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?

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.

How to get involved

🗓️ September Events

Innovate UK’s Global Business Innovation Programme (GBIP) aims to help ambitious, innovative UK businesses to grow and scale globally, through building collaborative R&D and innovation partnerships. These programmes offer UK SMEs the opportunity to explore international collaboration and market expansion in key semiconductor nations, please find more information below:

Photonics (the science and application of light) underpins the technologies that power our modern world, from high-speed communications and medical imaging to advanced manufacturing and consumer devices. Increasingly, it is also converging with semiconductors, creating breakthroughs in areas like optical computing, chip design, and next-generation communications.

This overlap is central to the UK’s ambitions in AI, quantum, defence, and green technologies. Photonics and semiconductors together form the backbone of these emerging industries, driving innovation and shaping future supply chains.

To unlock this potential, stronger collaboration will be vital, bridging disciplines, industries, and technologies to ensure the UK captures the full value of the photonics–semiconductor nexus.

This event will explore the details of the recently announced consultation on the National Security and Investment Act and notably the proposed changes to the Notifiable Acquisition Regulations, including the schedules on AI, Data Infrastructure and Critical Suppliers to Government and the creation of a new schedule for Semiconductors.

The event will begin with a presentation by Douglas Lahnborg - Partner at Dechert LLP who will delve into the proposed changes. This will be followed by the opportunity for Q&A from the attendees.

The second half of the event, will be an opportunity for members to give feedback on the consultation, which will input into techUK's formal response. Please note, we are also accepting written input before the formal deadline of 14 October 2025.

techUK is delighted to be partnering with Microelectronics UK, a brand-new free event bringing together the entire UK microelectronics ecosystem under one roof. From semiconductors and photonics to embedded systems, advanced packaging, and beyond - this is where innovation meets industry.

Be part of the UK’s biggest gathering for the microelectronics community at Microelectronics UK, taking place on 24–25 September 2025 at Excel London. With 4,000+ attendees, 100+ speakers, and 100+ exhibitors, this is where engineers, developers and decision-makers come to explore the future of intelligent systems and advanced electronics. Don’t miss out, sign up here.

🗓️October Events

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 [email protected] if you would like to shape this discussion, more details to be shared soon.

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.

Join the conversation shaping a sustainable, tech-powered future. Collaborate. Innovate. Decarbonise.

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:

🗓️ November Events

techUK’s 2025 Tech & Innovation Summit brings together industry leaders, policymakers, regulators, and futurists to explore how emerging technologies can power the UK’s next decade of innovation, driving progress and economic growth through to 2035 and beyond.

With a newly-launched Industrial Strategy looking towards 2035, UKRI embarking on 10-year funding horizons, and the appointment of the Regulatory Innovation Office’s first Chair, the UK Government is taking bold steps to ensure the UK realises the economic and social opportunities behind technologies such as AI, Quantum and Robotics.

Technology and Innovation programme activities

techUK bring members, industry stakeholders, and UK Government together to champion emerging technologies as an integral part of the UK economy. We help to create an environment where innovation can flourish, helping our members to build relationships, showcase their technology, and grow their business. Visit the programme page here.