The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is inviting “innovative” tech businesses and research organisations to showcase their work at its new headquarters in Whitehall early next year.
The open invite, announced to coincide with the six-month anniversary of the tech department’s formation, will promote selected businesses across DSIT’s internal events and social media channels.
It will put design, technology and science businesses in front of “decision makers who are leading the push to cement the UK’s status as a science superpower”, the government said in an announcement.
Tech Secretary Michelle Donelan said: “To seize on the potential for science and technology to keep our nation secure, our people prosperous, and our planet healthy, it is essential we place this work at the very centre of what we do in government – and hosting them in our new headquarters demonstrates our commitment to working hand-in-hand with the sector while opening up one more avenue for collaboration.”
The tech department was established in February as part of a departmental reshuffle. Matters relating to the tech industry were previously handled by the Department for Digital Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), however, the prime minister separated technology into its own department as part of a plan to become a “science and tech superpower” by 2030.
Over the past six months, DSIT launched the Science and Technology Framework (a plan to become a world leader in tech), established the AI Taskforce to support innovation and safety in the sector, and released the quantum strategy, a £2.5bn plan to scale up the UK’s quantum capabilities.
DSIT also announced £50m of government investment for the Research Ventures Catalyst fund and the International Technology Strategy, a plan to encourage collaboration in tech with foreign allies.
In May, the government published its long-awaited semiconductor strategy, which received a mixed reception from the UK’s chip sector.
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