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 new 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.

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techUK Events, Opportunities and Trade Missions:

techUK is hosting a member-only webinar on Friday, 27 June at 12:30 – 14:00 to debrief on the Government’s Spending Review, where we’ll explore its implications for the technology sector and the future of the UK’s Industrial Strategy. This is an exciting opportunity to hear expert voices to unpack key announcements, discuss funding priorities, and examine how government plans align with long-term industrial and innovation goals. Find out more and sign up here.

techUK’s International Policy and Trade programme is inviting you to participate in our upcoming International Trade Campaign Week 2025 titled: Shifting Currents: Tech, Trade, and Security. From 7 – 11 July, we are looking for contributions and perspectives on how the technology sector can adapt to and shape the future of international trade while contributing to the UK's economic prosperity and security. Covering five themes, the week is designed to not only equip our members with insights, strategies, and practical approaches to navigate these complex disruptions, but to also showcase the cutting-edge solutions that can help businesses in the wider economy trade and grow internationally. Find out more and how you can contribute here.

techUK invites members to join our delegation to this year’s WTO Public Forum, taking place in Geneva on 17–18 September 2025. This year’s Forum comes at a crucial time for global digital trade. With the WTO’s next Ministerial Conference (MC14) scheduled for March 2026 in Cameroon, critical issues - including the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions - are on the table. The Forum will provide a unique opportunity to help shape the dialogue in the run-up to this pivotal moment. Find out more here.

techUK invites members to join our 2025 delegation to Washington DC, an opportunity to connect directly with senior US policymakers, regulators, and industry stakeholders shaping the future of technology and trade. Taking place against the backdrop of the recently signed UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal and ongoing discussions around digital trade, AI governance, and tech regulation, this visit provides valuable context and access for UK tech businesses and policy teams navigating the US landscape. Find out more here.

External events, opportunities, and trade missions

Made in the UK, Sold to the World Roadshows are touring six UK regions in 2025: Northern England, Midlands, Wales, Southern England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. Each roadshow event will be spotlighting a different sector. Open to all industries, these dynamic events are designed to boost your confidence in global trade and fast-track your export growth. Whether you're new to international markets or scaling up your global presence, if you have an export-ready product or service, these roadshows offer direct access to buyers, sector experts, and overseas market specialists. Each event features a flexible programme of seminars, commercial zones, and business support led by senior representatives from the Department for Business and Trade. Sector themes include clean energy in Blyth (24 April), life sciences in Oxford (16 July), advanced manufacturing in Birmingham (15 May), technology in Cardiff (13 June), creative and digital in Belfast (11 September), and financial services in Edinburgh (25 September). Register your interest here today.

UK-ASEAN Business Council (UKABC) and Arup are hosting an exclusive in-person Dialogue with ASEAN Heads of Mission on Monday, 30 June 8:30 – 10:30 in London. The Dialogue will feature the latest updates on market developments and UK priorities in Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines (Chair of ASEAN in 2026) and the wider Asia Pacific region from a high-level panel of Heads of Mission. Speakers will include:

The webinar series will highlight Alberta’s strengths across sectors including clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and technology – all well as a general overview session on Alberta’s economy. Exploring Canada’s fastest-growing economic region and how businesses can benefit from the opportunities it presents. Find out more about all four webinars and sign up to them here.

COMEX – Global Technology Show showcases the trends & breakthrough technologies that impact the way people live, communicate, work & network in the 21st century. For 33 years COMEX, has been serving as a sourcing and networking hub for Oman technology market and continues to be one of the Gulf’s leading platforms for ICT procurement, new product launches and technology demonstrations. Join top ICT elites, innovators and entrepreneurs from the world in showcasing the most advanced and innovative ICT products, attracting more than 5,000 local and international trade visitors from Government and private sectors. This year, a special emphasis is being given this year to Oil & Gas, Transport & Logistics, Investments in ICT, Education, Healthcare, Banking & Finance, Tourism, Retail and Manufacturing. Sign up here.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) invites UK-based companies to express their interest in a prospective joint trade mission to:

• Taipei, Taiwan, for the UK-Taiwan Space Trade Mission (23–26 September)
• Sydney, Australia, for the 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) (29 September–3 October).

Deadline for applications is Monday, 30 June. For more information and how to sign up, please click here.

Whether you're a seasoned cybersecurity supplier or a newcomer navigating the digital maze, International Cyber Expo is your gateway to the latest security innovations, expert insights, and powerful business connections. Bursting with innovation, this two-day event offers immersive workshops, live demonstrations, and free content designed to keep you ahead of cyber threats. From hands-on experiences to expert-led discussions, International Cyber Expo is where the future of cybersecurity takes shape. Find out more and sign up here.

