1. How would you define the mission and role of Digital Jersey?
We describe ourselves primarily as a government-funded economic development agency, but we’re also an industry association. Our mission is to accelerate Jersey’s digital future. Every place becomes more digital over time, but by accelerating that process, Jersey can unlock real competitive advantages.
We divide our work into three core pillars: industry, innovation, and digital skills.
Our goal is to build a strong digital sector in Jersey, think of it as a vertical in the economy, like finance or tourism. We help local digital businesses grow. We have over 200 paying members, including small digital startups and large corporates from sectors like finance and telecoms.
We offer support through funding advice, mentoring, startup boot camps, and scale-up programs. We also run two collaborative workspaces, like WeWork, because we don’t have those kinds of facilities here otherwise.
We’re involved in helping export digital services and work closely with Locate Jersey on company relocations, about 15 to 20 companies per year. These are usually startups or innovation hubs looking to set up in Jersey. We provide a concierge-like service to help them get licensed, find office space, staff, and integrate locally.
Innovation is about digital as a horizontal, how technology can transform the entire Jersey economy.
A major initiative we run is Impact Jersey, formerly the Technology Accelerator Fund. A few years ago, Jersey Telecom, government-owned, sold its IoT division and paid a £40 million dividend to the government. We successfully lobbied to ring-fence £20 million for this fund.
We use it to fund tech projects addressing Jersey’s economic, social, and environmental challenges. We’ve done work in sectors like tourism, retail, and elderly care.
We also work on product innovation, such as establishing data trusts, Jersey was the first jurisdiction in the world to structure data trusts using existing trust laws. We partner with universities, law firms, and corporates on this.
We’re also strong in fintech, working with Jersey Finance and the Jersey Financial Services Commission (regulator). Jersey now has a sandbox innovation hub, and we promote Jersey as a testbed for new technologies thanks to its robust infrastructure, like world-leading broadband speeds, smart metering, and even a digital twin of the island.
We created the Digital Jersey Academy to upskill the local workforce with digital courses. We also work with schools. For example, we run STEM Racing (formerly F1 in Schools), teaching kids about design, 3D printing, business models, and more - across primary and secondary levels.
Beyond that, we advise government on digital health, fintech, digital skills strategies, and smart island initiatives. We also manage the digital twin of Jersey, and in many cases act as a connector between government, business, and innovators.
2. How has Jersey positioned itself as a leader in digital innovation among the Crown Dependencies and beyond?
We measure progress across four areas: industry, government, infrastructure, and people.
On infrastructure, we’ve done very well. Jersey ranks among the top globally for broadband speed, with 100% fiber-to-the-premises. We have three 4G networks and are rolling out 5G this year not because of speed needs, but for new use cases.
We position Jersey as a sandbox for innovation. Being a finance hub, we’re strong in fintech, especially in KYC, AML, and regulatory compliance. We work with Jersey Finance and the JFSC to help companies build tech products here that can scale internationally.
Jersey is also strong in telecoms innovation, IoT, drone testing, and digital creativity. Coastal, sophisticated locations like ours are magnets for digital creatives.
Medtech is growing too, as Jersey offers a perfect testbed—small scale, but enough complexity, with our own regulators in finance, health, competition, and data. It’s easy to bring decision-makers together quickly, which attracts innovators.
We also see more interest from people we affectionately refer to as "grown-up digital nomads", professionals who no longer want to live in big cities and commute, but seek quality of life, tax-friendly environments, and world-class connectivity. Jersey ticks all those boxes.
3. What international collaborations have been most impactful for Jersey’s digital sector?
Partnerships are vital for us. Jersey’s government has a strong External Relations Department, and we complement that with targeted relationships.
We’ve built ties with New Jersey’s Big Data Alliance, a consortium of universities including Princeton and Rutgers. Not many know that New Jersey has the highest number of universities per capita in the U.S.
We also have a strong relationship with Estonia, one of the most advanced digital societies. Their former CIO served on our board.
In the UK, we’re a member of Tech UK, and we work with Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency.
These relationships allow us to learn, collaborate, and stay ahead in a fast-moving digital landscape.
4. So you've said a lot about Jersey being a sandbox. Can you tell us more about the Sandbox Jersey initiative and how it encourages digital experimentation and investment?
Because we’re an island, effectively a “walled garden” surrounded by the sea, we offer a unique environment. We're small enough, with a population of around 100,000, to manage pilots effectively, but large enough to have proper infrastructure, which enables us to position Jersey as a great place to test innovative technologies.
