techUK’s Market Access Brief: International Opportunities for tech companies
See upcoming events, opportunities, news, and updates from techUK's International Trade Programme…
Welcome to the latest Market Access Brief insight. This is a our fortnightly insight which focuses on the events, opportunities, trade missions, as well as wider updates that we have within the techUK International programme and from our members and stakeholders.
This edition also comes with a new name at the bottom of the page. I’m Clorrie Yeomans, and I’ve recently joined techUK as Programme Manager for International Trade, taking over the market access brief. I look forward to meeting our members and learning about the international market opportunities that matter the most to your business.
Thank you to everyone who joined our delegation to CEATEC in Tokyo last month. A full write-up of the visit will be on our website soon.
Looking ahead, we are keen to spotlight two techUK delegations. The first is GITEX GLOBAL in Dubai from 7–11 December, where delegate places remain as well as one final UK Pavilion pod. The second is SXSW in Austin, Texas, from 15–20 March 2027. Places on our SXSW delegation are now open, and the registration deadline is Friday 4 December. Both delegations will let you meet policymakers, investors and technology companies. You can find out more below.
We've recently changed the way we send emails. Please sign up to our mailing lists for India (here), Japan (here) and APAC (here) to keep receiving emails on the markets you're interested in.
If you're a techUK member, you can advertise your events, updates and opportunities to our wider community of members, prospects and stakeholders through this newsletter. To do this, please email Clorrie.Yeomans@techUK.org.
techUK events, opportunities and trade missions
Go-to-Market Best Practice: Doing Business in the UAE; 10 November (Online)
Join techUK and Global Growth Hub for a free 60-minute webinar on doing business in the UAE. The session will cover market entry, licensing, business culture and sales, and is a great way to prepare ahead of our delegation to GITEX GLOBAL in Dubai this December. Find out more and register for the UAE go-to-market webinar.
Join the UK Pavilion at GITEX GLOBAL 2026 - Dubai; 7 – 11 December (Dubai)
We’re partnering with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) and Tradefair to offer UK tech companies the opportunity to join techUK’s delegation to GITEX GLOBAL 2026 - the world’s most prominent technology event - taking place in Dubai from 7–11 December. Joining the delegation will give your company a prime platform to build commercial connections, understand regional market dynamics, and meet key stakeholders in one of the world’s fastest-growing digital economies. Delegates will receive a four-day GITEX visitor pass and access to meetings, briefings and networking receptions organised by techUK. There is also one final place remaining to exhibit on the UK Pavilion, available on a first-come, first-served basis. Find out more and join the GITEX delegation.
techUK Strasbourg Visit: Engaging with the European Parliament; 15 – 16 December (Strasbourg)
Join us for our December visit to Strasbourg. This delegation is an opportunity to engage directly with Members of the European Parliament and other key stakeholders shaping the EU's approach to technology and defence policy. Against the backdrop of the evolving UK-EU relationship, the agenda will offer strategic insight into the regulatory and political environment for tech and defence firms operating in the EU, and direct dialogue with MEPs on sector priorities and opportunities. Find out more and sign up for the Strasbourg visit.
Join techUK at SXSW 2027; 15 – 20 March 2027 (Austin, Texas)
Sign-ups are now open for our delegation to SXSW 2027 in Austin, Texas, from 15th - 20th March 2027. SXSW brings together founders, investors, policymakers and technology companies, and techUK delegates will meet a variety of stakeholders through meetings, briefings and networking organised by techUK. The delegation is suitable for companies already active in the US or looking to expand into the US market. The deadline to sign up is Friday 4 December. Find out more and sign up for the SXSW delegation.
External events, opportunities, and trade missions
Exporting Horizons: International Trade Week 2026 opening event; 9 November, 09:00–15:30 (Manchester)
BIST is hosting the flagship opening day of International Trade Week 2026 at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. The event will feature export case studies, sessions on AI-driven growth, one-to-one advice from export specialists, and information on export finance and support. Find out more and register for Exporting Horizons.
