Empowering UK tech SMEs to scale and succeed
Whether you're growing your business, entering new markets, securing public sector contracts, or boosting sales, SME Connect provides the support, connections, and insights you need. Our hub is your one-stop-shop for overcoming challenges and unlocking new opportunities.
Generating Sales
Find actionable guidance on navigating procurement processes, enhancing sales pipelines, expanding to international markets, and tapping into both public sector contracts and private sector partnerships to fuel your growth.
Access to Finance
Whether you're looking to attract investment, simplify grant applications, or maximise tax incentives, we'll provide you with the foundations you need to navigate financial challenges and secure the resources to grow.
Get involved
Upcoming events
Modernising Retail: Driving Innovation Through Digital Transformation
Platform, New Station St, Leeds LS1 4JB Panel discussion
The Scale-up Story
The Scale-Up Story is an interview series that shines a light on the real journeys of tech SMEs who’ve successfully secured funding to grow. These are honest, personal stories written by founders and leaders who’ve navigated the uncertainty, the pitches, the rejections, and the breakthroughs.
Getting policy right for scaling businesses
techUK represent our industry on tech policy and regulatory changes in the UK.
We convene our members and lead conversations with the UK Government and regulatory stakeholders to ensure the voice of our scale-ups are heard. As the government seeks to create an environment to better support the UK’s most promising and fastest growing firms, techUK wants to see barriers to growth unlocked.
Small Enterprises, Big Impact
Small Enterprises, Big Impact is structured as both a review and reflection on previous and ongoing policy interventions, including Help to Grow: Digital and Making Tax Digital, and outlines a range of policy actions that the Government can enact within the next 12 months.
Scale-Up Action Plan
In this Plan, we set out how backing UK tech scale-ups will be vital to support the UK Government's ambition for growth. Our Plan has been developed with our members and Scale-Up Council, along with input from experts and stakeholders from across the scale-up ecosystem, including the BVCA and ScaleUp Institute.
🎧 The techUK Podcast 🎧
Scaling your tech business in the Asia Pacific
🎧 The techUK Podcast 🎧
The Role of SMEs in Developing Regional Digital Economies
A discussion with Ed Bevan and Matt Robinson of techUK, featuring October’s SME Members of the Week. They explore the Local Digital Capital Index and the role of SMEs in regional digital economies. Featuring Edward Cole (Katlas Technology), Daniel Lewis (Awen Collective), and Simon Hall (Coeus Software), the episode highlights the impact of SMEs on local economies and their role in strengthening digital ecosystems.
Find out more about other related programmes at techUK
Nations and Regions Hub
techUK champions the tech sector throughout the UK. We work with local authorities, devolved government, and local and national policy makers to advocate for the tech sector in strengthening economic growth and resilience across the nations and regions. We provide opportunities for our members and stakeholders to meet, develop relationships, and collaborate to drive forward projects that build stronger local economies.
What our members say
Get in touch to learn more:
Ed Bevan
Ed Bevan
Ed is Head of SME Engagement and is responsible for shaping techUK’s proposition to our SMEs across the country, ensuring our policy work, market access activity and services benefit the SME community.
Prior to working at techUK, Ed worked in the at the Department for International Trade, engaging with a variety of businesses, particularly SMEs, to understand the benefits of Free Trade Agreements and act as case studies in press and social media. Ed has also worked in policy and public affairs within the voluntary sector, namely the Alzheimer’s Society and the Men’s Health Forum.
Ed holds a MA in International Relations from Leiden University, and in his spare time enjoys spending time with his son, travelling, and visiting historical sites.
- Email:
- [email protected]
Stephanie Barr
Stephanie Barr
Stephanie is the Programme Manager for SME Engagement and Nations & Regions at techUK.
Working across the two programmes, Stephanie develops activities to support the growth and development of tech SMEs and engages with members and stakeholders more broadly to help strengthen regional tech economies.
Prior to joining techUK, Stephanie worked for a political events company and as a Senior Caseworker for an MP. She holds an MA (HONS) in Politics from the University of Glasgow.
Outside of work, Stephanie enjoys travelling, climbing and playing squash.
- Email:
- [email protected]
Mia Haffety
Mia Haffety
Mia joined techUK in September 2023.
Mia focuses on shaping a policy environment that fosters the expansion of the UK tech sector while maximising the transformative potential of technology across all industries.
Prior to joining techUK, Mia worked as a Senior Policy Adviser at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) within the Policy Unit.
Mia holds an MSc in International Development from the University of Manchester and a BA(Hons) in Politics and International Relations from the University of Nottingham.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/miahaffety/
Edward Emerson
Edward Emerson
Edward leads the Digital Economy programme at techUK, which includes our work on online safety, fraud, and regulation for growth initiatives.
He has prior experience working for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and has previously worked for a number of public affairs consultancies specialising in research and strategy, working with leading clients in the technology and financial services sectors.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-emerson-009189183