BOURNEMOUTH has the fastest-growing digital economy in the country, new figures show.

The number of digital start-up businesses in the area grew 212 per cent between 2010 and 2013.

The figures come from the project Tech Nation, looking at how the technology industry is growing across the UK.

It found the sector would outperform all other industries for job creation by 2020.

Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns said the figures were “really good news”.

“It’s not driven by central government, massive investment, Prime Ministers’ champions and tsars – this is a spontaneous pooling together of incredible talent that we have in Bournemouth, particularly across our two universities,” he said.

David Ford, chairman of Silicon South – a non-profit organisation promoting job growth in the sector – said: “The report is fantastic news for Bournemouth and proves that the Silicon South is the place to be for cutting edge digital innovation of all scales and sizes. “It is inspiring to hear that all the hard work by the industry together with the tremendous support of the public sector, the councils and universities and the LEP is starting to pay off.”

Professor John Fletcher, pro-vice-chancellor for research and innovation at Bournemouth University, said the university had been instrumental in the success.

“I think the university is fundamental to it because we have the international recognition in terms of our creative and digital expertise,” he said.

“We have the research and the expertise to pass on the knowledge to our students.

“We attract a really good group of students and they’re exposed to world-leading research and we’re doing our best now to retain the best of those as they get across their graduation stage,” he said.

Gary Seneviratne, founder and director of Bournemouth-based digital agency Adido, said: “We have some really good agencies down here. They’re working with brands like M&S, the British Heart Foundation and Transport for London.

“It means the top end of the market in the corporate world are working with people in this area for their core digital competencies.”

The research was carried out by Tech City, the government-backed organisation in east London that serves as a nest for technology start-ups.

Cllr Mike Greene, Bournemouth council cabinet member for corporate policy and strategy, said: “Supported by two business-focused universities nurturing future world class talent, the creative and digital sector in Bournemouth is going from strength to strength.”