Digital Mission - departure arrival and day 1

30,000 Feet up in the air feels like a very odd place to be writing a blog post, but it is curiously appropriate. I'm halfway between London and New York as I type this. Around me are representatives from the Digital Mission companies. Already, just a few hours into the mission, there have been discussions about the challenges and opportunities of business between the UK and the US .

Far, far beneath me are the bundles of fibre optic cables (or fiber optic - oh the language barrier) that make the digital distance between the UK and the US smaller than it has ever been. We can move digital media from one side of the ocean to the other in the blink of an eye - traffic permitting. That creates opportunities for both sides, and new competitors too. As those pitching for business know, the world is a much more global place than it used to be a few years ago.

By the time you read this, the mission team will be gathered in a New York office, having completed the flight and headed across New York (photo evidence due here). You can also track our adventures, micro-blog style, on Twitter.

Tomorrow the Digital Mission kicks off in earnest, as we gather at Winston & Strawn's offices for a master class in the legal aspects of setting up shop in the US. That will be followed by tips on how to get started in the US market from UK Trade and Investment and British companies already establised in the US. To round off, the evening will be spent at the British Consulate, but more on that tomorrow...

Photos here on my Flickr and all digitalmission tagged photos here.