Join techUK's Innovation Policy Group
Bring your expertise in the development of new technologies and shape innovation policy.
Our three areas of interest:
R&D tax credits
UK R&D ecosystem
Technologies in the spotlight
Edge computing
Edge computing, while not new, is fast becoming seen as a key technology and an enabler of widescale innovation. The benefits of edge computing are two-fold: accelerating innovation in key industries, and accelerating adoption on complementing emerging technologies. techUK helps identify, explore and make the case for greater use of Edge computing solutions as part of the UK’s digital transformation journey.
Quantum
Quantum has been identified as a key emerging and transformative technology that will have an impact on the UK's long term digital and economic future. In the coming years, Quantum will have the potential to enable smart cities, revolutionise healthcare systems and drive innovation in key industries. To prepare for this future techUK believes now is the time to bring the wider technology sector into the discussion about the UK's quantum future and how we plan for success.
Augmented and virtual reality
Enterprise adoption of immersive technologies will be a crucial tool for business innovation, driving tangible benefits and a clear ROI, including mitigating high-risk, high-cost training through VR, building digital twins, and exploring the future of an augmented workforce. techUK’s AR/VR work showcases a viable route to market for businesses interested in this technology.
Drones
techUK is focussed on exploring the ways in which drones and related robotic technologies are being developed and deployed by organisations across both the public and private sector, and making a difference to people’s everyday lives. We are interested in building the UK’s vision for drone technology, exploring future opportunities and generating greater demand to ensure success of the UK’s drone market.
Intelligent automation
Intelligent automation has the capacity to revolutionise business services across a variety of industries through driving optimisation, enhancing digitisation and building resilience. Since the pandemic, businesses from across different sectors can look to automation to build resilience and drive continuity, and in turn push forward a new, technology-focused future of work that will drastically change the UK's workforce and economy.
Geospatial data
The UK’s geospatial data ecosystem has a remarkable opportunity to become a world leader and bring over £11 billion to the UK’s economy in the next five years. However, this will only be achieved if the UK can successfully drive forward a world-leading geospatial ecosystem. Getting this right will not only increase research into the opportunities of geospatial data, but enhance the development and commercialisation of cutting-edge, innovative geospatial data products, services and technologies.
Current campaigns
Geospatial data
The UK’s geospatial data ecosystem has a remarkable opportunity to become a world leader and bring over £11 billion to the UK’s economy in the next five years. However, this will only be achieved if the UK can successfully drive forward a world-leading geospatial ecosystem. Getting this right will not only increase research into the opportunities of geospatial data, but enhance the development and commercialisation of cutting-edge, innovative geospatial data products, services and technologies.
Intelligent automation
Intelligent automation has the capacity to revolutionise business services across a variety of industries through driving optimisation, enhancing digitisation and building resilience. Since the pandemic, businesses from across different sectors can look to automation to build resilience and drive continuity, and in turn push forward a new, technology-focused future of work that will drastically change the UK's workforce and economy.
Quantum
Quantum has been identified as a key emerging and transformative technology that will have an impact on the UK's long term digital and economic future. In the coming years, Quantum will have the potential to enable smart cities, revolutionise healthcare systems and drive innovation in key industries. To prepare for this future techUK believes now is the time to bring the wider technology sector into the discussion about the UK's quantum future and how we plan for success.
Latest innovation and R&D insights and reports
techUK report: Quantum commercialisation: Positioning the UK for success
techUK is calling on UK Government and industry to set clear commercial ambitions together, giving UK-based and international businesses the confidence that the UK is a viable place to achieve quantum commercial viability in this inaugural quantum report.
Are we getting closer to achieving the target for the UK to invest 2.4% of GDP in R&D by 2027?
The UK Government announced a welcomed increase in the R&D budget at the Spending Review, but more can be done to stimulate business investment in R&D.
techUK position paper – Governance for an AI future
In collaboration with our members, techUK has summarised four top priorities for a successful AI governance regime in the UK.
How UK data protection reform can help drive the R&D ecosystem
Research published by the National Centre for Universities and Business show collaborations between the private sector and academic institutions are in decline. The UK’s upcoming data protection reform may be able to help.
