Call for contributions: Building the Smarter State Week 2026

From 5 – 8 May we will be hosting Building the Smarter State Week.

This year's conference will spotlight real-world examples of digital excellence - both at home and abroad - covering themes including world-leading AI in the public sector, digital sovereignty, and resilience in an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape. With the UK government's Blueprint for Modern Digital Government and AI Opportunities Action Plan firmly on the agenda, attendees will gain direct insight into how policy is being turned into action.

Through blogs from members and stakeholders we want to explore digital excellence in 2026 and what that looks like, how the UK can effectively deliver digital transformation and turn policy into action, the rise of AI in public services, citizen-centred design, and the lessons that the UK can learn from some of the world’s most advanced digital governments and what that looks like in practice.

The deadline for content is 27 April.

Please see below the themes for the week:

Digital excellence in 2026: What does it mean and why does it matter? As governments accelerate digital adoption in an era of digital sovereignty, resilience, and the rise of AI in the public sector in an increasingly geopolitical landscape, what does a smarter state look like? What are the risks vs benefits?
From Policy to Practice: How can the UK effectively deliver digital transformation? With the Blueprint for Modern Digital Government and the AI Opportunities Action plan firmly in place, how is policy being turned into action?
Procurement as the engine of digital delivery – Digital ambition is set in policy, but the real driver is procurement. What does good look like when procuring AI-enabled services and scaling digital adoption, and how can industry support this?
Citizen-centred service design – What are the principles of citizen-centred service design, designing systems around citizens not systems, how can we do this right and effectively
Global Lessons, Local Impact: What Governments Can Learn from Each Other – What can the UK learn from some of the world’s most advanced digital governments? How transferable are they?

Login below to find out how to contribute

The conference:

techUK's Building the Smarter State conference offers a unique opportunity to join over 200 senior leaders and decision-makers from across government and the technology sector to explore how innovation is transforming public services.

This year's event will spotlight real-world examples of digital excellence - both at home and abroad - covering themes including world-leading AI in the public sector, digital sovereignty, and resilience in an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape. With the UK government's Blueprint for Modern Digital Government and AI Opportunities Action Plan firmly on the agenda, attendees will gain direct insight into how policy is being turned into action.

The conference brings together an exceptional lineup of speakers, including Liisa Pakosta, Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs of Estonia, Masahiro Ihara, Executive Director and Chief Technology Officer of GovTechTokyo, Matthew Dutton, Chief Technology Officer at the Home Office, Tiffany St James, Chief AI Officer for Liverpool City Region, and, Madeline Hoskin, Chief Technology Officer for North Yorkshire Council.

Sessions will tackle the full breadth of the digital transformation agenda - from responsible AI procurement and citizen-centred service design, to the lessons the UK can draw from some of the world's most advanced digital governments. Whether you are looking to benchmark your own organisation's approach, forge new connections, or stay ahead of the curve on public sector innovation, this is an essential event for anyone with a stake in building the smarter state.

Ellie Huckle

Programme Manager, Central Government, techUK

Ellie joined techUK in March 2018 as a Programme Assistant to the Public Sector team and now works as a Programme Manager for the Central Government Programme.

The programme represents the supplier community of technology products and services in Central Government – in summary working to make Government a more informed buyer, increasing supplier visibility in order to improve their chances of supplying to Government Departments, and fostering better engagement between the public sector and industry. To find out more about what we do, how we do this and how you can get involved – make sure to get in touch!

Prior to joining techUK, Ellie completed Sixth Form in June 2015 and went on to work in Waitrose, moved on swiftly to walking dogs and finally, got an office job working for a small local business in North London, where she lives with her family and their two Bengal cats Kai and Nova.

When she isn’t working Ellie likes to spend time with her family and friends, her cats, and enjoys volunteering for diabetes charities. She has a keen interest in writing, escaping with a good book and expanding her knowledge watching far too many quiz shows!

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Phone:: 020 7331 2015
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techUK - Transforming Public Services

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techUK members are transforming public services in the UK. Our community help to shape a smarter, digitally empowered public sector.

techUK drives public sector digital transformation by uniting the public sector and tech industry. Through early market engagement, efficient procurement, and innovative technology adoption, we help to modernise legacy IT, and enable efficient, secure, and personalised services.

Get involved: We run a busy calendar of activity including events, reports, and insights that demonstrate some of the most significant digital transformation opportunities for the sector. Our Transforming Public Services Hub is where you will find details of all upcoming activities. We also send a monthly public services newsletter to which you can subscribe here.