[Event Report] Event Held in London to Promote Collaboration and Technological Partnerships with Leading UK Universities to Advance Japan-UK Policy Objectives

On June 11, JETRO co-hosted the "Japan-UK Tech Innovation Partnership" event in London with the UK Government, the Embassy of Japan in the UK, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to strengthen technology collaboration between Japan and the UK. The event was held as part of JETRO's international collaboration initiative, J-Bridge, to coincide with London Tech Week (June 8-12). The event was also held in accordance with the objectives of the Japan-UK Frontier Technology Partnership announced at the Japan-UK Summit Meeting on June 14.

The event was held with the objectives of sharing the latest innovations and industrial policies in Japan and the UK, promoting awareness of initiatives undertaken by major universities and innovation support organizations that form the core of the UK's innovation ecosystem, deepening discussions on collaboration between leading UK universities (see attached reference table) and Japanese companies, and strengthening networks among stakeholders from both countries. Approximately 150 participants, including representatives from Japanese and UK companies and universities, attended the event. UK participants included David Taylor, MP, the UK's Trade Envoy to Japan; Matthew Collins, Deputy National Security Adviser, the National Security Secretariat ; and Sam Lister, Director General for Industrial Strategy, Department for Business and Trade. Japanese participants included Masaki Ikegami, Deputy Head of Mission Minister at the Embassy of Japan in the UK, and Takuya Fukumoto, Deputy Director-General for Innovation Policy at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).

In his opening remarks at the event, Mr. Taylor stated, "Our goal is to turn partnerships into real economic impact. We want to deepen cooperation and focus on helping innovation scale by mobilizing investment and supporting collaboration in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technologies, cybersecurity, space, telecommunications, advanced manufacturing, and other emerging technologies." He emphasized that this event is an important step toward generating opportunities for business pitches, business matching, and joint research, paving the way for long-term cooperation. He also expressed his expectation that the foundation of Japan-UK cooperation will be further strengthened, leading to tangible outcomes, new partnerships, and economic benefits.

In his subsequent remarks, Mr. Lister emphasized that Japan, which shares deep commonalities with the UK in many aspects, including history, values, and technological capabilities, was selected as the first partner under the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy announced in June 2025, highlighting the strong foundation shared by the two countries (Japan-UK Industrial Strategy Partnership; see note). He identified three areas for Japan-UK collaboration: (1) co-creation of investment and growth opportunities, (2) security in supply chains, and (3) innovation.

At the event, five Japanese companies delivered reverse pitches outlining their technology needs and collaborative research opportunities. Meanwhile, 10 UK organizations-including university technology transfer offices (TTOs), university-affiliated venture capital (VC) firms, and innovation parks-gave pitches introducing their respective roles, research strengths, and opportunities for collaborative research. Additionally, networking sessions among participants and one-to-one meetups between Japanese companies and UK universities were held, resulting in approximately 40 business meetings aimed at exploring potential collaboration.