Our keynote speaker, John Edwards, Director at the UK Government’s Office for Investment (OfI), delivered a candid and optimistic address, highlighting where the UK stands in a fast-shifting global investment landscape.

“We have a trillion dollar tech ecosystem in the UK. It’s the biggest in Europe. We have more unicorns than the rest of Europe combined. So we’re doing alright.”

But John made clear that good isn’t good enough, especially with rising intervention from other governments and the accelerating complexity of areas like national security, AI, and regulation.

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Industrial Strategy, Regulation & Clarity of Focus

Edwards emphasised two upcoming strategies as central to the UK’s next chapter: a revised Industrial Strategy and a Trade Strategy, both expected to take a more targeted approach.

“We’ve started to make choices about where we’re going to put our money and effort. The next Industrial Strategy will focus on just 20% of the economy — a real prioritisation.”

He also spotlighted the UK’s regulatory innovation as a point of competitive strength, noting a new Regulatory Innovation Office and a shift in regulator culture:

“We’ve made growth a stronger mandate for regulators — to say that their primary purpose is not just to regulate, but to grow their industries.”

The Role of the Office for Investment

The newly launched Office for Investment aims to act as both a commercially-minded investment promotion agency and a policy influencer at the heart of government.

“We report to No. 10, the Chancellor, and the Secretary of State for Business and Trade. That gives us a powerful voice — both for facilitating investment and influencing regulation.”

With a growing team, many from private sector backgrounds — and an explicit focus on sector-specific propositions, the OfI hopes to build more tailored, proactive support for strategic investment.

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Talent, Data, and AI Readiness

John highlighted the UK’s depth in soft infrastructure — talent, data, and regulation — as key enablers of long-term FDI success:

“We have more AI PhDs and AI degree programmes than anywhere else in Europe. But we also know we need commercialisation, designers, people who can take products to market.”

He also noted the launch of a Global Talent Taskforce and an AI Fellowship Scheme to attract the world’s best digital and data talent.

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Partnering with Multipliers

Throughout his address, Edwards returned to one clear message: the government can’t do this alone.

“We cannot do this on our own. We rely on you — the intermediaries, embassies, trade agencies — to bring these companies in. You’re often the first call. Let’s make sure we support you better.”

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What’s next?

We’ll be following up with all attendees to continue the conversation around innovation in FDI and the support models that help tech companies thrive in the UK.

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