The initiative helps high-growth potential companies expand in the region and start to explore the commercial opportunities on offer.

Japan and South Korea are likely to be particular hot spots for UK tech companies during 2024, according to Jeremy Shaw, who heads the UK-APAC Tech Growth Programme at Intralink, the international business development consultancy delivering the scheme.  The company has a 33-year track record of helping 1,500 British and other western firms expand in Asia Pacific and has secured more than £600 million in revenue for them from the region.

Jeremy Shaw explained: “Japan is a huge, cash-rich market and its tech corporations are actively seeking innovative technologies and global partnerships. They are particularly looking for artificial intelligence, quantum tech and enterprise solutions.”

“South Korea presents another fantastic opportunity for British firms,” he continued. “The country’s tech companies are focused on partnerships and investments in areas such as sensors, quantum tech and semiconductors to enable them to compete with the best globally. And we’ve seen even more interest in UK tech from Korean companies since the state visit to London by the Korean President, His Excellency Yoon Suk Yeo, in November.”

The UK-APAC Tech Growth Programme provides support for UK firms to expand in 11 APAC markets: Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand, as well as Japan and South Korea.

It places emphasis not just on helping firms develop the right expansion strategy, but on enabling them to achieve tangible commercial results. Intralink’s teams on the ground in APAC can identify participants’ business opportunities, provide market entry advice, and help companies sell their products, forge partnerships and raise investment.

Following its participation in the programme in 2023, satellite connectivity firm Wyld Networks secured a partnership with Australian environmental monitoring firm Novecom, in which its technology will be deployed in Australia to deliver Internet of Things data using low Earth orbit satellite connectivity.  Wyld Networks’ CEO, Alastair Williamson, commented: "The Tech Growth Programme is an amazing opportunity to reach new markets, solve new problems and improve profitability." 

Intralink’s Jeremy Shaw continued: “Recent data shows that the UK technology sector is now valued at £817 billion, its highest-ever level, with the country ranking third behind the US and China on the global stage. This success is, of course, fuelled by collaboration and partnerships with global tech companies and, while breaking into APAC markets can seem daunting, the opportunities they offer are immense. The local knowledge and support from the specialists from the UK-APAC Tech Growth Programme makes a real difference in pin-pointing the most relevant markets, facilitating introductions and providing practical advice and support to overcome language and cultural barriers.” He continued: “We urge ambitious tech scaleups with innovative technologies in areas such as artificial intelligence, engineering biology and semiconductors to consider APAC as an expansion target for 2024.  We’re here to help them succeed.”

Depending on the support needed by each participating firm, the services on offer are either free of charge or heavily subsidised by the UK Government. They include skills workshops; in-market visits and trade missions; opportunities to pitch to APAC corporates which are looking to adopt and invest in UK tech; and 10-week ‘business development initiatives,’ tailored to an individual company’s expansion goals. 

The programme - backed jointly by the Department for Business & Trade and Department for Science, Innovation & Technology initiative – is aimed at startups and scaleups throughout the UK with significant international growth potential.

Companies can find out more and apply to participate in the programme via the Intralink website.