Leeds tech roundup, week of 20 Jul

Funding & deals

• Getech posted a revenue increase as oil and gas activity picked up, according to the Yorkshire Post. The Leeds-based geoscience and energy data firm said the uptick in upstream activity drove the improvement, though the piece does not specify exact figures. Getech has been repositioning its offer across both fossil fuel and low-carbon energy markets in recent years, so the oil and gas rebound gives its legacy division a tailwind. (Yorkshire Post)

Product & launches

• Tech Town opened applications for an £800,000 AI skills fund, BusinessDesk reports. The fund is aimed at helping businesses and individuals in the region build practical AI capability, though the specific eligibility criteria and application deadline were not detailed in the report. Tech Town has been running digital skills programmes across West Yorkshire for several years, and this is its largest AI-focused fund to date. (BusinessDesk)

Policy & investment

• Microsoft's proposed AI megasite in Leeds became the subject of a public campaign this week, with 38 Degrees hosting a petition calling for the development to be stopped. The campaign raises concerns about the scale and local impact of the facility, though the specific objections — whether planning, environmental or otherwise — were not detailed in the available reporting. Large-scale data centre proposals have attracted growing scrutiny across the UK over power consumption and land use, and Leeds is now part of that national conversation. (Google News / 38 Degrees)

• A Leeds tech consultancy completed a management buyout, with the incoming leadership describing it as the start of a new chapter, Insider Media reports. The firm is not named in the available headline, but MBOs at consultancies of this kind typically signal a founder exit and a shift in strategic direction. It is the second ownership change at a Leeds digital business reported in as many months. (Google News / Insider Media)