Transforming public services in the UK
techUK plays a pivotal role in driving digital transformation across the public sector by fostering collaboration between government and industry. Through early market engagement, redefining procurement and investment models, and facilitating the responsible use of AI, techUK helps unlock innovation and align digital services with public needs. This enables more efficient, secure, and personalised service delivery while addressing legacy IT challenges and encouraging private sector investment.
In addition, techUK supports the development of a digitally skilled public sector workforce and champions digital inclusion to ensure equitable access to services. By promoting unified digital ecosystems and advocating for seamless, citizen-focused experiences, techUK aims to modernise public services in a way that boosts productivity, enhances outcomes, and ensures all communities benefit from the digital age.
Click the two tabs below to see examples of how techUK supports both our members and the public sector:
- techUK fosters an open dialogue with the public sector, enabling members to align their solutions with real-world public sector needs.
- We promote early market engagement, opening new opportunities for members to meet public sector decision makers.
- techUK acts as a bridge to scale AI responsibly, providing opportunities for members to collaborate and deploy AI solutions.
- We encourage new investment models, showcasing member tech solutions to support private investment in public sector digital transformation.
- techUK provides opportunities for members to support the transformation of legacy IT systems in government.
- We offer a channel for tech companies to provide upskilling tools and digital transformation support to the public sector.
- techUK enables its members to contribute to social value and inclusivity through tech solutions.
- We advocate for better digital services, improving the citizen experience of public sector services through technology.
- techUK encourages member collaboration in building interoperable and unified digital solutions to create seamless interactions across all public services.
- techUK helps the public sector adopt proactive procurement strategies and access emerging technologies.
- We ensure digital services meet public needs, making them more efficient and personalised.
- We support the responsible integration of AI to improve public service productivity.
- techUK helps to define how tech investments are justified and implemented, aligning with government priorities.
- We assist in modernising legacy systems to enhance security, data visibility, and cost savings.
- techUK helps build digital skills in the public sector workforce, increasing capacity for change.
- We work to ensure public digital services are inclusive and accessible to all.
- We can improve the citizen experience through simplified, user-focused digital service delivery.
- techUK supports the creation of integrated digital ecosystems for seamless citizen interaction across services.
Supplier Engagement - how does techUK help the public sector engage with the industry?
Below are various ways the public sector can engage techUK members/suppliers via techUK.
techUK activities | What is it? | Format | Benefits | Contact for more information |
---|---|---|---|---|
'Art of the Possible' Workshops | Workshops bringing together the public sector and techUK members to address common challenges. | Grand challenges and proof of concepts are crowdsourced from the public sector; techUK membership attend to interrogate, challenge, and identify possible solutions. | Peer support and best practice across the public sector and the tech supplier base. An understanding of the art of the possible. Identifying problems to inform technology. Safe space to test and de-risk innovation at a collective level. |
[email protected] |
Industry Briefings | Opportunity for the public sector to engage the tech market as one in a neutral environment. Providing the market with more information about either a digital strategy and ambition to validate thinking or brief on an upcoming procurement to ensure a diverse and varied response. | Webinar, roundtable or briefing session with the opportunity for informal networking. | Connect with a diverse mix of tech suppliers, small and large. Engage in a genuine two-way dialogue with the tech market as part of an early market engagement. |
[email protected] |
SME Innovation Showcase | The public sector can propose challenges and opportunities. | Tech SMEs (techUK membership includes over 650 individual companies) pitch innovative solutions. | Public sector partner better informed of the innovations that exist and an opportunity to hear first hand from tech SMEs. Signpost innovators in the space. |
[email protected] |
Partnering & Networking Pitches | Targeted SME networking opportunity that offers the public sector and tech companies, small and large, the opportunity to explore ideas and identify partners with innovative solutions and new concepts. | Two-minute pitches from participants on the problem their solution can solve and if they are looking to partner with an SME or large/established company. Followed by informal networking. | A route to market for SMEs enabling them to connect and partner with a larger company established in the local government market. Opportunity for local government to hear what latest innovations are. |
[email protected] |
Pre-market engagement: Case studies from across the country:
We provide bespoke opportunities for the public sector to engage techUK members as part of an early market engagement. You can share information about a digital strategy to validate thinking, or brief members on an upcoming procurement to ensure a diverse and varied response. Below are three good examples of this in practice:
Birmingham City Council: Unlocking AI’s Potential in Transforming Public Services
Read our round-up of an event where techUK brought Birmingham City Council together with techUK members to explore how AI can transform public services and shape the future of digital cities. The event addressed shared challenges, highlighted opportunities, and explored the shift from AI ambition to real-world delivery.
London Borough of Redbridge: Engaging with the industry to solve challenges
Read our round-up of an event where we brought together over 40 people from across local government and tech industry to reimagine how social care is delivered. The session provided a neutral space where local government could expand on their challenges, and techUK members could better understand the problems, and come up with new ideas and solutions.
North East Digital Workshop: A focus on digital ambition
Read our round-up of a workshop where techUK hosted digital and IT leaders from the North East region and techUK members. Digital leaders were able to share their strategic priorities and digital goals, fostering greater collaboration with techUK members.
Latest report:
Financing the Future: Building a Smarter State Through Digital Public Services
This new report presents a strategic assessment of digital procurement across government and makes the case for a fundamental shift in funding for digital services. Based on extensive stakeholder engagement and case study analysis, the report looks at current approaches to procuring digital public services and how they might be improved.
Latest news and views:
Upcoming events:
The majority of our events are free for techUK members and public sector stakeholders (anyone with a public sector email address, or central or local government).
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Take part in our SME survey:
Complete our Public Sector Tech SME Survey 2025
techUK has long recognised small businesses’ potential to transform public service delivery. If you're an SME working in the public sector, please complete our Public Sector Tech SME Survey to help us understand your experiences.
Our public sector teams:

Central government
The central government programme advocates for tech in UK Government, enhancing public services, facilitating engagement, and driving efficiency.

Defence
The defence programme aligns UK's tech sector with MOD's Defence Digital, advancing technology exploitation and supporting MOD's digital procurements.

Education and EdTech
The education and EdTech programme bridges education, tech industry, and policymakers, enabling institutions to adopt technology for enhanced learning and skills development.

Health and social care
The health and social care programme supports members in navigating digital health, fostering a world-leading ecosystem to prepare NHS and care services for future challenges.

Justice and emergency services
The justice and emergency services programme fosters member-public sector partnerships, driving engagement, innovation, emerging technology, and tackling challenges in public safety markets.

Local public services
The local public services programme connects companies with local authorities, driving innovations to enhance citizen outcomes and create smart, digital public services.

National security
The national security programme explores technologies to strengthen UK security, addressing vulnerabilities and fostering thought-leadership in innovation and policy.
Upcoming events (by sector):
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