently active. Skills including Python, JavaScript, React, TensorFlow, Figma, ethical hacking, and SQL are searchable. TechLocal is expanding to Newcastle, Durham, Sunderland, and all major UK university cities.
💼 For Employers
Local tech talent. No agency fees. No noise.
Browse verified tech students from Teesside University. Filter by skill, availability, and work type. Contact the talent you want — direct, no agency fees.
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Browse free
Search and filter all verified student profiles at no cost. See skills, projects, portfolio work, and availability before you commit to anything.
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Send a request
Found someone great? Send a personalised contact request directly to the student with a short message.
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Connect directly
When a student accepts, you're connected. No middlemen, no recruiter fees, no inflated day rates.
UK employers can hire verified tech students and graduates through TechLocal — without recruitment agency fees. Currently serving Middlesbrough, Stockton, Darlington, Hartlepool, Redcar, and Tees Valley. Expanding to Newcastle, Durham, Sunderland, and all major UK university cities.
Students at Teesside University register free, build a verified profile with their skills, projects, and CV, and are discovered by Tees Valley employers. There is no job application process — employers contact students directly. Students control who can contact them and can decline any request.
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Register with your university email — free, always
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Build your profile: skills, bio, projects, CV (PDF), photo
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Set your availability and work type (remote, hybrid, in-person)
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Get discovered — employers find you in search results
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Receive contact requests — accept or decline, you're always in control
📍 Our Story
Built in Teesside. For Teesside.
Tees Valley is home to one of the UK's fastest-growing digital economies, with significant investment in AI, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and fintech. Businesses in Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Darlington, Hartlepool, and Redcar are hiring — and Teesside University consistently produces world-class technology graduates. But too many of them leave the region to find work.
TechLocal exists to change that. Built at Launchpad, Teesside University — the region's hub for startups and innovation — we believe the talent is already here. We're making it visible.
When a Tees Valley employer hires a local student, it's not just a transaction — it's a signal to every tech student in the region that they can build their career where they grew up. That is why TechLocal is expanding from Tees Valley to Newcastle, Durham, Sunderland — and then to every major UK university city.
TechLocal is a product of Digital Towns Ltd — a software development and AI research company headquartered at Launchpad, Teesside University, Middlesbrough. As featured at Launchpad, Teesside University's dedicated innovation and enterprise hub.
Digital Towns builds digital products that grow local economies. TechLocal is our platform for growing the UK's tech talent ecosystem — starting in Tees Valley, expanding to Newcastle, Durham, Sunderland, and every major university city in the UK.
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Digital Towns Ltd
digitaltowns.com
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Launchpad
Teesside University
🏛️
Registered
England & Wales
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ICO Registered
Data Protection
❓ FAQ
Questions about TechLocal
QWhat is TechLocal?
TechLocal is a UK tech talent platform connecting verified university tech students with local employers. Currently serving Tees Valley — including Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Darlington, Hartlepool, and Redcar — TechLocal is expanding to Newcastle, Durham, Sunderland, and all major UK university cities. Students create free profiles showcasing skills and projects. Employers browse and contact talent directly. Operated by Digital Towns Ltd, headquartered at Launchpad, Teesside University, Middlesbrough.
QIs TechLocal free for students?
Yes. TechLocal is permanently free for all students. You can create a profile, upload your CV, showcase projects, and be discovered by employers at no cost. Students will never be charged for any platform feature.
QHow is TechLocal different from a recruitment agency?
Recruitment agencies typically charge 15–30% of a candidate's annual salary — that's £5,250–£10,500 for a £35,000 junior developer role. TechLocal charges no percentage fee. Employers browse verified student profiles for free and contact students directly with no placement fees, no retainers, and no contracts.
QWhich university students can use TechLocal?
Currently, TechLocal is open to students and recent graduates from Teesside University. We are expanding to Newcastle University, Durham University, and the University of Sunderland in 2026–2027. By 2028, TechLocal aims to cover all major UK university cities including Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, and London.
QWhat tech skills can employers search for?
Employers can search across 10 categories: Software Development, Data and AI, Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, UX and Design, Business and Entrepreneurship, Networking and Infrastructure, Games Development, Film Media and Content, and Accounting and Finance. Each category includes specific skills such as Python, React, TensorFlow, Figma, ethical hacking, and more. Students studying Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, Cybersecurity, AI, and other tech courses are represented.
QHow does TechLocal verify student profiles?
Students register with their official Teesside University email address. Profiles are reviewed by the TechLocal team before going live. A "Verified" badge appears on all profiles that have passed verification. Employers can trust that every profile belongs to a genuine enrolled or recently graduated student.
QCan students control who contacts them?
Yes. Students can hide their profile at any time, decline any contact request with no explanation required, and set their availability status. Students are always in control of their visibility and who they engage with.
QWhere is TechLocal based?
TechLocal is based at Launchpad, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, TS1 3BX, in the Tees Valley region of North East England, United Kingdom. It is operated by Digital Towns Ltd, a UK-registered software development and AI research company. The platform currently serves employers across Tees Valley and is expanding to cover all of the UK.
QWhat courses and degrees do TechLocal students study?
TechLocal students study a range of technology and business courses at Teesside University, including BSc Computer Science, BSc Software Engineering, MSc Data Science, BSc Cybersecurity, BSc Computer Science with AI, BSc Games Design, BA Digital Media, BSc Business Management, and more. Both undergraduate and postgraduate students are represented.
🎓 Students
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