Call for contributions: Supercharging Innovation campaign week!

**The technology and innovation programme is excited to host its innovation campaign week, as part of the Supercharging Innovation campaign, between the 18th-22nd September**

During this week, we will explore the emerging and transformative technologies at the heart of UK research and innovation. This week will investigate how to leverage the UK's strengths to push forward the application and commercialisation of these technologies, highlighting best practice from academia, industry and Government that is enabling success. As the trade association for UK technology, techUK is well positioned to explore how key emerging technologies can help deliver strategic advantage to the UK, while advocating for their sustainable, equitable and ethical application. This week will take place 18th-22nd September

Please note all insights submitted for the themes below should emphasise their role in making the UK a world pioneer in technology and innovation

The technologies we will be featuring this week are:

Monday: Quantum Commercialisation: How do we action the UK Quantum Strategy to develop a world-pioneering quantum economy?
Tuesday: Web 3.0 and Metaverse Technologies: How can we foster responsible innovation in the Metaverse and Web 3.0 to Supercharge the UK Tech Landscape?
Wednesday: Emerging space technologies: What steps can the UK take to become a superpower across a broad spectrum of emerging and transformative space technologies? (Industries of the Future: Space webinar here)
Thursday: Applied AI, semiconductors and the future of compute: How do we get next-generation and innovative application right? (Future Visions: AI and Semiconductors webinar here)
Friday: Supercharging UK tech: What ingredients are needed to supercharge the UK as a globally competitive pioneer in applied research and innovation? (please note that this should have a policy angle)

All these technologies (and more) will also be debated and explored at our first Innovation Summit on the 8^th November. This September campaign week will directly feed into the themes discussed at the Summit.

Call to action

We are looking for insights, thought leadership pieces and case studies from members to help explore the above themes! All techUK members and stakeholders can submit one piece or multiple contributions. We welcome a variety of formats so that you can decide what would best fit your company. The contribution guidelines are as follows:

Blogs

These will be published on our website as an insight page.

Between 600 – 1,000 words long.
Can include images, infographics and videos/vlogs (see below guidelines about submitting vlogs).
Add links throughout your text.
Please download our blog submission form here (instructions here), fill it in and submit alongside your content.

Vlogs

These will be published on our website as an insight page.

Between 3 to 6 minutes.
YouTube link or MP4 file.
Title for the video and any intro text.
Examples: #1
Email us your video through https://wetransfer.com/. Instructions here.

*For all submitted content, we require a headshot of each author, a brief biography, and the logo(s) of your organisation/company, so please ensure this is sent alongside all material.

Please send your submission through to Laura Foster (for Quantum, Web 3.0 and metaverse, and Supercharging UK tech) and Rory Daniels (for space tech and AI/semiconductors) by Friday 8th September. Content that is submitted after the deadline may not be promoted via techUK's social channels - this is crucial to increase visibility.

Part of techUK’s innovation campaign

At techUK, we want to create an environment where innovation can flourish, helping our members to build vital relationships, showcase their technology, and grow their business. Through our innovation campaign, we have been convening members, industry stakeholders, and government to understand how to develop the right ingredients for the UK to be a science and tech superpower.

Such an outcome would see the UK not only conduct the best research in the world, but, crucially, translate this into meaningful products and services that address real and significant challenges. These could affect sectors as diverse as healthcare, transport and climate. This is about more than simply knowing the ingredients of success; it's about developing the recipe that keeps the UK at pace with persistent change, to be more receptive of innovation, adoption, and then further re-invention.

You have the opportunity to be part of this campaign by submitting an insight or video piece! All these technologies (and more) will be debated and explored at the first Innovation Summit on the 8^th November. The September campaign week will directly feed into the themes discussed at this Summit.

Events During the Supercharging Innovation Campaign Week

Laura Foster

Head of Technology and Innovation, techUK

Laura is techUK’s Head of Programme 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

Read lessmore

Rory Daniels

Programme Manager, Emerging Technologies

Rory joined techUK in June 2023 after three years in the Civil Service on its Fast Stream leadership development programme.

During this time, Rory worked on the Government's response to Covid-19 (NHS Test & Trace), school funding strategy (Department for Education) and international climate and nature policy (Cabinet Office). He also tackled the social care crisis whilst on secondment to techUK's Health and Social Care programme in 2022.

Before this, Rory worked in the House of Commons and House of Lords alongside completing degrees in Political Economy and Global Politics.

Today, he is techUK's Programme Manager for Emerging Technologies, covering dozens of technologies including metaverse, drones, future materials, robotics, blockchain, space technologies, nanotechnology, gaming tech and Web3.0.

Email:: [email protected]
LinkedIn:: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorydaniels28/

Read lessmore

Elis Thomas

Programme Manager, Tech and Innovation, techUK

Elis joined techUK in December 2023 as a Programme Manager for Tech and Innovation, focusing on AI, Semiconductors and Digital ID.

He previously worked at an advocacy group for tech startups, with a regional focus on Wales. This involved policy research on innovation, skills and access to finance.

Elis has a Degree in History, and a Masters in Politics and International Relations from the University of Winchester, with a focus on the digitalisation and gamification of armed conflicts.