Let me give you an example. There was a major UK drone project that needed real-life testing in commercial airspace, which is a critical step for drones if we ever want to reach that sci-fi vision of skies filled with autonomous flying devices. Safety is paramount. We partnered with Ports of Jersey, our government-owned airport and harbor operator, and with a UK consortium. Since Jersey controls its own airspace, and has its own Civil Aviation Authority, they could conduct real-world tests here. They were extremely positive about the experience.
Beyond drones, we’ve had companies like Sony testing IoT and telecoms here. We’ve also seen medical tech firms test products in our advanced but more agile healthcare system, less complex than the UK’s NHS, for example.
What really helps is that Digital Jersey sits at the interface of public and private sectors. We’re well-connected with regulators, government departments, and industry. For example, if a health tech company approaches us, we’ll link them to the right people in the health service, the Information Commissioner, and so on. We act as a connector.
We also benefit from our arm’s-length public organizations, Jersey Telecom, Jersey Water, Jersey Electricity, Jersey Post, Ports of Jersey, Andium (a social housing provider), and the Jersey Development Company. These entities are either wholly or majority government-owned, and they’re not burdened by competitive pressures. They’re mission-driven and collaborative, which allows us to bring stakeholders together easily.
So when we talk about being a “smart island,” it’s not just about digital infrastructure, it’s about institutional connectivity. We’ve built a digital twin of Jersey, and we’re developing a data exchange using a data trust model. This allows companies to combine their trial data with environmental or transport data, for example, which is a big advantage.
5. With increasing global interest in data regulation and cybersecurity, how is Jersey responding to these challenges?
We've prioritized compliance and security for a long time. Jersey has equivalency with the EU on GDPR, which required a significant cross-government effort to implement the right legislation and controls. We also have our own Information Commissioner and a Cyber Emergency Response Team.
Compliance is critical, especially as an international finance center, but we’re also focused on the opportunities. Take data trusts, for instance. There’s a growing need to structure data legally, similarly to how we already structure financial trusts. That’s a space Jersey is looking to lead.
When I first arrived in Jersey, I was told that our finance industry is essentially a business services sector, law firms, trust companies, accountants, corporate service providers. These are all adjacent to new opportunities emerging from regulation and digital technology.
We’ve already established our first data trust locally and are now seeing interest from the UK. One of our current partnerships involves a major UK university focused on healthcare. We're also exploring data applications in smart cities.
And let’s be honest, the world hasn't cracked the problem of sharing well-curated, structured datasets. Most data is siloed. If AI is to evolve, it will need access to these kinds of datasets. Jersey, with its legal system, regulators, and trusted international reputation, is uniquely positioned to fill that gap, just as we have in financial services.
6. How important is the U.S. market for Jersey’s digital ambition, and what role does Digital Jersey play in fostering transatlantic collaboration?
We’ve been involved in a number of government-led initiatives in the U.S., including fintech engagements in places like New York and public sector dialogues with states like New Jersey. Jersey Overseas Aid has also been active, although more in Africa than the U.S.
As we expand our work in data trusts, we’re absolutely looking at the U.S. as a key market, similar to how Jersey’s finance sector grew internationally. Digital Jersey often supports government efforts in external relations, but we also work directly with businesses.
Take Pinpoint, for example, a SaaS company based here in Jersey. Their founder lives in Jersey and sits on our board. Most of their clients are in the U.S., and they now have teams there. That’s one of the great things about digital businesses, geography is much less of a barrier compared to physical goods.
We also have companies doing well in the U.S. in fintech, risk screening, and even consumer tech. One Jersey company developed Bluetooth intercoms for ski helmets and landed a major deal with Walmart. We supported them in navigating logistics and market access.
So while we don't focus exclusively on one geography, we do respond to where our businesses are active and offer tailored export support in partnership with the government and other agencies like Jersey Finance.
7. Finally, what would be your message to Newsweek readers about what makes Jersey an exciting digital destination?
Jersey is unique. We have the infrastructure of a much larger country, regulators, advanced digital connectivity, global-standard services, but with the agility of a smaller, more connected place.
It's a great place to live and work, yes, but also to test, develop, and grow your digital business. We have a supportive government, a proactive industry, and institutions ready to collaborate. Our size becomes a strength when you realize how quickly you can get things done here. We’re entrepreneurial, independent, and welcoming.
And I think, as many people who've moved here will tell you, Jersey has a real sense of community that makes innovation easier and more meaningful.
8. Is there anything we forgot to touch on?
Just one last point about digital skills. Like everywhere else, Jersey needs to ensure its workforce is equipped for the future. Through our Digital Jersey Academy, we’re training people at all levels and working with government to develop those capabilities.
We’re building an AI plan now, which includes how we use AI to boost productivity, especially in the finance sector, to reduce compliance costs, for instance. Supporting startups is also a big focus. We do that through coworking, mentorship, funding introductions, everything a vibrant digital economy needs.
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