The Australian and New Zealand tech sector showed its expansion ambition through its record participation in this year's London Tech Week (LTW) trade mission. Now in its eighth year, London Tech Week is Europe's largest technology festival and sees groups participating in virtual evening sessions led by a range of sector experts in the UK (20-29 September).
Alongside the London Tech Week 2021 programme, the UK Government's Department for International Trade has selected specific companies to attend a virtual trade mission to the UK. Those selected to join the mission are actively considering expansion to the UK and represent a wide variety of tech subsectors, including:
- 42 x Future technology (AI, cyber, blockchain/distributed ledger, IoT, robotics, big data, space)
- 30 x Impact technology (companies making a positive social or environmental impact)
- 25 x Edtech
- 23 x Digital health and wellness technology
- 21 x Creative technology (AR/VR/MR, gamification, adtech, media, eCommerce, sportstech, marketing tech)
The trade mission has been organised and managed by teams from DIT with the support of Australia's state governments, including NSW, QLD, WA and VIC. The programme has been specifically curated for Australian and New Zealand tech scale-ups to provide them with bespoke advice and support as they consider their expansion into the UK, including:
- Visas and immigration with Gately Legal
- Recruiting a virtual team with Propel Recruitment
- Building Brand Awareness with Think & Grow
- Lead Generation with Think & Grow
- Unbiased hiring - the UK's step change in creating a diverse workplace with Applied
- Resilience and mental health for tech entrepreneurs with Tribe Global, Blow Your Own Mind and Virtual Psychologist
- Raising capital in the UK - Getting the pitch right with raising finance, Cooper Parry, Octopus Ventures and Seatfrog
British Consul General and Deputy Trade Commissioner Asia Pacific (Australia and New Zealand), Louise Cantillon said:
I am delighted we have a strong delegation of 140 Australian and New Zealand tech companies covering such diverse and dynamic subsectors of technology for London Tech Week. As the UK looks to finalise trade agreements with both Australia and New Zealand, and with the launch of our APAC Digital Trade Network, our trade and investment relationships are stronger than ever.
The UK remains a top destination for tech scaleups. The UK tech sector has shown both remarkable resilience and growth in 2020 in spite of unprecedented challenges from the Covid-19 pandemic. Recent reports highlight that venture capital investment in the UK has soared, with tech VC investment hitting a record in 2020 of USD$15 billion - behind only the USA and China.
Dr Vikram Sharma, Founder and CEO of QuintessenceLabs said:
At QuintessenceLabs we have, since our founding, seen the UK as a very important destination and have been planning for the establishment of an in-country presence with the support of the UK DIT. Given the UK's storied history in the field of cybersecurity and early adoption of advanced technology, it represents an ideal location for our EMEA headquarters.
We are developing several important strategic partnerships with UK institutions and the recently announced AUKUS partnership is providing favourable tailwinds. We look forward to having an on-ground presence in the UK during the first half of 2022.
James Cooper-Jones, CEO, Simply said:
The shared values and similar business culture between Australia and UK has made the United Kingdom an attractive scale up target market for Simply's diversity technology. However, it has been daunting at times, particularly during the pandemic, to piece together the steps to launch into the UK.
Being selected as part of the UK's Department for International Trade mission to London Tech Week 2021 has been invaluable to me and my team in making connections and find resources to assist us with 'road mapping' Simply's set up and commercial release into the UK.
Peter Rose, Chief Revenue Officer, Forbury:
In Forbury's 'space' the UK represents the third largest market in the world hence the UK focus. Our UK entry kicked off in the middle of the pandemic with no ability to meet the team, customers and/or partners face to face. Yet Covid-19 lockdowns did not change the old adage that building and developing mutually beneficial relationships offers exponential value.
These 1+1=3 relationships have all been identified and built from relevant connection. [DIT]'s mission offers relevant connections, content and learning. One initiative, contact or lesson leads to other opportunities that create other avenues, to compound value.
London Tech Week:
LTW is Europe's largest technology festival. The annual event brings together the world's most inspirational founders, global leaders, senior investors and rising talent. In 2020 the festival was held as a virtual event for the first time, attracting over 20,000 attendees from across the globe. The festival hosted over 700 sessions across 11 days, featuring more than 750 leading speakers and innovators.
