Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns will call on businesses to take the risk and have the drive to innovate as he joins the leading lights of the Welsh electronics and software technologies industry at the Wales Technology Awards 2017 (22 June).
Delivering a keynote speech at the gala celebration at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay, Mr Cairns will say that there is “no easy path to prosperity” but that the “innovation and determination” of the Welsh tech sector can “deliver opportunities for economic growth of which we can all be proud.”
Speaking 24 hours after the State Opening of Parliament, Mr Cairns will reiterate the UK Government’s commitment to “creating and supporting the right conditions for industry so that the economy continues to grow.”
He will highlight the aims of the Modern Industrial Strategy and the work of the Government’s innovation agency Innovate UK, which has awarded over £4million of grant funding to companies in the running for the Wales Technology Awards.
He will also underline the opportunities for Welsh businesses as Britain prepares to exit the European Union, and reaffirm his commitment to working with the Welsh Government to address the issues that matter most to people within the tech sector in Wales. He will say “whether devolved or non-devolved, I am determined that we should deliver for the people of Wales.”
The Wales Technology Awards is the flagship event of the Wales Festival of Innovation (19-30 June), and celebrates excellence in the electronic and software technologies industry in Wales. It is an industry that employs approximately 39,000 people in over 3,000 companies that collectively generate a turnover of over £8.5billion.
Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:
The UK has a world-wide reputation for innovation, invention, research and development. It’s one of our biggest strengths and one of the biggest drivers of growth. Not only can it revolutionise the way we live our lives, it can bring real opportunities for businesses to tap into and grow.
I want Wales to be at the centre of the new innovations that change the way we do business, the way we live and at the forefront of developing the solutions for tomorrow.
Innovate UK is the UK Government’s innovation agency working with people, companies and partner organisations to help them do just that. I’m delighted to see them playing such an integral part in the Welsh Festival of Innovation.
I applaud the achievements of all those nominated this evening. I hope their success will inspire the innovators of the future to unleash their own ideas and deliver exciting opportunities across Wales, the UK and the world.
NOTES TO EDITORS
- Innovate UK is the UK Government’s innovation agency, working with people, companies and partner organisations to find and drive the science and technology innovations that will grow the UK economy.
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