Runway to the Future is ADR global program open to startups (and not only) from all around the world, aimed at scouting innovative solution to build the airport of the future. The Runway to the Future programme is actively looking for innovative solutions in priority areas such as:

Alongside dedicated business mentors, in one of the biggest airports in Europe, selected startups are rewarded €80,000, at the beginning of the programme and up to € 2 MLN for a full commercial rollout at the end of the programme. Additionally, all applying companies have the opportunity to be included in ADR supplier directory and be considered for future needs. Please find more information here, and apply here.

The UK-Ukraine Tech Bridge Investment Accelerator is a hybrid program that prepares Ukrainian startups for expansion into the UK market. It aims to equip the cohort with in-depth knowledge of the UK’s investment landscape, refined fundraising strategies, and expertise from influential UK-based VC funds with a focus on securing investment deals.

Intralink’s Government-backed UK-APAC Tech Growth Programme provides support for UK firms to expand in 11 APAC markets: Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea. Intralink’s teams on the ground in APAC can identify participants’ business opportunities, provide market entry advice and help companies sell their products, forge partnerships and raise investment. The services on offer are either free of charge or heavily subsidised by the UK Government. They include skills workshops; in-market visits and trade missions; opportunities to pitch to APAC corporates looking to adopt and invest in UK tech; and 10-week ‘business development initiatives. Find out more and apply to participate in the programme here. 

Updates and News from techUK Members & Stakeholders

On 28 May 2025 the EU Commission unveiled its Startup and Scaleup Strategy. The Strategy aims to make Europe a great place to start and grow global technology-driven companies. It will anchor itself in the broader “Choose Europe” initiative which launched on 5 May at Sorbonne University in Paris and aims to position Europe as a global hub for scientific research and innovation. The strategy sets out actions in five key areas. Read more here.

Santander’s Trade Barometer is a twice-yearly survey of over 1,000 UK businesses with a minimum £1m turnover. Amid the rapidly evolving global trade landscape, the Barometer offers valuable, timely data to help government advise businesses wanting to trade internationally, as it covers business sentiment towards international trade and identifies regional and sectoral differences. Read the full results of the survey here.

International business development consultancy Intralink has expanded its global presence to India to help UK technology companies secure customers and partners in this rapidly-developing market, and to enable Indian businesses to grow overseas. With Intralink now operating from New Delhi and Mumbai, this is the latest step in the company’s plans to enable even more companies around the world to expand in international markets. Read more here.

The Ministry of Digital Transformation and the Lviv IT Cluster, present CodeUA, a national tech marketplace, enabling international businesses to connect, collaborate and partner with verified Ukrainian tech companies, strengthening global networks and fostering growth across borders, without financial risk. With over 2100 verified IT-companies, around 2000 startups and over 300,000 skilled professionals, the Ukrainian tech sector is a vital driver for the European tech market. Find out more here.

DBT are conducting some research on how the Singapore Digital Economy Agreement has been working in practice for businesses. The outcome of this engagement will feed into government-to-government discussions with our counterparts in Singapore. The agreement committee meeting with Singapore is expected to take place this year. Their aim is to support this forum by gathering information and feedback from UK businesses regarding their experience with the agreement, particularly any issues or barriers that have encountered that’s within scope. If you have any experience (good or bad) of trading with Singapore please complete our survey here.

On 15 December 2024, the UK officially became a member of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), marking a significant achievement as the first non-founding and first European county to join. techUK’s insight outlines the benefits and opportunities this membership provides for UK businesses seeking to strengthen their presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Additionally, the UK Government released guidance documents to help businesses navigate the agreement’s provisions. Read more here.

While Japan was at the forefront of quantum computing in the late 1990s, it has fallen behind in recent years and the Japanese government is now investing heavily to catch up. This is creating significant opportunities for UK firms specialising in quantum computing hardware, software and services to work with Japanese companies to bridge the gap between where quantum computing is today and real-world commercial applications. This report details these opportunities, recommends market entry strategies and covers different viable business models, all illustrated by high-value case studies and testimonials from in-market players. Click here to read the report.

Understanding how to manage your local talent is a crucial part of setting up shop in a new country and securing mid-to-long-term growth. In Asia, even experienced team builders often run into unexpected issues. Intralink invited experts in talent attraction and executive search from across Asia to advise you – talking Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Watch the skills workshop here.

At the start of 2024, the UK rejoined Horizon Europe. That means that Horizon Europe applicants can take their bids to the next level by utilising the UK's thriving R&D infrastructure. The UK Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) is encouraging the brightest thinkers with the biggest ideas from across Europe to partner with UK scientists, researchers and businesses through the world-leading Horizon Europe programme, as part of a new international campaign that launches today (Thursday 14th March). Further information can be found at the UK's Horizon Europe Hub, which includes a tool for searching for Horizon Europe partners.

techUK member Hawksford are pleased to announce the launch of their new eBook, ‘Doing business in the UK’. This publication provides an overview of what you need to know when considering doing business in the UK, including the fundamentals of investing, from setting up a company in particular jurisdictions to successfully running a business. Click here to read.

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 [email protected] or [email protected]

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.