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That’s a Wrap! Microelectronics UK 2025 Round-Up
That’s a wrap on Microelectronics UK! The first UK gathering for semiconductors, photonics, and embedded systems saw more than 3000 attendees come through the doors to build relationships, explore synergies, and gain insight.
From the packed conference sessions, to the networking at The Microbrewery, to the F1 racing simulator, there was plenty to do and see at the show. We’ve put together highlights of the key news, insights and themes from across the two days for you below:
News
Microelectronics UK was a hub of industry launches and announcements. The show had a big story on the Semiconductors UK stage at the very start, with the announcement of a £10 million fund to boost UK semiconductor innovation by Tech Minister Kanishka Narayan MP during the opening address.
The investment, alongside Innovate UK, is expected to support up to 40 British businesses. “I hope you will feel that right across the UK, across the nations of this country, we are putting a fundamental focus on what semiconductors will do in our collective future,” Narayan told attendees.
Plenty of new concepts and designs were being demonstrated on the show floor. Peridio unveiled a demonstration of its open source Avocado OS and how it can accelerate development of Linux-based edge AI products from prototype to volume production. On the photonics side, Bristol-based Hartley Ultrafast demonstrated a working prototype for a photonic neural network. This was not the only new concept – the company itself made its debut at Microelectronics UK, emerging from stealth.
It was not just in the UK where headlines were being made either. A key session on the Startup Launchpad stage espoused how the UK and Malaysia could collaborate in the semiconductor market, combining the former’s R&D and IP expertise and the latter’s manufacturing capability. SMD Semiconductor signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) at Microelectronics UK with international strategic partners. The launch was overseen by the Premier of Sarawak, Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Abang Openg.
Elsewhere, Keywave Technology signed a strategic IoT partnership with SG Wireless at Microelectronics UK alongside establishing a dedicated R&D hub as part of its long-term commitment to the UK.
The UK Electronics Skills Foundation (UKSEF) announced that it was recognising 33 companies for their commitment to equipping the next generation of engineers with a Skills Charter. Recipients ranged from behemoths such as Apple and Arm, to more niche players, showing that substance was just as important as size. Paul Double, CEO of fellow recipient EDA Solutions, appeared on the Embedded Systems stage to be presented with his charter by UKSEF CEO Stewart Edmondson.
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Insights
Bridging the skills gap across the microelectronics industry and building a talent pipeline was a principal theme. As Narayan noted regarding the £10m investment, the announcement builds upon the semiconductor skills package launched earlier this year. The key, Narayan said, was to ‘support learners at every stage of their learning, from school leavers and undergraduates, to mid-career professionals and PhD researchers.’
“These interventions are already strengthening our ecosystem,” said Narayan. “They are building our talent pipeline, and they are ensuring that the UK is ready to lead in the technologies of tomorrow.”
“Microelectronics UK is clearly an outstanding gathering,” added Narayan, saying it was ‘testament to the UK’s growing leadership’. “It showcases the strength, ambition, and collective energy of the sector.”
Industry also showed it was keen to play its role. Speaking at a panel session on the photonics stage, Iain Thomas, head of electrical and electronics at Rolls-Royce, noted the company had an extensive network of university technology centres, as well as offering sponsored PhDs and engagement in Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) programmes.
Rolls-Royce is currently exploring photonics for novel sensing, as well as the potential to introduce high speed comms across small modular reactors and some aerospace applications. “We very strongly want to develop technology and products that we can read across multiple sectors,” Thomas told attendees.
Collaboration was another major theme of the event. Understanding the UK’s global role and potential for partnerships came through clearly in the sessions exploring Malaysia’s semiconductor industry and vision. Hai Liang (Duncan) Lee, director of technology at Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association, noted that 40% of Malaysia’s export is through semiconductors, with 7% of all global trade flowing through the country. “The UK is the right place to do product UP… [but] if you want to deploy global products, you want to acquire market share, you are talking volume business,” Shariman Jamil, CEO of SMD Semiconductor, told attendees. “This is where Malaysia can complement the UK.”
Yet there was a wider sense of a call to action for the microelectronics space. Sue Daley OBE, director at techUK, told attendees that the message from industry was that action was needed in order for the UK to position itself as an ‘indispensable part of the global semiconductor ecosystem’.
Daley outlined the three missions in TechUK’s Plan for Chips report, published in February: turning current strengths into leadership; ensuring the UK’s semiconductor businesses have greater access to finance; and capitalising on UK strength in the global supply chain through strategic partnerships.
“If the global chip market is heading for $1 trillion by 2030, the UK needs to turn strategy into serious action,” said Daley. “The National Semiconductor Strategy has made some positive strides with establishing the UK’s Semiconductor Centre, holding a lot of potential to coordinate efficient support for the sector. Now, we must focus on delivery. That’s the task ahead, and groups like techUK, the Chips Coalition, are pushing hard to make this a reality.
“We need all of you to help to do this. We need to work together.”
We can’t wait to see you again – whether it’s at Microelectronics US in Austin, Texas on 22–23 April 2026, or back at Excel London for Microelectronics UK on 29–30 September 2026.
👉 If you’d like to be the first to hear when tickets go live (and secure them at the lowest cost), you can pre-register your interest now:
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