Media Release
The Tech Council of Australia (TCA) and techUK have formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking a significant milestone in technology industry collaboration between Australia and the United Kingdom.
Signed during London Tech Week at the UK Department for Business and Trade in the Old Admiralty Building and announced at the Aus-UK Chamber of Commerce Tech Week Event at Australia House in London, the agreement builds on the momentum of the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which came into force in 2023. The FTA includes the world’s first innovation chapter which recognises the important role that innovation plays in stimulating competitiveness, increasing productivity, encouraging investment and promoting international trade. It also includes a strong digital trade chapter emphasising the importance of promoting trusted data flows and enabling digital trade facilitation.
The new TCA and techUK partnership is a practical step toward implementing the objectives of the FTA and formalises those ambitions at an industry level. TCA and techUK will work together to deepen cooperation and collaboration between tech sectors, with a focus on technology trade, regulation, investment, and innovation. This includes sharing knowledge and insights, aligning on regulatory and policy issues, and driving practical commercial opportunities for UK and Australian technology companies.
At the core of the MoU is a commitment to supporting technology businesses, especially SMEs, expand across borders. This means better access to markets, clearer insights into regulatory environments, and stronger connections to potential partners and investors.
The partnership will focus on emerging and critical technology areas including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital identity, fintech. These are sectors where both the UK and Australia have established industry strengths and where closer collaboration can unlock new commercial opportunities to bolster long-term digital resilience.
Australia’s Trade and Investment Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ireland, Annika Barton noted “we are delighted to support this partnership, which coincides with the two-year anniversary of the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement. It sends a strong signal the opportunities created through the FTA are being realised and backed by meaningful industry partnerships on the ground. The new partnership will raise awareness of the opportunity for commercial collaboration between our respective tech sectors and complement existing market expansion pathways such as Austrade’s new London Landing Pad program.”
The UK Government’s Deputy Trade Commissioner for Australia and New Zealand, Louise Cantillon, welcomes the initiative stating, “I am delighted to support this partnership between techUK and the Tech Council of Australia. The UK has the third largest tech sector in the world, is home to multiple unicorns, and investment is at a 20-year high, with VC Investors pumping $16.2 billion into UK tech last year. Likewise, Australia has demonstrated success at growing and attracting global tech companies in a variety of verticals such as Business Software, BioTech and PayTech. To truly recognise the economic potential of technology within our countries, we need to bring together founders, academia, trade associations, investors and government to drive ambition and share ideas and best practice. By working together through partnerships like these, we can unlock new opportunities, drive innovation and strengthen the position of our tech nations.”
TCA’s Chief Business Officer, Chris O’Connell, said, “The TCA is delighted to partner with techUK. The partnership is about deepening channels of engagement between our technology industry sectors. It is about building stronger and deeper tech ecosystems by connecting startups, scaleups, investors, and policy experts. It is fitting that we launch this partnership at London Tech Week, where we are joined by over 70 Australian technology companies.”
techUK’s Deputy CEO, Antony Walker, stated, “We are really excited to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Tech Council of Australia. Tech already plays a huge role in the UK-Australia partnership through AUKUS, and with the brilliant FTA, which has a strong digital chapter. The UK and Australia are not just connected by history and language, but by a deep commitment to open markets, democratic governance, and a rules-based digital world. We are looking forward to working together, sharing knowledge and expertise, and creating opportunities for our respective members.”
Richard Basil Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Australia-UK Chamber of Commerce, in speaking of the announcement: “The Tech Council of Australia and techUK are leading trade associations representing the strength, dynamism and strong collaboration between the UK and Australian tech sectors. Importantly, they both have this incredibly aligned and common focus – their partnership will advance shared digital economy goals and provides a framework for deeper cooperation on trade, investment, and innovation.”
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Ok, at face-value. I hope it is NOT to do with AUKUS.