The systems that support global trade are being reshaped - not just by technology, but by the speed at which it’s evolving. AI, quantum, and privacy-enhancing technologies are no longer on the horizon; they’re here. The challenge now is how to govern them.
That’s what future-proofing trade really means - creating space to adapt policy and delivery as the world changes.
At NayaOne, we’ve seen this shift first-hand through our work on the World Economic Forum’s TradeTech Sandbox, delivered with the UAE Ministry of Economy and Abu Dhabi’s Department of Economic Development. It wasn’t about innovation theatre - it was about execution infrastructure: structured, safe environments where regulators, enterprises, and vendors could test and shape real solutions together.
That same model - proven in trade - is now being extended to the UK’s marine economy, a sector worth £49.4 billion annually.
What Worked: Lessons from the TradeTech Sandbox
The TradeTech Sandbox brought together stakeholders across the MENA region to run structured experiments in digital trade - testing everything from AI-driven logistics and smart documentation to digital identity and trade finance flows.
What made it effective wasn’t the use cases. It was the structure:
•Safe experimentation with real data and workflows
•API-first onboarding, enabling rapid vendor integration and testing
•Multi-market engagement, from regulators to large corporates •Direct feedback loops into trade standards and frameworks
And the outcomes weren’t just academic. Sandbox participants have been shown to raise 47% more capital, survive longer, and file significantly more patents than peers. These are not pilots - they’re delivery tools.
Why It Matters: Transforming the Marine Economy
The UK’s marine sector is entering a new phase of regulatory modernisation.
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and the UK Major Ports Group (UKMPG) are piloting a sandbox approach to digitise, streamline, and de-risk the marine licensing process - a critical step for one of the UK’s most strategically important industries.
It reflects a broader shift already underway across regulated sectors:
→ Simulated environments that mirror real-world licensing journeys end-to-end
→ Cross-sector collaboration between regulators, operators, and technology vendors
→ Smart integration of AI risk models, geospatial tools, and ESG analytics
→ Policy insight loops that connect experimental sandboxes with long-term reform
This is where regulatory transformation moves from concept to execution - using infrastructure and experimentation to unlock change at scale.
The Bigger Picture: Future-Proofing Trade Policy
As global trade evolves under the weight of digitisation, decarbonisation, and increasing geopolitical and technological disruption, five areas are becoming critical for policy development:
1.Trade agreements must account for emerging technologies.
Modern trade deals should be designed to flex as technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) and quantum computing mature - avoiding the need for constant renegotiation.
2. AI in trade and logistics must be governed from the start
The use of AI in supply chains and trade finance is growing fast - but without early-stage rules, we risk regulatory catch-up and fragmented oversight later.
3. Quantum security and cyber resilience need practical investment.
It’s no longer enough to plan for quantum-era risks on paper. Governments and trade bodies need to support live testing environments and infrastructure to prepare.
4. PETs are key to cross-border data compliance.
Technologies like federated learning and zero-knowledge proofs help enable secure, compliant data flows between jurisdictions - a growing need in digital trade.
5. Shared testbeds can replace outdated policy pilots.
Multilateral coordination is increasingly built around shared infrastructure (such as sandboxes or test environments), where countries can experiment together, not just agree on frameworks.
Future-proofing trade means embedding these capabilities into how we regulate, not just how we innovate.
From TradeTech to TideTech
What started as a financial innovation tool is becoming critical infrastructure for governance and growth.
The sandbox model helps countries:
• Move faster, without compromising oversight
• Build smarter regulation grounded in evidence, not abstraction
• Scale technology with trust - from trade corridors to tidal zones
As the UK positions itself for net-zero infrastructure and next-generation trade agreements, these capabilities are no longer optional - they’re foundational. If you're shaping how the UK regulates, governs, or grows the infrastructure of tomorrow - let’s build together.
Shifting Currents: Tech, Trade, and Security
techUK’s Trade Campaign Week 2025 brings together industry voices, policymakers and thought leaders to explore how technology is reshaping the global trade landscape. Throughout the week, we’ll highlight key issues at the intersection of trade, security and innovation, from navigating geopolitical uncertainty to unlocking the potential of emerging tech.
techUK International Policy and Trade Programme activities
techUK supports members with their international trade plans and aspirations. We help members to understand market opportunities, tackle market access barriers, and build partnerships in their target market. Visit the programme page here.
techUK's first delegation to India
techUK’s international team was proud to lead our first-ever members delegation to India
Our members develop strong networks, build meaningful partnerships and grow their businesses as we all work together to create a thriving environment where industry, government and stakeholders come together to realise the positive outcomes tech can deliver.
Sabina Ciofu is International Policy and Strategy Lead at techUK, where she heads the International Policy and Trade Programme. Based in Brussels, she shapes global tech policy, digital trade, and regulatory cooperation across the EU, US, Canada, Asia-Pacific, and the Gulf region. She drives strategy, advocacy, and market opportunities for UK tech companies worldwide, ensuring their voice is heard in international policy debates.
With nearly a decade of previous experience as a Policy Advisor in the European Parliament, Sabina brings deep expertise in tech regulation, trade policy, and EU–US relations. Her work focuses on navigating and influencing the global digital economy to deliver real impact for members.
A passionate community-builder, Sabina co-founded Young Professionals in Digital Policy (800+ members) and now runs Old Professionals in Digital Policy (more experience, better wine, earlier nights). She is also the founder of the Gentlewomen’s Club, a network of 500+ women supporting each other with kindness.
She holds advisory roles with the UCL European Institute, Café Transatlantique (a network of women in transatlantic tech policy), and The Nine, Brussels’ first members-only club for women.
Recognised by ComputerWeekly as one of the most influential women in UK tech, Sabina is also a sought-after public speaker on tech, trade and diversity.
Sabina holds an MA in War Studies from King’s College London and a BA in Classics from the University of Cambridge.
Senior Policy Manager for International Policy and Trade, techUK
Daniel Clarke
Senior Policy Manager for International Policy and Trade, techUK
Dan joined techUK as a Policy Manager for International Policy and Trade in March 2023.
Before techUK, Dan worked for data and consulting company GlobalData as an analyst of tech and geopolitics. He has also worked in public affairs, political polling, and has written freelance for the New Statesman and Investment Monitor.
Dan has a degree in MSc International Public Policy from University College London, and a BA Geography degree from the University of Sussex.
Outside of work, Dan is a big fan of football, cooking, going to see live music, and reading about international affairs.
Theo joined techUK in 2024 as EU Policy Manager. Based in Brussels, he works on our EU policy and engagement.
Theo is an experienced policy adviser who has helped connect EU and non-EU decision makers.
Prior to techUK, Theo worked at the EU delegation to Australia, the Israeli trade mission to the EU, and the City of London Corporation’s Brussels office. In his role, Theo ensures that techUK members are well-informed about EU policy, its origins, and its implications, while also facilitating valuable input to Brussels-based decision-makers.
Theo holds and LLM in International and European law, and an MA in European Studies, both from the University of Amsterdam.
Tess joined techUK as an Policy and Public Affairs Team Assistant in November of 2024. In this role, she supports areas such as administration, member communications and media content.
Before joining the Team, she gained experience working as an Intern in both campaign support for MPs and Councilors during the 2024 Local and General Election, and working for the Casimir Pulaski Foundation on defence and international secuirty. She has worked for multiple charities, on issues such as the climate crisis, educational inequality and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). In 2023, Tess obtained her Bachelors of Arts in Politics and International Relations from the University of Nottingham.
