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R&D

Research and Development (R&D) is key to the success of the UK tech sector. The tech sector sits at the fulcrum where researchers develop their ideas into new digital products and high innovation and disruptive firms. techUK works with researchers, government and industry to ensure a dynamic interplay between the UK's research and innovation sectors and tech businesses to support our ambition to see the UK become a natural home for the innovators and disruptors of the future.

Join techUK's Innovation Policy Group

Join techUK's Innovation Policy Group

Bring your expertise in the development of new technologies and shape innovation policy.

Join the group

Our three areas of interest:

1. Innovation Ecosystem

 

2. Research & Development

 R&D tax credits

 

UK R&D ecosystem

 

 

3. Emerging Technologies

Technologies in the spotlight

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

Robot-Research-innovation-198336892-web-1500px.jpg

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-computer-future-innovation-255289388-web-1500px.jpg

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

 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Latest news

All insights

 

Get involved

All techUK's work is led by our members - keep in touch or get involved by joining one of the programmes below

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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.

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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.

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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.