Reinvesting in the region that has invested in us: Alumni team up to launch tech start-up in North East
For Newcastle University graduates James Nicholson and Jacob Foy, building a technology business in the North East was never a compromise - it was their way to give back to the region that shaped them as students.
13 August 2026
Meet the alumni entrepreneurs helping the North East become a world-leader in technology
After years of leading technology consulting teams, Newcastle University graduates James Nicholson (BSc Accounting and Finance, 2019) and Jacob Foy (BSc Computer Science, 2015) took the entrepreneurial leap at the start of this year, leaving established careers behind to launch Delta Technology Services, a Microsoft-focused technology consultancy helping organisations embrace cloud, automation, AI and digital transformation.
Officially launched in January 2026, Delta Technology Services was founded on a simple belief: innovative technology should solve real business problems, not create them. As a partnership, Head of Business Applications, James, and Chief Technology Officer, Jacob, combine commercial and technical expertise to deliver practical solutions built around Microsoft technologies.
Although they narrowly missed each other during their time at Newcastle University, the two alumni met later while working for a Gateshead-based IT company. Years of collaboration and friendship convinced them they could build something together.
Following the launch of Delta Technology Services, we sat down with James and Jacob to find out more about their entrepreneurial journey, joining the tech community in the North East and how their time on campus has shaped their journey.
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Why Newcastle is the perfect place to launch a tech business
At a time when many technology start-ups gravitate towards London and other major cities, James and Jacob deliberately chose to build Delta Technology Services in the North East. “We want to reinvest in the area that invested in us,” Jacob told us.
James and Jacob believe the region's strengths are often underestimated. Alongside globally recognised businesses such as Nissan, Sage, Atom Bank and Greggs, they see a thriving ecosystem that consistently performs above expectations. Combined with the growth of remote working and digital services, they argue that location is becoming less important than talent, ambition and relationships. For Delta, the North East offers all three.
“The North East is on an upward trajectory, and businesses can really benefit from what is available here. All you have to do is look behind Newcastle University Business School, and you can see how significant investment brings business."
Outside of business investment, James and Jacob also shared the reason they wanted to make the North East home, telling us:
“You are never more than 30 minutes from an impressive sight, whether that be a beach, a waterfall, fantastic architecture… and let’s not forget the innovation rooted into our region’s history - Mosley Street being the first street in the world to be lit by electric street lights comes to mind!
“When you can offer someone a career at the forefront of technology and a life with all of this on the doorstep, the conversation about not needing to relocate to London becomes a lot shorter.”
How Newcastle University shaped our entrepreneurial journey
Both founders credit Newcastle University with helping shape the mindset that ultimately led them to entrepreneurship. “We were pushed hard to be self-thinkers, problem solvers and own our future,” said James.
The University's commitment to innovation, coupled with courses that combined technical excellence with professional skills development, gave them confidence to lead teams, communicate ideas and challenge conventional thinking.
In particular, they highlight the University's Careers Service, which helped bridge the gap between study and industry. Jacob secured his industrial placement through the service, while both founders benefited from strong links with local employers and opportunities to develop presentation, communication and leadership skills alongside their academic studies.
Those experiences continue to influence how they approach talent development today.
“If there are students reading who have a real passion for technology and the drive to back it up, we want to hear from you,” they told us.
Embracing change and becoming leaders of the AI revolution
Working across AI, cloud and automation, Delta Technology Services sits at the forefront of emerging technologies. James and Jacob are optimistic about how North East businesses are embracing change.
“We're seeing North East businesses move quickly when they have the right partner to guide them, and the appetite here is genuinely exciting to be part of,” said Jacob.
They see artificial intelligence as a significant opportunity for the region. Rather than allowing larger cities to pull further ahead, AI, cloud computing and remote-first ways of working are helping level the playing field.
“With AI, cloud and remote working, the barriers are coming down and physical geography is not as important.”
For a region that has historically had to compete for investment and recognition, they believe the next decade presents a unique opportunity to become a leader rather than simply a participant in the UK's digital economy. The pair told us:
“Over the next five to ten years, we think the North East will stop being seen as a region that adopts technology and starts being seen as one that builds and leads it. The AI Growth Zone is the clearest signal of that - £30 billion of potential investment, data centres in Blyth and Cobalt putting some of the best computing power in Europe on our doorstep, and our universities feeding skilled people straight into it. For a region that powered the first industrial revolution, there's a nice full circle moment associated with this one.”
The North East is on an upward trajectory, and businesses can really benefit from what is available here. All you have to do is look behind Newcastle University Business School, and you can see how significant investment brings business.
Being part of a collaborative community
One of the characteristics James and Jacob value most about the North East is its collaborative culture.
Rather than trying to offer every service themselves, Delta has built trusted partnerships with complementary firms across the region. These relationships allow businesses to access joined-up expertise while ensuring clients receive the best possible outcomes.
“The North East makes that possible because the relationships are built on actual trust and proximity, not just contracts. It lets us and our partners focus on delivering real client value.”
Our region is known for its friendliness and goodwill, and that’s another perk of growing a business in the North East. James told us:
“There's a real collective ambition right now to keep talented graduates here rather than lose them to London. That creates goodwill and support structures - incubators, networks and university backing that a founder can tap into.”
When asked what their advice would be to other budding entrepreneurs in the region and recent graduates, James and Jacob told us:
“Widen your network, speak to people, and do it relentlessly because the North East rewards that more than almost anywhere else. It's small enough and genuinely collaborative enough that as a student you can get in front of founders, investors and potential clients who'd never give you the time of day in a bigger city. People here want each other to succeed.”
With AI, cloud and remote working, the barriers are coming down and physical geography is not as important.
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