IT Park Uzbekistan in London: Digital Eurasia; 19 – 20 November (London)
IT Park Uzbekistan, the technology hub operating under Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Digital Technologies, will be in London for Digital Eurasia, an initiative bringing together startup ecosystem leaders from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan with international partners. The visit will also involve representatives of the Ministry and the Embassy of Uzbekistan. IT Park is keen to connect with innovation hubs, accelerators, investors and other ecosystem organisations to explore collaboration and cross-border growth. Members interested in meeting the delegation should contact Clorrie.Yeomans@techuk.org.
INCYBER Forum Canada 2026; 1 – 3 December (Ottawa-Gatineau)
INCYBER Forum Canada is an international conference on cybersecurity and AI security, bringing together public and private sector leaders, government, military and cybersecurity professionals, with over 40 international delegations expected. Alongside two days of speakers, panels and live technical demos, the Forum includes a trade show, start-up competitions and KUBX, a B2B platform connecting end customers with partner providers, offering UK cyber and AI companies a route into the Canadian market. Find out more and register for INCYBER Forum Canada.
Build specialist trade policy expertise with an online Diploma; January 2027
Tariffs, digital trade and geopolitics are reshaping the global trading system fast — are you or your team equipped to keep up? The Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy's Online Diploma in International Trade Policy is a flexible, part-time CPD qualification covering trade policy issues across economics, law and politics. Taught by leading academics and practitioners and comprising four modules, you can study flexibly with one module or the full diploma. Two intakes each year with the next modules starting in January 2027. Register here.
Digital, Immersive & Retail tech mission to NRF 2027 - Expression of Interest; 9 -12 January 2027 (New York City)
BIST is delighted to announce a Digital, Immersive & Retail tech mission to New York City for the NRF Big Show 2027. UK retail, digital commerce, immersive technology companies will have the opportunity to join BIST’s trade mission to New York City, from 9th to 12th January 2027 and showcase on the UK Pavilion at NRF’s Big Show. This mission is aimed at supporting UK companies in the retail tech space seeking growth opportunities to the USA selling to stockists and suppliers in the retail ecosystem (including but not limited to solution innovators, AI startups, digital and immersive technology providers). Find out more and register for the NRF mission.
ISE Barcelona; 2-5 February 2027 (Barcelona)
Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) is the annual tech show for the audiovisual and systems integration industry. In 2026, ISE hosted over 1,751 exhibitors. Organisers are keen for attendees to attend Spark, a two-day creative industries event, and the Open Innovation Challenge. Find out more about ISE and Spark on the ISE website.
Updates and news from techUK members and stakeholders
The UK-India FTA is now in force: what tech businesses need to know and do The UK-India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) entered into force on 15 July 2026, covering goods, services, investment, government procurement and digital trade. For tech businesses, the agreement's digital trade chapter recognises electronic contracts and signatures, supports paperless trading and protects source code. To claim preferential tariffs, UK exporters must register with HMRC to complete origin declarations. Read techUK's guide to the UK-India FTA and BIST’s guide to technology exports to India.
UK-GCC Free Trade Agreement: what's in it for tech?
The UK and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) concluded negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement in May 2026, making the UK the first G7 country to agree a comprehensive FTA with Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The agreement includes binding provisions on the free flow of data, a moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions, acceptance of electronic trade documents and fair access to telecoms markets, although the digital chapter has no enforcement mechanism. The agreement is expected to be signed later this year. Ahead of our delegation to GITEX in Dubai, read techUK's analysis of the UK-GCC FTA and find the published documents on the UK-GCC trade deal page.
Innovate UK Horizon Europe Hub Horizon Europe is the world’s largest research and innovation programme running from 2021 until 2027, providing over £80 billion in funding to address some of the greatest global challenges. It supports groundbreaking ideas across various fields, from curing diseases to safeguarding cultural heritage. Horizon Europe offers a unique chance for cross-border collaboration, expanding the UK’s research connections, access to funding, networks, and global talent. Explore the Horizon Europe Hub.
Procurement opportunities;
If you would like to put events, opportunities, or updates in this newsletter insight, and you are a techUK member or stakeholder, please reach out to Tess.Newton@techUK.org or Archie.Breare@techUK.org
