A look into the innovation challenge facing the UK

techUK has launched its new campaign to supercharge the UK as a global leader in tech and innovation. This campaign will convene technology leaders and public and private stakeholders to work together to support a strong innovation ecosystem that can make a much-needed impact to the UK’s economy and society for years to come.

For this to happen, we need to ensure we get the ingredients of innovation right. We need to ensure the UK has investment into emerging technologies that have the potential to drive growth; A strong foundation of infrastructure, skills and investment to accelerate the appetite for innovation; and the mechanisms to apply this technology to create real-world change.

To explore this innovation opportunity in more depth, five techUK experts have published their perspectives on why supercharging the UK as a global leader in tech and innovation is so critical. In the below insights they discuss the R&D and productivity challenge facing the UK; addressing the digital skills gap; ensuring innovation is possible in all nations and regions; and how we turn rhetoric into ambition when it comes to becoming a science and technology superpower.

1. From rhetoric to ambition: How the UK can become a science and tech superpower: The rhetoric is set, but the ambition – what does it actually mean to be a science and technology superpower – will require addressing several multi-layered and long-standing challenges facing the UK’s society and economy. By techUK's Head of Technology and Innovation Programme, Laura Foster

2. UK Research and Development: Addressing the modern realities of innovation: As the UK rethinks its support for R&D, it must consider international competitiveness, the innovation ecosystem, and modern realities of innovation, writes techUK's Policy Manager for Digital Economy, Bobby Brooks
3. Is innovation inclusive in the UK? A look into the Nations and Regions approach to innovation: Are all the UK’s nations and regions starting from the same place when it comes to benefiting from innovation? By techUK's Head of Nations and Regions, Matt Robinson
4. Three crucial ways the UK can develop the digital skills it needs to remain a global pioneer in science and technology: It is impossible to become a science and technology superpower unless there is opportunity for all to contribute and benefit. By techUK's Head of Skills, Talent and Diversity, Nimmi Patel.

5. Global leadership in science and technology means putting the UK at the forefront of applied digital transformation: If the ultimate test of our innovation ecosystem is productivity and prosperity then we need to build on our strong foundations and make every sector a tech sector. It’s not enough to have good ideas, we need to be using them. By Chris Hazell, Programme Manager – Cloud, Tech and Innovation at techUK.

This is just the start of the conversation. This new campaign will continue to address these areas and more through events, roundtables, insights, whitepapers that will bring together the UK tech sector behind the common ambition to upercharge the UK as a global leader in tech and innovation.

Visit our new Innovation Hub for more insights, events, or sign up to our newsletter, below.

techUK – Supercharging UK Tech and Innovation

The opportunities of innovation are endless. Automation, IoT, AI, Edge, Quantum, Drones and High Performance Computing all have the power to transform the UK. techUK members lead the development of these technologies. Together we are working with Government and other stakeholders to address tech innovation priorities and build an innovation ecosystem that will benefit people, society, economy and the planet - and supercharge the UK as a global leader in tech and innovation.

For more information, or to get in touch, please visit our Innovation Hub and click ‘contact us’. 

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Keen to learn more? Get in touch:

Laura Foster

Associate Director - Technology and Innovation, techUK

Laura is techUK’s Associate Director for Technology and Innovation.

She supports the application and expansion of emerging technologies, including Quantum Computing, High-Performance Computing, AR/VR/XR and Edge technologies, across the UK. As part of this, she works alongside techUK members and UK Government to champion long-term and sustainable innovation policy that will ensure the UK is a pioneer in science and technology

Before joining techUK, Laura worked internationally as a conference researcher and producer covering enterprise adoption of emerging technologies. This included being part of the strategic team at London Tech Week.

Laura has a degree in History (BA Hons) from Durham University, focussing on regional social history. Outside of work she loves reading, travelling and supporting rugby team St. Helens, where she is from.

Email:

[email protected]

LinkedIn:

www.linkedin.com/in/lauraalicefoster

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Nimmi Patel

Head of Skills, Talent and Diversity, techUK

Nimmi Patel is the Head of Skills, Talent and Diversity at techUK. She works on all things skills, education, and future of work policy, focusing on upskilling and retraining. Nimmi is also an Advisory Board member of Digital Futures at Work Research Centre (digit). The Centre research aims to increase understanding of how digital technologies are changing work and the implications for employers, workers, job seekers and governments.

Prior to joining the techUK team, she worked for the UK Labour Party and New Zealand Labour Party, and holds an MA in Strategic Communications at King’s College London and BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of Manchester. She is currently taking part in the 2024-25 University of Bath Institute for Policy Research Policy Fellowship Programme.

Email:

[email protected]

Phone:

07805744520

Twitter:

@nimmiptl

Website:

www.techuk.org

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nimmi-patel1/

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Matt Robinson

Head of Nations and Regions, techUK

Matt is techUK’s Head of Nations and Regions.

Matt is leading techUK’s work with members and stakeholders across the UK to increase the Local Digital Capital across the UK’s nation and regions, build communities and to ensure that digital technology plays a key part the post-COVID-19 levelling-up recovery.

Prior to joining techUK, Matt worked for several national education charities and membership bodies to develop their regional partnerships with schools, academy trusts, local authorities, and other stakeholders. He’s also worked with local authority leaders and other stakeholders to engage communities, work with elected members and improve public services.

He holds a BA in Politics from the University of York and an MA in International Relations from the University of Leeds. Away from work he’s a keen football fan and golfer.

If you’d like to find out more about our work in the nations and regions please get in touch with Matt:

Email:

[email protected]

Website:

techuk.org,,techuk.org,

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