Digital Realty Launches Digital Docklands As London Readies For Multibillion-Pound Technology Boom

Digital Realty opens new Docklands facility to support the growth of London's technology ecosystem

Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, 5G and Blockchain currently on track to contribute £6.25 billion to London economy in 2019 – expected to increase to £24.29 billion by 2029

LONDON, Sept. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR), a leading global provider of data centre, colocation and interconnection solutions, announced today the official opening of Cloud House, the latest facility in its Digital Docklands campus of highly-connected data centres in London's Docklands area.  The investment will support the growth of London's technology ecosystem, with the city set to experience a multibillion-pound technology boom, according to a new study conducted by Development Economics.

The Digital Realty-commissioned study, "Digital Capitals Index:  London," examines the value that innovative technologies will deliver to the city's economy over the next decade through new jobs, businesses, industries and efficiencies in public services.  The report focuses on four of the most widely discussed technology innovations:  Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G and Blockchain. 

Technology	Aggregate Annual Value to London's Economy, 2019
IoT	£3.09 billion
AI	£1.99 billion
Blockchain	£1.04 billion
5G	£0.13 billion
Total	£6.25 billion

Table 1:  London – contribution of four digital technologies: 2019 (£GBP, 2019 prices), "Digital Capitals Index:  London"

These four innovative technologies combined will add £6.25 billion to London's economy in 2019, with IoT contributing the most at £3.09 billion (49 percent of the total) primarily through improvements in operational efficiencies.