Upcoming events
Get involved
All techUK's work is led by our members - keep in touch or get involved by joining one of the programmes below
Tech and Innovation
techUK’s Technology and Innovation Programme explores key transformative technologies driving the UK’s digital economy, society and Industry 4.0 including AI, digital identity, cloud, data analytics and emerging technologies such as quantum and RPA. By exploring the convergence of technologies and identifying opportunities to drive adoption and deployment and conducting horizon scanning to identify future technology trends it ensures techUK remains relevant as the technology industry evolves.
Policy and Public Affairs
techUK's policy and public affairs function makes the case to government and policymakers across Westminster, Whitehall, Brussels and the devolved nations on the most pressing issues facing businesses and the tech sector.
Innovation Policy Group
techUK’s Innovation Policy Group brings together members with expertise in the development and deployment of new technologies, with public policy professionals and key stakeholders. Its aim is to identify and develop coherent and relevant innovation policy asks that ensures the UK remains a competitive leader in tech innovation, R&D and the commercialisation of future technologies that are set to have transformative effects across the UK’s economy and society.
Sue Daley
Neil Ross
Laura Foster
Jake Wall
Sue Daley
Sue leads techUK's Technology and Innovation work.
This includes work programmes on cloud, data protection, data analytics, AI, digital ethics, Digital Identity and Internet of Things as well as emerging and transformative technologies and innovation policy. She has been recognised as one of the most influential people in UK tech by Computer Weekly's UKtech50 Longlist and in 2021 was inducted into the Computer Weekly Most Influential Women in UK Tech Hall of Fame. A key influencer in driving forward the data agenda in the UK Sue is co-chair of the UK government's National Data Strategy Forum. As well as being recognised in the UK's Big Data 100 and the Global Top 100 Data Visionaries for 2020 Sue has also been shortlisted for the Milton Keynes Women Leaders Awards and was a judge for the Loebner Prize in AI. In addition to being a regular industry speaker on issues including AI ethics, data protection and cyber security, Sue was recently a judge for the UK Tech 50 and is a regular judge of the annual UK Cloud Awards.
Prior to joining techUK in January 2015 Sue was responsible for Symantec's Government Relations in the UK and Ireland. She has spoken at events including the UK-China Internet Forum in Beijing, UN IGF and European RSA on issues ranging from data usage and privacy, cloud computing and online child safety. Before joining Symantec, Sue was senior policy advisor at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). Sue has an BA degree on History and American Studies from Leeds University and a Masters Degree on International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Birmingham. Sue is a keen sportswoman and in 2016 achieved a lifelong ambition to swim the English Channel.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 020 7331 2055
- Twitter:
- @ChannelSwimSue,@ChannelSwimSue
Neil Ross
As Associate Director for Policy Neil leads on techUK's public policy work in the UK. In this role he regularly engages with UK and Devolved Government Ministers, senior civil servants and members of the UK’s Parliaments aiming to make the UK the best place to start, scale and develop a tech business.
Neil joined techUK in 2019 to lead on techUK’s input into the UK-EU Brexit trade deal negotiations and economic policy. Alongside his role leading techUK's public policy work Neil also acts as a spokesperson for techUK often appearing in the media and providing evidence to a range of Parliamentary committees.
In 2023 Neil was listed by the Politico newspaper as one of the '20 people who matter in UK tech' and has regularly been cited as a key industry figure shaping UK tech policy.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Twitter:
- @neil13r
- Website:
- www.techuk.org/
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilross13/
Laura Foster
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
Jake Wall
Jake has been the Policy Manager for Skills and Future of Work since May 2022, supporting techUK's work to empower the UK to skill, attract and retain the brightest global talent, and prepare for the digital transformations of the future workplace.
Previously, Jake was the Programme Assistant for Policy. He joined techUK in March 2019 and has also worked across the EU Exit, International Trade, and Cloud, Data Analytics and AI programmes.
He also holds an MA in International Relations from the University of Sussex, as well as a BA(Hons) in International Politics from Aberystwyth University. During his time at Aberystwyth University, he won the International Politics Dissertation Prize.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Twitter:
- @jww_tech,@jww_tech
- Website:
- www.techuk.org,https://www.techuk.org
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwwuk,https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwwuk