London Tech Week kicks off with NVIDIA keynote

The opening keynote at London’s Olympia venue commemorates a historic moment for the UK tech sector as global political, business and technology leadership converge to usher in a new era of innovation and investment. The participation of the world’s leading tech companies including Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud and NVIDIA demonstrates the importance of the UK as a centre for AI innovation.

“London Tech Week is a global gathering of tech leaders shaping not just AI, but how we innovate and collaborate in this new era,” said David Monaghan, Festival Director, London Tech Week. “As we welcome 30,000 attendees from over 125 countries, London Tech Week is where the global tech sector comes together with the UK innovation ecosystem – startups and scaleups who build new tech, the investors who fund it and the enterprises who ultimately buy it and use it to create value.”

London Tech Week arrives at a key time with the Tech Nation Report 2025 revealing a maturing UK tech ecosystem continuing to thrive on frontier innovation, global investment and deep tech capabilities:

• The UK tech sector has reached a combined market value of $1.2 trillion in 2025, cementing its place as the number one tech ecosystem in Europe
• UK VCs raised 66 new funds in 2024 worth $10.9 billion – 70% more than VCs in France and Germany combined
• UK tech startups have raised more than $7 billion in VC investment in H1 2025, including the biggest first quarter fundraise of the last three years
• The UK has produced 163 unicorn companies to date – including 48 active unicorns – with 90% staying in the UK. And companies are reaching unicorn status faster than ever before

These metrics highlight the UK’s resilience and adaptability in fostering innovation and scaling companies with global ambition. However, more can be done to ensure that the UK remains the number one destination in Europe for tech companies to scale. London Tech Week provides a forum for key stakeholders to come together and enable an environment that supports this positive trajectory.

“It’s really exciting to see the team's year of hard work culminate in this crucible moment for UK tech as we unite founders, corporate enterprises, government leaders, and operators from across the tech ecosystem to celebrate and move the needle on UK innovation at a time when we are uniquely placed to do so on the world stage – and with the vast opportunity of AI,” said Carolyn Dawson OBE, CEO of Founders Forum Group and Tech Nation. "Several Big Tech partnerships, headline content from some of AI’s top names, and the Government’s robust support signify just how much momentum there is currently behind UK Tech. We must seize this moment to cement the UK’s position as a global leader in the AI race.” 

This year’s London Tech Week is set against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving tech ecosystem and explores the theme, 'Tech in the Age of AI'. The programme features more than 650 speakers and hundreds of sessions, covering areas from generative AI and quantum computing to digital infrastructure and regulation. Key participants include:

• 180 CEOs and 227 startup founders, including leaders from more than 30 unicorn companies
• Executives from global tech players such as Microsoft, AWS, and Google Cloud
• Corporate leaders from firms including AstraZeneca, GSK, BT, Virgin Media O2, WPP, Diageo, and Rio Tinto
• European AI startups like Synthesia, Rapyd, and Mistral AI

Government presence is also strong, with the Department for Business and Trade showcasing how the government are strengthening the UK as a natural base for global tech talent. Following the government’s announcement of an £86 billion boost to science and technology, Minister for Investment Poppy Gustafsson and Secretary of State Peter Kyle are also scheduled to deliver insights on the UK’s investment priorities and innovation strategy.

“London Tech Week has delivered since 2014, and in 2025, we’re going even bigger. With the London Growth Plan in place, the focus is clear: talent, frontier tech and high-growth sectors. Now more than ever it's crucial to bring the leading voices in tech together on the biggest issues in the global ecosystem. This includes diversity - with our research showing that nearly 9 in 10 tech business leaders say that it is essential to driving innovation and growth," said Janet Coyle CBE, Managing Director of Grow London, London & Partners.

Technology is a natural strength for the UK, creating high value jobs while making businesses more productive and enriching everyone’s lives. London Tech Week exists to support the ecosystem so that it continues to thrive.