The UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) is seeking tech companies from Australia and New Zealand who are considering the UK for international expansion. The selected group will join the official hybrid mission to London Tech Week in September 2021.
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 upwards of 750 leading speakers and innovators.
Australian and Kiwi scale-ups who are considering expansion to the UK can apply to one of the following streams:
- creative technology (AR/VR/MR, gamification, adtech, media, eCommerce, sportstech, marketing tech)
- digital health and wellness
- edtech
- future technology (AI, cyber, blockchain/distributed ledger, IoT, robotics, big data, space)
- impact technology (companies making a positive social or environmental impact)
The successful applicants will be invited to join a pre-mission in-person networking event in early September. They will then participate in a series of virtual evening sessions from 20 to 29 September 2021.
Those selected will join a programme curated for ANZ scale-ups. This will include sessions from key players in the UK tech ecosystem, who will provide exclusive insights on market opportunities and guidance on capital raising, R&D and support to set up.
British Consul General and Deputy Trade Commissioner Asia Pacific (Australia and New Zealand), Louise Cantillon said:
The UK tech sector has reached new heights and is the first country in Europe to reach 100 unicorns [tech companies valued at US$1 billion]. This means the UK now has the largest number of tech unicorns in Europe. With a fantastic track record for supporting tech companies and innovation, the UK is the ideal location for Australian and Kiwi tech companies who are ready to expand internationally.
The UK’s Department for International Trade team is delighted to be running this mission again. Despite physical restrictions, this is a great platform for the tech community to come together and for Australian and NZ companies to explore the opportunities the UK market has on offer. Good luck to everyone applying.
DIT’s delegation last year was the largest ever from Australia and New Zealand. 130 tech founders and industry representatives joined the mission.
LTW is part of a broader programme of initiatives to increase digital trade and investment opportunities between the UK and ANZ tech sectors. Earlier this year the UK launched the Digital Trade Network (DTN) for Asia Pacific. The network will support UK-ANZ tech collaboration and support UK tech scale-ups in the region.
The LTW application process is open to Australian and New Zealand companies only. Victorian companies need to apply via the Global Victoria application.
Applications to join the mission will close on Friday 30 July 2021.
Find out more information on LTW and how to apply.
Further information
- there are currently 100 UK tech companies valued at US$1 billion or more
- the UK joins China and the US as the only nations to have triple-digit unicorn
- in 2021, 13 UK unicorns have already been created, compared to 7 in the whole of 2020, and has increased by 127% since 2017
- the UK has more tech unicorns than Germany (42), France (22) and the Netherlands (18) combined, and is the first country in Europe to reach 100 unicorns
- the UK’s 100 tech unicorns have raised almost €28.9 billion (US$32 billion) in VC investment, as venture capital reached record highs in the first half of this year
About the UK’s Department for International Trade:
The UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT):
- helps businesses export
- drives inward and outward investment
- negotiates market access and trade deals
- champions free trade
Find out more about DIT.