London Tech Week 2025 officially opened this week with a keynote from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who took the stage alongside NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang.
The event brings together global leaders in tech, business and government, with more than 30,000 attendees from over 125 countries.
Major players including Microsoft, Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services and NVIDIA are all present, highlighting the UK’s position as a global hub for AI innovation.
Starmer used the opening to announce two major training programmes aimed at boosting AI skills across the UK.
The first, called TechFirst, includes £187m in funding to help teach AI concepts to one million secondary school students.
The second is a public-private partnership with firms including Google, Microsoft and Amazon to train 7.5 million workers in practical AI skills such as using chatbots and large language models.
“These programmes will put the power of AI into the hands of the next generation – so they can shape the future, not be shaped by it,” claimed Starmer.
NVIDIA also signed two new agreements with the UK government to support the creation of a nationwide AI talent pipeline.
The UK’s AI sector is currently valued at £72bn and is forecast to exceed £800bn by 2035.
According to the Tech Nation Report 2025, the UK tech industry has reached a combined market value of $1.2tn, making it the largest tech ecosystem in Europe.
The UK has produced 163 privately held startups valued at over $1bn, with around 90% of these companies continuing to be headquartered in the country.
London Tech Week arrives at a time of intense global focus on AI, under the theme ‘Tech in the Age of AI’.
Over 650 speakers are featured, including 227 startup founders, 180 CEOs, and representatives from companies such as AstraZeneca, BT, Synthesia, Virgin Media O2 and Rapyd.
The event showcases cutting-edge technologies including generative AI, quantum computing and digital infrastructure, along with panel discussions on regulating AI and promoting international cooperation.
Government officials, including Secretary of State Peter Kyle and Minister for Investment Poppy Gustafsson, are also expected to speak on the UK’s £86bn science and tech investment strategy.
Carolyn Dawson OBE, CEO of Founders Forum Group and Tech Nation, called the event a “crucible moment” for UK tech.
She urged leaders to harness AI’s momentum to secure long-term growth.
London Tech Week 2025 sets the stage for continued innovation and collaboration, positioning the UK as a key player in the future of technology on the global stage.
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