Members of the REWRE team took part in a recent BI Foresight Live event hosted at Engine Shed in Bristol focusing on the convergence of critical technologies in power semiconductors and future mobility. The panel brought together experts from across the power semiconductor and mobility sectors, including:
- Richard Duffy – Head of Semiconductor Innovation and Ecosystem at the Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT)
- Prof. Martin Kuball – Director of the REWIRE IKC and Professor of Physics at University of Bristol
- Tim Mottram – Innovation Program Lead at Siemens Power Electronics
- Furqan – Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Sora Aviation
- Dr. Nick Singh – Chief Technology Officer at the Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult
- Hosted by Dr. Aby Sankaran Iyer, REWIRE IKC Centre Manager
The wide ranging discussion was kicked off by outlining the UK government’s bold ambitions to become home to the world’s first £1 trillion tech company, with semiconductors playing a pivotal role to achieving this. The need to scale deep tech companies and bridge the gap between research and commercialisation was also identified. The government’s £28 billion National Wealth Fund and the Digital and Technologies Sector Plan are key tools in this strategy, with semiconductors, AI, and quantum technologies among the top priorities.
The panel explored how the UK can better coordinate its fragmented semiconductor ecosystem. Despite having over 600 companies in the sector, the UK still struggles to scale innovation. The discussion focused on aligning academia, start-ups, and industry to unlock commercial potential in areas like wide band gap materials and high-voltage devices – critical for EV charging, energy transmission, and AI infrastructure.
Key Thoughts from the Panelists:
- Richard Duffy (DSIT): The UK must build a full-stack tech ecosystem – from research to scale – and leverage the National Wealth Fund to support deep tech growth.
- Prof. Martin Kuball (REWIRE IKC Director): The UK has a unique opportunity in gallium nitride and high-voltage semiconductors, but needs better pathways from academic research to industry.
- Tim Mottram (Siemens): Stronger collaboration between large manufacturers and start-ups is essential to scale innovation and meet industrial demand.
- Dr. Nick Singh (CSA Catapult): The UK’s semiconductor sector is rich in talent but fragmented; a more coordinated national strategy is needed to unlock its full potential.
- Furqan (Sora Aviation): High-value, niche applications like sustainable aviation require bespoke components and early-stage government support to de-risk innovation.
High-value niches where the UK could lead globally were also identified, such as AI data centres, bidirectional EV charging, and sustainable aviation. However, early-stage innovation remains risky and underfunded. Speakers called for targeted government support, clearer regulation, and stronger public engagement to accelerate adoption and scale.
A major theme was the skills gap in engineering and semiconductor talent. Suggestions included modernising STEM education, using platforms like TikTok to inspire young people, and addressing post-Brexit hiring challenges. Programmes such as the Semiconductor Skills Talent and Education Programme (STEP), which will offer bursaries, internships, and summer schools to build the UK’s future talent pipeline, were also discussed as a key intervention to build talent in a strategically important frontier technology.