More than 700 leaders from across the UK and international semiconductor, electronic systems and deep-tech industries came together in London for the first TechWorks Semiconductors to Systems Summit (S2S26), highlighting growing confidence and collaboration across the sector.
The sold-out event, which also marked TechWorks’ 30th anniversary, brought together more than 120 speakers and over 80 exhibitors and sponsors, spanning the complete technology journey from semiconductor materials, design and manufacturing through to intelligent electronic systems, cyber security, commercialisation and scale-up.
For the first time, the TechWorks NMI, DESN, AESIN and IoT Security Foundation communities came together within a single event, alongside the UK Semiconductor Centre and international partners from Canada, Japan, the Netherlands and Germany. The scale of S2S26 reflects a UK deep-tech sector that is becoming increasingly interconnected, as technologies including semiconductors, AI, photonics, advanced packaging, electronic systems and cyber security converge across industries.
Across four conferences – BUILD, CREATE, SECURE and SCALE – industry leaders explored both the technologies reshaping the sector and the action required to turn the UK’s engineering and research strengths into successful businesses, investment, skilled jobs and long-term economic growth. Topics ranged from next-generation semiconductor materials, GaN power semiconductors and photonics through to AI-enabled manufacturing, advanced packaging, chiplets, digital twins, autonomous systems, electrification and post-quantum security.
A major theme throughout the Summit was the need to connect the different parts of the UK technology ecosystem more effectively. While the UK has significant strengths across semiconductor design, specialist manufacturing, research and emerging technologies, discussions focused on how greater collaboration between industry, academia, government and investors can help businesses commercialise innovation and scale internationally.
International collaboration was also high on the agenda. Representatives from Canada, Japan, the Netherlands and Germany joined UK leaders to explore how countries can combine complementary strengths across research, fabrication, pilot manufacturing, packaging, testing, skills and market access.
Charles Sturman, CEO of TechWorks, commented, “The response to S2S26 demonstrates the extraordinary level of ambition and capability that exists across UK deep tech. What was particularly striking was the sense of common purpose: people want to work together, and there is real confidence about what the UK can achieve.
We have world-class capabilities spanning semiconductor materials, photonics and advanced packaging through to AI-enabled design, intelligent systems and secure computing. The opportunity now is to connect those strengths more effectively and turn more of our innovation into successful businesses, investment, jobs and economic growth.”
The Summit also highlighted the rapid growth of Women in TechWorks, an initiative launched to support the attraction, retention and career progression of women across engineering and technology.
TechWorks will now build on the momentum generated by S2S26 through its industry communities and partnerships, continuing work around technology development, commercialisation, investment, skills, international collaboration and the growth of UK deep-tech businesses.
Sturman added, “S2S26 showed what can happen when we stop looking at individual technologies and sectors in isolation and start connecting the whole ecosystem. The challenge now is to maintain that momentum. For TechWorks, this is the beginning of the next chapter.”