Name: Tech Policy Conference 2026
Start: 2026-03-16T00:00:00.000Z
End: 2026-03-16T00:00:00.000Z
Location: London

About this event

techUK’s annual Policy Conference is a flagship moment in the UK tech policy calendar, bringing together senior figures from across Westminster, Whitehall, regulators, industry and academia to address the big questions facing the technology sector.

Tech Policy Conference 2025

Now a well-established annual event, the conference provides a space for evidence-based discussion on how the UK can remain a leading place to develop, invest in and deploy new technologies. Taking place at a time of economic pressure, rapid technological change and an evolving political landscape, the 2026 conference will focus on how the UK turns ambition into delivery. As government and industry look to drive growth, strengthen public trust and navigate global uncertainty, the conference will explore what a credible, long-term approach to tech policy should look like.

This year’s programme is united by a common thread: how the UK can stay globally competitive while ensuring technology delivers real benefits for people, businesses and public services. Through panels, keynotes, and conversations, the conference will examine not only where the UK tech sector is heading, but the policy choices that will shape its future.

This conference will explore a range of critical topics, such as:

Regulating for Innovation
The Digital ID
Responsible AI adoption
Digital Sovereignty
Diversity and inclusion across the technology sector

The day will conclude with a drinks reception, providing an opportunity to network with policymakers, regulators, industry leaders and academics from across Westminster, Whitehall and beyond.

Event details:

Timings: 09:00 - 17:00

Ticket prices:

techUK member ticket - free
Public sector - free
Non-member ticket - £170.00 + VAT

Please note for techUK members (suppliers) we are limiting tickets to two per organisation for the moment.

* There will be some limited free tickets to key stakeholders and media, please contact the techUK team for more details*

Please note: a refund will be given on cancellations received in writing 6 weeks prior to the event. Regrettably no refunds can be given after this date. Full terms and conditions can be viewed here.

If you need any support when booking your tickets, please contact Flagship Events Team

For more information, please contact:

Agenda

Monday 16 March 2026

09:00–09:45
Registration & networking
11:30–12:15
Panel:The digital solution: How can digital ID address many of the challenges the UK faces, and how do we get it right? Sponsored by Yoti
The Government has ambitions to create a universal digital ID system across the public sector. But this is not the only ambition that the UK has around digital ID: There already exists a thriving private sector delivering use cases across financial services, online retail and more, and that are continuing to drive innovation across the economy.
With this in mind, this session will explore the current digital ID ecosystem in the UK, and how it relates to the opportunities the new Government national digital ID programme wishes to explore. It will also consider the challenges faced in developing a national digital ID, including the delivery of significant government infrastructure projects needed for data sharing. This session will cut through the noise, educate on what is being proposed, and explore how to best communicate this across the population.
14:45–15:15
Coffee break
16:00–16:20
In Conversation with Dr Ben Spencer MP, Shadow Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology
12:15–13:45
Lunch break
17:00–17:30
Drinks reception
09:45–10:00
Opening remarks
16:50–17:00
Closing remarks
10:45–11:05
In Conversation with Zia Yusuf, Spokesperson for Home Affairs, Reform UK
11:05–11:30
Coffee break
13:45–14:00
In Conversation with Kate Forbes MSP, Deputy First Minister of Scotland
14:00–14:45
Panel: Societal disruption: How can the UK look to create the right climate for responsible AI adoption? Sponsored by Salesforce
AI presents a major opportunity for the UK, but it also brings real risks and real costs if deployed without sufficient oversight, clarity or accountability. These issues are no longer theoretical. At the same time, focusing only on risk risks missing the point: the UK needs a credible, honest account of what AI can deliver for productivity, growth and better outcomes across the economy and society, alongside a clear-eyed view of the trade-offs involved.
Over a year on from the AI Opportunities Action Plan, AI still represents a significant opportunity to our economy and public services if done right, but other countries are moving fast, with scale and ambition. Attention is rightfully shifting from ambition to execution. This session will examine what widespread AI adoption looks like in practice, how organisations and workers are affected, and what government and industry need to do to create the right conditions for responsible deployment. The challenge now is not whether to act, but how to move forward.
10:00–10:45
Panel: Driving Innovation: How do we create the right landscape to support and develop innovative transport and technology solutions? Sponsored by Uber
Regulators and policymakers working across the technology sector often face the delicate challenge of having to pre-emptively regulate to protect citizens ahead of technologies and use cases being fully understood and developed. Industry is clear that the UK needs regulation that protects citizens and markets, but also actively fosters innovation.
This session will examine what effective, innovation-friendly regulation looks like, and how regulators and industry can collaborate to shape it together. It will examine policymaking in a rapidly evolving landscape of risks, and discuss strategies for building public trust while balancing growth. The conversation will also consider broader challenges facing the technology and innovation sectors.
16:20–16:50
In Conversation with the Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
15:15–16:00
Panel: World-leading: How can the UK create an internationally thriving technology sector in the age of digital sovereignty?
By its nature, the technology sector is one of the most interdependent sectors globally with businesses and operations spanning different borders and jurisdictions. However, in an age of even more uncertainty – both in terms of technology developments but also geopolitically – there has been a wider conversation playing out about what truly resilient economies look like and how they should be developed within countries.
This session will consider how the UK can work to create its own regulatory standards for technologies that span borders, and how it can work with its counterparts to ensure cohesion and collaboration across different countries’ approaches. Additionally, the conversation will cover what it means to build out digital resilience in terms of infrastructure, data and regulation and how the UK can work alongside other countries to strengthen its own technology offering.