The UK produces world-class technology and is home to exceptional tech entrepreneurs. All too often it watches them scale in America.

Rory Daniels, Head of Emerging Technology and Innovation at techUK, joins Thinking on Paper to discuss whether the United Kingdom can remain competitive as quantum computing, robotics, photonics, AI and advanced computing begin to converge.

The UK has strong research institutions, deep technical talent and globally significant companies. Its recurring problem is scale. Promising technologies are often developed in British universities and laboratories, then commercialised or funded elsewhere.

In this episode, we discuss:

What makes the UK robotics industry different from the US and China
Why British companies often focus on specialised robots for nuclear sites, wind turbines and industrial environments
How autonomous driving companies such as Wayve combine AI, sensors and connectivity
Whether robotaxis can coexist with London’s black-cab industry
Why UK technology companies struggle to scale after the startup stage
How access to long-term capital affects quantum, robotics and semiconductor companies
The role of universities, technology-transfer offices and regional innovation clusters
What is happening in Coventry, Edinburgh, Milton Keynes, Barnsley and other UK technology centres
How digital twins and simulation are used to train robots and autonomous vehicles
Why photonics matters for quantum computing
How quantum, photonic, neuromorphic and biological computing could converge
Whether AI can develop the judgement and wisdom required to solve complex technical problems
How techUK connects companies, researchers and policymakers
Why public trust and adoption matter as much as technical performance

Rory argues that the UK’s advantage may not lie in dominating a single technology. It may come from combining existing strengths in AI, chip design, robotics, quantum computing, photonics and connectivity.

The conversation examines what government, industry, universities and investors must do if the UK is to convert strong research into companies that can scale globally without leaving the country.

Please enjoy the show.

Thinking on Paper is a technology podcast about AI, Space, quantum computing, science, and the systems shaping the future.

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Chapters

(00:00) The UK Technology Landscape

(03:14) Robotics: A UK Perspective

(05:54) Autonomous Vehicles in the UK

(08:39) The UK's Innovation Ecosystem

(11:05) Challenges and Opportunities for UK Tech Entrepreneurs