Driving the UK Semiconductor Agenda: Accelerating action in 2025
2025 has been an impactful year for UK semiconductor policy. Against the backdrop of growing global importance, there have been clear steps forward in strengthening the UK semiconductor ecosystem. Attempts to realise the ambition of the National Semiconductor Strategy have grown stronger. In June, the Government’s Industrial Strategy outlined a digital and technologies plan, in which the importance of semiconductors was explicitly referenced as part of six frontier technologies. techUK was also pleased to see the development of the long-awaited UK Semiconductor Centre being established in June.
Increasing prioritisation of semiconductor capabilities has been a positive development, including that seen in the July 17th UK Compute roadmap, outlining their plans to support building a world class UK Compute Ecosystem. There are numerous references to chips in this roadmap, as it recognises the role of novel chip architectures but fails to deliver any plan to ensure reliable chip supply planning to avoid bottlenecks.
Now is not the time to be complacent on semiconductors- we must act decisively. Both government and industry must keep momentum to turn strategy into tangible outcomes. That is the task ahead, and groups like techUK and the Chips Coalition are pushing hard to make it a reality.
What is needed going forward?
techUK's July 7th session, How can a UK Semiconductor Centre support the development of a thriving semiconductor sector? Provided a fantastic industry pulse check.
The panels agreed the sector needs clarity, coordination, and global integration. Rather than duplicating effort, the Centre must now map existing assets, connect fragmented strengths, and act as a catalyst for collaboration across the value chain. Its role is not to do everything, but to do a few things exceptionally well - supporting commercialisation, enabling access to infrastructure, and building international partnerships that attract talent, capital, and ideas.
Join techUK and our partners across industry and government, as we built upon this work- continuing to address bottlenecks, unlock new business opportunities, and power the next wave of UK semiconductor growth.
Semiconductors will not innovate in silos, which is why techUK is proud to be working across of our programmes to ensure chip companies are represented and supported. Please find below some of upcoming opportunities we’d be delighted to have you join, from across techUK and external initiatives.
Women in Semiconductors | skills roundtable (20 October)
This roundtable is a joint initiative from across the semiconductor sector, where several leaders have identified the need to address this difficult and long-standing challenge. The discussion will focus on how the UK can attract, support, and retain more women across the semiconductor talent pipeline – and how that can lift all boats across the wider tech sector. Please reach out to laura.foster@techuk.org if you would like to shape this discussion, more details to be shared soon.
Date: 20 October
Location: techUK Office
Please let us know if you would like to join.
Members may also be interested in our sustainability flagship event- free for techUK members. This edition of the Tech & Net Zero Conference brings together industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to focus on critical interdependencies between climate, tech deployment and interconnected sustainability challenges. From clean energy to AI-driven efficiencies and nature risk, climate is increasingly merging with other areas of risk.
Key themes:
Policy & Governance - navigating new scepticism, understanding regulations and tech leadership in climate policy
Systemic Interdependencies - Balancing energy, infrastructure, nature, human rights and digital transformation
Climate tech growth: hear from startups, SMEs and global enterprises
Join the conversation shaping a sustainable, tech-powered future. Collaborate. Innovate. Decarbonise.
Date: 22 October
Time: 9:00 - 17:00
Location: London
techUK is pleased to announce the first-ever trade and policy delegation to Ottawa, Canada from 27 to 30 October 2025, offering members a valuable opportunity to engage directly with the Canadian Government, explore commercial opportunities, and build relationships with Canadian companies and stakeholders.
This delegation is open to techUK member companies and is particularly suited for:
C-level executives (CEOs, Founders, Managing Directors)
Heads of policy, public affairs, or regulatory affairs
Companies with an existing presence in Canada or concrete plans to expand into the market
Date: 27 - 30 October
Location: Ottawa, Canada
